The thing that separates him in my book is what he has above the shoulders. He appears to me to be a very very smart player who also happens to have the requisite physical and technical attributes to play at the highest level.
I think it’s about time to bring back the “Reyna” name with the USMNT. We’ve missed it. This is not hype. This is talent. Talent that is blossoming right in front of our eyes. The best part....he’s just beginning to scratch the surface. Just think how Reyna’s game will evolve / improve from the beginning of next season to the end of next season to 2-3 years down the road. This is going to be fun to watch.
He and Pulisic are different players, but he has some of the same characteristics at the same age. Most notably: how comfortable they seem to be with the ball in tight spaces and under pressure, and the soft touch and lack of panic to make those little combination plays to get out of trouble. There’s few players in our pool regardless of age with the ability to do that right now.
I'd temper enthusiasm a bit. In ANY SPORT there is an adjustment once there is a more defined scouting report on a guy. You see it all the time in baseball, basketball, football, etc. Right now Gio has the advantage of their being a very small book on him, appearing as a sub with fresh legs against tired ones, not being the focal point of gameplanning against him (Sancho and Haaland are literally two of the hottest talents on the planet) AND playing with better talent. Hazard is having a bit of a rough patch of form that is 100 percent true. But like any prospect I'm waiting to see how he does when those advantages he has right now start to decrease.
I'm sensing the next Dempsey/ Donovan debate beginning. Reyna and Pulisic need to play chess on a plane stat, or we'll be wondering if they hate each other.
When Dortmund coaching said Reyna is a better all around prospect than Pulisic I thought it was silly they’d make such a statement so soon. I’m glad that Reyna’s been able to backup what they said. One of the ESPN+ analysts described how you can’t setup your defense against Haaland when he’s strong, tall, fast, and has great finishing. I see Reyna in the same aspect as a #10 who has solid speed, great physicality, great touch, great vision, and is only 17. All Reyna needs is more time and experience to show up as world class.
I've never understood some fans' need to pit our best players against each other. My first thought as Gio Reyna is breaking out is not to compare him to Pulisic but to start to put together full lineups with both of them, Adams, McKennie, Dest, etc.
hard to believe Haaland is from norway. hell, even at age 19, Zlatan was helping his club be promoted to the swedish top division.
pfft. Let us revel in something. We have a lot of our best players injured, our regional rivals are giving us scoreboard grief in the rivalries thread and our coach insists on playing a majority of plebeian MLSers in a system requiring technical excellence.
That’s a great start to a team. A few more of these guys break out and we’re golden. Hopefully it’s Sarge we desperately need a legit 9. He’s got the makings for it just hasn’t put it all together yet.
to me the key factor is that Reyna is just plain bigger and seems to glide through games and may survive the endurance needed for many seasons. I don't wonder about Pulisic's size - it is his fragility that concerns me. My fear is that his career may be similar to John OBrien .... all that talent but just not able to survive the game. I hope for goodness sake I am wrong.
Doesn’t mean he’s good enough. Back to gio. If reus is still out, he could start next week against Freiburg.