It's hard not to feel a degree of sympathy for Christian Pulisic.
The American is clearly a gifted player. He showed that again on Sunday, with a fine cameo in Chelsea's 4-1 win at Southampton by setting up the final goal for Michy Batshuayi.
However, right now, Chelsea's young English contingent are the stars of the Frank Lampard show, with Willian playing a wonderful supporting role.
They all shone again at St Mary's.
Tammy Abraham celebrated his first England call-up on Thursday by netting the opener 17 minutes in, with compatriot Callum Hudson-Odoi providing the assist on what was the winger's first Premier League start since April.
Willian then teed up recent Three Lions debutant Mason Mount for Chelsea's second just seven minutes later.
Danny Ings pulled a goal back for the hosts on the half-hour mark, after Yann Valery had exposed Chelsea's ongoing defensive issues by dribbling through the backline far too easily.
However, N'Golo Kante restored the Blues' two-goal lead with a deflected strike just before half-time, before Batshuayi converted Pulisic's through-ball to put the result beyond all doubt in the 89th minute.
The final scoreline perhaps flattered Chelsea. It was an even match for long periods but the visitors' quality in the final third proved the difference between the two sides.
Indeed, this was a game that underlined just how many options Lampard has available to him in attack.
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It wasn't meant to be like this of course. Given Chelsea's transfer ban, Eden Hazard's departure to Real Madrid was meant to devastate the Blues from an offensive perspective.
The Belgian was by far and away their most effective attacker. With Willian and Pedro ageing, Gonzalo Higuain sent packing back to Juventus and Olivier Giroud never quite convincing as a reliable source of goals, the future looked grim at Stamford Bridge.
Now, though, it couldn't be brighter. Abraham has been a revelation up front, with eight goals in seven games, the industrious and innovative Mount looks the perfect Lampard player, while the fit-again Hudson-Odoi almost looks back to his best already, after his lengthy spell on the sidelines with an Achilles tendon problem.
What's more, Willian has been reborn under Lampard. Fresh from a fantastic match-winning volley away to Lille in midweek, the Brazilian stood out again at Southampton.
Lampard is certainly getting more out of Willian than either Maurizio Sarri or Antonio Conte managed to in recent years. The 31-year-old has been rightly criticised at times for his lack of end product but he now has two goals and an assist in his last three games.
Of course, Willian offers more than just goals, with a work rate that Lampard admires. At one point against Southampton, he cut out a dangerous counterattack by tracking back into the right-back position.
Willian is setting the example that the other wingers in Chelsea's squad have to follow. Certainly, Pulisic can learn a lot from the Selecao star.
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"Willian was the stand out one today," Lampard said at St Mary's Stadium. "His work ethic when he was off the ball was almost like…if you talk to wingers and tell them what you want from them, we could show them that video of Willian today.
"His quality and bursts of pace on the ball, he has been our best player in the last 12 games. And it’s a great thing to say when you have players on the pitch like that around them."
However, Pulisic's lack of game time is more down to the sensational form of his positional rivals, rather than any deficiencies on his part.
Granted, Lampard wasn't entirely happy with Pulisic's performance in his previous appearance for the club, against Grimsby earlier this month, but he will soon understand exactly what his manager is asking of him.
For now, he just needs to be patient, and attentive.
Willian and England's young cubs, Abraham, Mount and Hudson-Odoi, are carrying Chelsea's increasingly impressive top-four challenge.
The Blues have now won four games in a row in all competitions, scoring 15 times in the process.
Lampard still has issues to resolve, particularly at the back, but he couldn't have anticipated such a strong start to the season.
As Mount admitted afterwards: "To be fair, I didn't think it would go this well!"
As he heads off to link up with USA for the international break, Pulisic probably expected his start to the season to go better.
However, he should take comfort in the fact that Chelsea's fine form will have only further strengthened Lampard's belief in young players.
Pulisic's time in the spotlight will come. But, for now, Willian, Abraham, Mount and Hudson-Odoi will take some shifting from centre stage.