Landon Donovan says everyone is "fed up" with the way things are handled with Pulisic

Pulisic is having a rough time and he deserves it

The golden boy shine has definitely worn off. He’s creeping towards disappointment territory.

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creeping towards disappointment territory

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Or maybe rushing headlong? Seeing it in the review mirror as the car plunges off the cliff? Glimpses it from afar as the boat quickly sinks into the blackness of the cold sea? He’d have to have an incredible turnaround not to be viewed as a major disappointment by casual soccer viewers (like me).

Hopefully this World Cup for Pulisic is what the 2006 World Cup was for Landon... meaning Pulisic will go into frick you mode for the 2030 World Cup 20 years after Landon did the same in South Africa.

Don't forget, the same stuff we are saying about Pulisic now was being said about Landon after Germany when we had huge expectations only for him to fall flat on his face.

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My take is he's just introverted

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Yep, he’s socially awkward as frick which always leads to these type of interviews where he says something that he clearly didn’t mean.

I’ve seen enough of Pulisic in big moments to know he didn’t pull himself out because he wanted to rest his ankle, but that’s what he said here and people are keying in on it.

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then he shouldn't be captain.

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He’s not the captain and hasn’t been the captain in both World Cups that he has played in.

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Until that mistake, the US had taken control and put Belgium into react mode bordering on panic.

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This did not happen. We just had more possession because Belgium was content sitting low on a 2-1 lead knowing that we weren’t able to create anything through the midfield.

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We must have watched different matches.

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We must have, because I said it in the game thread at half that the US was starting to shift momentum and control. at about the 30-35th minute things started to shift. The US was starting to find windows in the Belgium defense for fast breaks.

After the half, the US was also starting to intercept annd steal the ball from Belgian players in the mid field and keep the action on their half of the field.



They had a very good chance of equalizing, and upon doing that, completely taking control.





One mistake ended all of that. Needing one goal with 30 minutes left is hopeful. Needing 2 goals against a very good team is deflating.



The biggest failure of the team was leadership in that moment. Everyone on the field seemed to accept defeat. Berhalter is the only one who pushed them to fight on. And he wasn't on the field until it was too late.

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The first 15 min of the second half the US had started to take control of the game. Belgium wasn’t even crossing midfield. Maybe that was intentional, but we would’ve had a very good chance to get to 2-2. They weren’t countering or posing any danger and we had a ton of the ball in their third.

Then Freese fricked up and that was game

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We didn’t take a single shot in those 15 minutes

Again, more possession =/= control of the match

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So...less possession, more shots is what you consider more control?





Controlling possession of the ball leads to more opportunities for goals.

The abscence of shots doesn't mean that chances weren't there or wouldn't eventually be there.

Do you really feel comfortable in your team when they constantly have to defend in their final 1/3? Would you consider that situation as your team "being in control"?


The US was starting to dictate the game, and then the GK forgot how to clear a ball with the first touch. He thought he was a mid-fielder and gave up the easiest goal of the last 4 World Cups.


For frick's sake, at least the English GK's mistake in 2010 was still a blocked shot. he just didn't hang to the ball after the block.

Our's left the fricking goal. And still some people want to put blame on Ream for not playing Keeper good enough without the use of hands.