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‘Stop trying to be a tough**’: Alexi Lalas calls out Leeds duo Tyler Adams and Weston McKennie for the way the US national team stars have been behaving on the pitch
Fox soccer commentator and former US national team member Alexi Lalas has criticized Leeds midfielders Tyler Adams and Weston Mckennie for the way the duo have been carrying themselves on the pitch.
“Stop trying to be a tough jerk and just pass the ball and make the tackles that you can make and you can still be physical and get those ‘oohs’ and ‘ahhs’ without facing someone every time you feel like you’ve been wronged, that you Sometimes that’s what we’re seeing with Tyler Adams,’ Lalas said.
“I love that he defends himself, I love that he defends his teammates, but sometimes you look around and say ‘what are you defending right now?'” something like that. You are creating an incident or creating and creating an altercation where it is not necessary.
Lalas made his comments on his ‘State of the Union’ podcast, after Adams and McKennie received yellow cards following a skirmish that occurred during the game against Everton.
Leeds would lose the game 1–0 and lose traction in the battle to avoid relegation by falling to 19th in the Premier League.
Alexi Lalas criticized Leeds midfielders Tyler Adams and Weston Mckennie for their behavior
Tyler Adams received a yellow card against Everton for starting an altercation on the pitch
Weston Mckennie also received a yellow card for his role in the fight.
Adams is in his first season with Leeds after a summer move from German outfit RB Leipzig and McKennie was recently acquired on loan with an option to buy from Juventus during the January window.
The duo recently saw the coach who brought them to the club, fellow American Jesse Marsch, fired due to the teams’ poor performance during the season.
His replacement until the end of the season was named on Tuesday in Javi Gracia, who most recently led Qatari side Al Sadd to a title.
Gracia won’t be relying on the duo of Adams and McKennie to control Leeds’ midfield the way they did for the USA during the 2022 World Cup.
However, it remains to be seen if the duo listen to Lalas and stop being “tough”.
The altercation started when Adams and Dwight McNeil got tangled up after one tackle.
Adams responded to the tackle and tangle by putting his hand on McNeil’s chest to push him off.
He eventually led McNeil to the barrier on the sidelines as his teammates intervened.