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‘Painfully dumb’: Alexis Lalas is mocked on social media for saying football would be better with 35-yard kicks instead of penalties, two points per goal outside the penalty area and throw-ins instead of throw-ins
American soccer commentator Alexi Lalas was roundly mocked on Twitter after suggesting a list of seven items to improve the sport, including two points for goals outside the penalty area and a hockey ‘penalty bench’ to discipline players. players.
Lalas posted the tweet on Wednesday morning and it quickly flopped, with over 2,000 replies (mostly negative) and over 1,800 tweets with quotes.
How would it improve ⚽️? Examples: ‘she said.
Alexi Lalas angered fans on Twitter with his suggestions on how to improve football
Lalas was part of the coverage of the FOX World Cup in Qatar
‘Make bigger goals; 2 points for goals outside the penalty area; 35-yard shootout instead of PK; Throw-in option on the throw-in; Hockey penalty box; for player punishment; The offside only applies in the last 35 yards; Handball simply any contact of the ball with the hand or arm.’
Fans vehemently disagreed with the former USMNT player, as followers told Lalas to keep quiet on the matter.
Just leave him alone. [None] of your ideas retain water. 2 goals for long efforts do me a favor why are you obsessed with changing a game we loved for years and [you’re] Just joining now,’ said one.
‘Just shut up. You played in the World Cup and you have worse knowledge of soccer than my uncle who has never seen a game. This shit is the reason we are the laughing stock of the soccer world,” said another in an apparent reference to the United States.
A different follower offered a simple suggestion: “Football would get better if you stopped being a part of it, to be completely honest.”
Lalas was part of FOX’s (often criticized) World Cup coverage, and would presumably have seen the impressive final between Lionel Messi’s Argentina and Kylian Mbappe’s France.
Argentina won the final on penalties and Messi ultimately clinched the World Cup, while Mbappé scored the first treble in a World Cup final since Geoff Hurst for England in 1966.
Many fans have even called it one of the best games ever, with one Twitter follower reminding Lalas just how silly the game was.
“Crazy because someone could have watched the World Cup final recently and thought that the sport needs a fundamental change to make it more exciting,” he said.
Kylian Mbappé scored a hat-trick in the World Cup final as France lost to Argentina on penalties.
At least two other followers suggested that Lalas was looking at the wrong sport for what he wanted to watch.
“Bro, just play Mario Strikers,” said one in reference to the popular video game. ‘Sounds like you would enjoy futsal like MASL or MLIS.’
While Lalas’s ideas didn’t go down well, there is precedent for at least one of them.
MLS used to do 35-yard shots in the the first days of the leaguethe format being eliminated in 1999.
Some fans who responded to Lalas in earnest expressed support for a change to the current penalty kick format, with several wanting a ‘golden goal’ system reinstated, while others agreed to change the offside rules. play.
Lalas played for the United States for seven years, from 1991 to ’98 and won 96 caps for his country, scoring 10 goals.
He spent most of his career with clubs in the US and was president of the Los Angeles Galaxy when they signed David Beckham in 2007.