I’m not sure how someone can watch Reyna and see Robben. Its funny how these kids are tabula rasas upon whom we paint what we want.
Stylistic Kaka is a better comp if you are looking for a lanky player who had the ability to blow by defenders.
You said Reyna was too tall to be quick. This guy pointed out he's an inch taller than Robben, implying simply that height might not be the best indicator of quickness. Did he say one thing comparing the two, other than height? He said nothing about their style of play being similar in any way. What a weird connection you made, which I can only think you are doing deliberately (for what reason, I'm still unsure).
He was blazing fast over long distances too. I believe his 100 meter times would have been good. Yes, the injuries did him in and sadly were on purpose. I believe he was one of the ones they changed the tackling from behind rule to an instant red over.
I believe Reyna is much taller than an inch over Robben. Wasn't Robben about 5-7 and Reyna is 6-1ish?
Robben’s height is listed as 5-11, fwiw. There are photos of him with Lewa which would say that 5-11 is in the ball park.
I still remember Kaka going by Spector in 2009 like a freight train; it never looked like Kaka was running and yet there he was, just blowing past him on the wing.
Yes, I used both Kaka and Clint Dempsey as comparisons for young Gio. I am careful on Kaka, because Kaka always had his head up and Gio doesn't do that (yet). Part of what made Kaka great was the unpredictability factor...he could beat you in 360 degrees no matter which direction he was moving. Gio is really his own player though. He's smart, dynamic, can change directions quickly, and also has some unpredictability about his play. He can pass, he can dribble, and he can shoot. He's really a HIGH quality prospect. When I look at this guy I see the potential best American player of all time. Does it matter that he doesn't have the lateral agility of Messi, Ronaldo, or Robben? Absolutely not one single bit at all. My favorites have always been smart players who dictate the field with passing and movement...Gio can be one of those guys.
Still would call him a quarter horse as opposed to a miler. His best asset as a runner was his first 20 yards of pace that just blew the doors off defenders. Just a powerful powerful runner. His upper legs were just behemoth.
My recollections are so different. Sometimes though certain people just seem shorter or taller than they really are.
In this totally pointless comparison discussion I feel compelled to deliver my $0.02 which is that I see Van Persie as the closest approximation.
That was OK. Still think we need to let him settle in at dortmund. Don't want him missing some training, then maybe the coach forgets about him and he's back with the u19s
Ok? That was ok? That pass was with perfect pace to the exact spot it needed to be to enable Haaland to one touch the ball forward and shoot. I don't think there is any chance the coach "forgets about him."
That’s not how it works in a meritocracy. He will be ok as long as he doesn’t get hurt. That can happen anywhere.
People keep talking about Gio as slow. But he turns and runs away, with the ball, from Verrati and Kurosawa.
Isn't it getting hilarious how all these negative evaluations just don't seem to hold up? For some reason, people simply refuse to believe Reyna is actually good and happening. "Reyna is not fast" "Reyna is a ball hog" "Reyna plays with his head down" "Reyna can't run at defenders like Pulisic" "Reyna is not positionally aware" I've heard all those before and after this latest game. Taylor from TSS spent 4 podcasts since the Leverkusen game explaining how horrible he was. Yet, Favre, for some reason keeps playing him. In this goal, Reyna drops in on one side of the field. Gets the ball, turns, lays it off for Hummels I think (the camera is close up on a PSG sub for some reason), then Reyna sprints across the field, demands the ball from Hummels and gets it, turns, leaves Verrati and Kurosawa in the dust. He then closes on Silva and forces him to take a step away from Haaland to deal with him, where he then immediately releases the ball right to Haaland's dominant foot in stride. He was fast. He passes exactly when he should have. He had his head up. He drove away and towards defenders at pace and unsettled a world class CB. He moved across the field to take up a position that a world class midfielder couldn't handle. That was just one play. He also dribbled through two players and drew a yellow card from the starting RB for PSG and the Belgium NT.
Yes, yes, he's still a kid, but Reyna looks to me like the most complete attacking player I've seen coming up for the US ever. He does everything well. He has shown a shot from range, he's beaten people on the dribble, he constantly shows for and demands the ball, he involves his teammates in the attack, he shows vision. He can be aggressive on his own but also shares the ball. Outside of further refinement and the improvements that will come as he grows and gets stronger, faster and mre consistent, I see nothing missing from his skill set. And, he's a different enough player to Pulisic that they should fit together nicely. I simply can't say enough great things about this kid and I don't think it is a shock at all to hear talk of people at BVB considering him more talented than Pulisic.