If Reyna plays I hope he does tackle and run hard and does not pout if he doesn’t get the ball or if a teammate doesn’t make the play Gio wanted. That’ll resolve a lot.
Reyna returned to action yesterday with the US. Started and subbed out after 64 minutes with the team up 6-1 over Grenada. My opinion is that a road match that was important - but not too important - was a good environment to ease Reyna back into the team. For the El Salvador match on Monday in Orlando, I would save him for a second half situation.
Agree with that which is why I was fairly disappointed in his performance. Nothing bad but most every player did something during the game that was a solid nice play. Not him. He just didn't seem to get into the game much. Maybe it was just his first game back and he was more worried about making a gaffe than a major contribution. As for Monday, I disagree. I am putting him back out on the wing to show me something. Not going to coddle him. Perform or maybe he should be dropped for awhile.
He linked up well and was pulled down for a stone cold penalty if we weren't already up 2-0 at that point. He did what he was asked.
Reyna was fine. I was expecting a bit more from him so I was a bit disappointed but that doesn't mean he was bad.
Shrug. We were finding so much joy down the left with Scally and Pulisic that we just went to it over and over and over again. That's what the game dictated we do. Reyna was fine. No need to overanalyze. On another field against another opponent, Reyna will have more of a "difference-making" impact. And any analysis of body language or how he fits in with the group...............seems excessive. What the leaders of the team are saying is that he's been great in camp.
Dude, exactly. The problem is so many are looking for something to criticize.... The flow of the game didn't allow the high central midfield play due to Grenada. Musah didn't do much either after coming in, this game was 90% through the wings and mostly the left with Scally and Pulisic. I said it before, using hindsight (obviously easier to do than pre-game), had you left Scally and Puli on the left, but had Reyna on the right rather than as a 10 you probably see some more from Gio as that's what Grenada let happen; the wings. But I've wanted to see Gio as a 10 for a long time , it's just that this game didn't really play well to that style regardless who was there. As for Reyna, he's just very reserved. Even watching him for years he's not a Dempsey or Pulisic type that's super animated out there. he just has always seemed to be very reserved and kind of quiet.
Yeah he did get pulled down for what should have been a penalty. Did well there but then he seemed to lose interest?
I was really disappointed with Gio. He showed no energy and, unfortunately, that is becoming his most obvious attribute. There was no change of pace in his off the ball runs, he didn't pursue loose ball with the vigor shown by all others on the team. I compare his style with that of Josie Altidore who, according to many, didn't seem to care or work hard enough. Please note: that is not my opinion about JA, but I'm beginning to think Gio on field play shows a real problem. He's sort of an anti-Aaronson in that Aaronson's skill set is based on churning legs, never stopping and an unstoppable hope/expectation that the ball will bounce cleverly off his own feet and his oppenents' legs and ankles, always ending on Aaronson's foot for a continuing dribble. Reyna oozes on the ball with immense skill. I love it!! But, he doesn't demand the ball the way he should because he doesn't give the clue by adjusting his speed to tell the would-be passer he wants it. For a guy with his skill level, I want him to have the ball so often he can't help but dominate the game. Maybe it will come with time. At least that's my wishful thinking.
I think he was letting the game come to him. Pretty smart given the last time he played with these guys. I view it like a QB that went 5-11 passing with zero TDs while his team won 49-7 with the offense scoring all the points. For me….great game.
I actually thought he got fouled in the box twice. If the ref's not going to call those then the's no need to get injured for nothing. I'd like to see more from him but criticizing in a 7-1 win is a bit much. He may the type of player to lay back when the team is doing great and steps up when they're not. I've observed players like that and their opposite - the ones like a shark feeding frenzy when the team is in a romp and scoring the 4th, 5th goal etc but never score the first goal in a game ot=r score when the team is behind. Which is Reyna? WAFO.
yeah i felt he had the best game out of all the players until pepi came in; i wish hudson would kept him there for match fitness;
Reyna may be good enough for the USMNT, but I'll bet there's a non-negligible number of BigSoccer members who would LOVE to have his life. Let's keep some perspective here. Personally, I hope he gets his parents in order and goes on to have a successful career and family life. And thanks to him for representing us on the field.
Yep, he played much better, and also looked happier and more involved with his teammates. I was happy to see it.
Based on four months of rage I expected Gio Reyna to be at the bottom of this list, but it’s actually Jesus Ferreira: Here's how the USMNT did in terms of G+ at the World Cup. (Redo for not doing my math right). Notice any trends? Aside from the fact that Pulisic is incredible. pic.twitter.com/UmFvFRePi3— Paul Harvey (@Thundering165) March 30, 2023 The bottom six guys being from MLS is only going to provide fodder for the Eurosnobs…Ferreira and Shaq Moore in particular just look to be way below everyone else. I guess the MLS players really were hold back the USMNT 🇺🇸 during the World Cup. https://t.co/iE8gMDX3Fl— Tactical Manager (@ManagerTactical) March 31, 2023 Yes the sample size is small but that’s the World Cup by definition, a few games every four years that are what matter.
It's basically a useless sample size, though. At this level, it's not even really directional, it's useless, especially for players under a game. You can see it from the results -- If you wanted something to tell me that the people who scored goals were valuable and the people who didn't play much or gave up a pen weren't, it's great? G+ has issues with defense, as well. I think it is somehow underrating how effective the US was in the group stage on defense, where we were very good but our defensive players look pretty bad across the board here and the offense that scored only two goals pops... And it is also overrating because watching a running go by you or a cross go over your head in the Netherlands game won't actually show up against Adams, Dest or Jedi. More importantly here ... and this is my other GIANT problem with G+ ... were we really, as a team, like 4.5 Goals above average at a World Cup where our goal differential was -2? I know most teams come out with a negative differential but that seems like a high number for a team that scored 2 goals and gave up 4. @Thundering165 Do you have the list of all G+ above average for the whole tournament? Or is this not above average?
This is raw G+, and I do have it for the whole tournament. I can look a little closer at G+ differentials for the team. I think the USA on the whole played fairly well defensively up until the Netherlands game, so the differences will be pretty close.
Yeah, I'm just trying to come to terms with how we are -1 (I missed one in my prior post) in GD and +4.5 in G+. I'm not even sure what G+ means at that point. We certainly weren't at +4.5 xGD, right? Is G+ reliably tying to anything here? Is this saying we actually played much better but luck/variance was against us? Or is the absolute number not meaningful is any real way, only ranking?
The absolute number in terms of raw G+ generally tracks with xG, but is a representation of the xG a team "should" generate much like xG reflects the goals a team "should" score. (Leaving out interrupting which I really don't like). Fouling gets tricky because it operates on both sides. I don't like that and wish they were split, but it's not up to me. So for G+ differences, the only game where the USA was on the negative side was against Wales with a -0.81 G+ difference. Take away the 0.5 penalty swing and you're looking at -0.31. In the Netherlands game the USA created 2.63 G+ and the Netherlands 2.30 - that's high numbers on both sides and represents a fairly open game. The Netherlands were more clinical and better at turning positions into chances, and frankly the USMNT probably wanted a less open game.
Okay, but that table above ... +4.5 then for the tourney ... I mean, that seems like a big number across four games. That would speak to a really good tourney ... minus what G+ isn't accounting for. We were -.81 and +.33 for Wales and the Netherlands, so we were +5 for England and Iran?
The table above is mostly offensive G+. For England and Iran we were about +0.6 each. Total differential across the tournament was +0.33