If we looking at numbers then let say Eddie Lewis has 3 assists less than Reyna, 2 goals more than Reyna in 30 less games. Reyna was better player than his pretty modest numbers. In assists per game ahead of him: Lewis Ramos Fabian Johnson Bedoya Mathis and Zardes! among others.
Not as deep as Eddie Lewis or Fabian Johnson. Wingers have much better goals per minute. Much maligned Michael Bradley has better G+A per minute numbers.
2001 MLS Cup champion with 7 goals and 10 assists in just 22 games wants to say hi. Of course, clever readers will have deduced that that's Landon Donovan, which may strengthen instead of contradict your point.
He was pretty great against Germany. You're really going to the mat arguing against someone who stated an objective fact.
I'll jump in! Reyna, at the time, was the best we had ever had at the position he played at the time he played it. He had some success in Europe and was internationally recognized for his achievements. Of course, he was eclipsed in time by others who took his position, a young guy named Bradley comes to mind, but he will be remembered for his contribution to our National team program. What I like is that when his time was up, he gracefully stepped off. Some of the next generation players at his position should be as graceful. As for PP, yes I did, I feel he has a great future ahead. He has a little more bite defensively than CR and a better motor, like a young MB. I also feel he will have the luxury of players of better caliber around him and pushing him. Within a year, he should be overseas plying his trade and take it up a notch. This is the natural progression of sports. Have players you can look to to form your game and take it higher. I would also like to see him integrated into the MNT's set up soon.
I'm not sure how that quote got attributed to me. butters59 said that. I'd agree he was great against Germany.
I love that we're arguing individual player perfomances from a single World Cup game 17 years later. Imagine the spirited discussions we'll have in 2035 about Pulisic in last year's World Cup ... oh. crap.
Now you're comparing Reyna to people on his own team who didn't even play his position? That's not how a Best XI works. As several others have pointed out, he is fifth in assists despite frequently playing as a deep lying distributor. That's how I remember him in the several games that I saw him live with the National team. As such, he did a lot of work that doesn't show up on a stat sheet. Of course this stuff is subjective, but no way he isn't a top ten all time US field player. As for Pomykal, I have only watched his U-20 performances. He certainly has considerable phyiscal tools and is quite good technically. He showed his vision with some great line-splitting passes against Nigeria. For me, his most impressive game was against France, both because of the high level of the competition and because he showed his mental strength. He clearly wasn't right after the knock he took but he fought through it and played quite well in the latter stages of the game. I don't think that there is much doubt that he can contribute to the USMNT right now, but who knows what his ceiling will be or his best position? I would be delighted if he surpassed Reyna, JOB, etc., as a fulcrum of the US attack.
I mean that Reyna has a better assists-per-game ratio than the guys who have more total assists that him (except for Donovan). Yes he did. Earlier in his career he played as more of an A-mid, but over time got shifted to a deeper CM role. He also had long and successful club career in Europe (Bundesliga, Premiership, Champions League with Rangers) that none of those players listed above can boast (except Johnson, who is not a product of American soccer).
Sorry I should have also said, this was not in disagreement with that sentiment, as I think for him the U20 was much more important right now. I speak more of going forward from here. And not just in Pax's case but in general as well.
OK, using fulcrum makes me think of one of my favorite shows Chuck. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fulcrum_(Chuck)
At any given time, I would have picked one of Pope, Friedel, O’Brien, McBride, or Donovan ahead of Reyna.