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Christian Pulisic ‘not going to lose sleep’ over Alexi Lalas comments

Sep 1, 2017; Harrison, NJ, USA; United States midfielder Christian Pulisic (10) in action against Costa Rica during the second half of the FIFA World Cup Qualifier at Red Bull Arena. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

Christian Pulisic was not mentioned by name in Alexi Lalas’ recent criticism of the U.S. Men’s National Team, but the 19-year-old “wonderboy” responded on Wednesday.

Lalas’ pointed criticism of the USMNT called for the team’s leaders to step up, but the former U.S. defender also called out Pulisic as a player that will need to show more in the coming weeks. Michael Bradley responded on Wednesday, saying he wasn’t too concerned with Lalas’ statement, and Pulisic followed up with a similar stance.

“I heard about it,” Pulisic said, according to NBC Sports. “I am not going to lose sleep about what Alexi Lalas has to say about us. He can say what he wants”.

Pulisic and Dortmund fell, 3-1, to Tottenham on Wednesday night in the opening match of Champions League group action. The USMNT winger had an up-and-down game, getting into good positions while having a goal overturned on an offside call.

It’s been a frustrating few weeks for Pulisic, who faces a bigger role with the U.S. and Dortmund with big games looming over the next month or so.

“This is how professional soccer is now,” Pulisic said. “Of course it’s a lot for me, it’s my first year, but now my second year playing this many games. I’m getting used to it. My body is okay. It is how it is. I always prepare myself to play every single game.

“Obviously now I am focusing on Dortmund. We have big games coming up. But it’s there,” Pulisic added. “We have to do everything we can and I am going to do everything I can do to help us qualify.”

Comments

  1. In the pursuit of debate, the Dortmund/Tottenham game reminded me a lot of US/Cost Rica. Dortmund with all the possession and Tottenham playing with five in the back just waiting to counter. I think both teams (Tott and CR) scored on their first shot with almost no chances until later in the game. Neither US nor Dortmund had any idea how to try to break down the mass of bodies in the penalty box. IMO, the way to attack five in the back packed in is to pack the box with maybe one less player than defending and hit them over and over with low driven crosses looking for rebounds to win the second ball. It is hard to position for rebounds so as a defender if you are in the right position, it was probably luck. Passing the ball around for 5 minutes and getting no dangerous chances doesn’t really seem to do anything except ultimately set yourself up for a quick counter. Dortmund looked as bad as US in breaking down the defense (… well, maybe not as bad, they did score and had another goal erroneously called back but they didn’t create many chances)

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  2. As hyperbolic as Lalas can be, he’s doing what other journalist should be doing: calling out the players/USMNT. Perhaps instead of quoting each and every rebutle to the valid criticism Lalas provided, SBI can follow suit?
    —–
    In the spirit of unapologetic observations: This new website design is an absolute quagmire. What on Earth has happened to this website in the past few years?

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    • “rebuttal” – Still no edit function, and there’s no distinction that I even responded to my own post as a reply.

      Were they going for some type of Goal.com style of format? Dreadful experience as someone that once made this a daily stop for internet browsing for years, but no longer does.

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      • Old School: Agreed with the fact that you can’t tell if a post is a response to an earlier post or a stand alone. I thought it was ridiculous when about a year ago, they removed the time-stamp so you couldn’t figure when a post had been made.

        While the website initially “appears” visually more pleasing, the comment section is a total mess. And let’s be honest, we all come there to post comments and debate stuff, not to read the articles (which are usually just a re-hash of what posters have previously said or what other websites are saying).

        Ryan Tolmich is like the responsible kid who is trying to get all his drunk classmates back to the hotel on spring break; he’s trying his best, but it’s just a mess…

  3. You’re all a bunch of nincompoops. Lalas didn’t even mention Pulisic in his rant. His “wonderboy” comment was clearly aimed at Freddy Adu.

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  4. So like, every 12 hours, we will get another article about how another USMNT player didn’t really respond to Lalas’ rant? I guess Cameron is due around 10p.m. EST. Stay tuned folks…

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