I'll ask the other question: is he willing to do what it takes to get his body right? It may be that he's unfixable, but it may also be that he needs to undergo some rigorous training and rehab work to fix body mechanics. I've used this example before, but Steph Curry had terrible early career ankle injuries. In the off-season, he went to a special training who not only helped him build up muscle around it, but literally re-taught him how to run to alleviate pressure on it. He's been fairly healthy ankle-wise since. Now Steph may be one of the hardest working athletes out there. But I wonder if Gio has it in him to figure out if there's something mechanical or something that can be done.
Ahhh JOB was soooo sound. Probably our most technically sound player we had then. Better than Claudio even. I remember him in the 2000 Olympics. Shining.
He was healthy thru two windows in his entire career. They happened to coincide with the 2000 Olympics and the 2002 World Cup. John O'Brien only played about 100 career first team club soccer games. As a point of reference, Brenden Aaronson is 25 and is about to go over the 300 games mark.
I know we complain about Pulisic's health but he plays a lot. He's getting close to 500 appearances. You usually expect around 500 appearances in a career. Tim Ream, for example, has a little over 600. A monster like Messi has a little over a thousand.
Chris Richards went 90, but Crystal Palace lost 3-2 to Burnley AT HOME. EEK. They're probably OK when it comes to relegation. Probably.
I wonder if Parma's crush will continue. The medical baseline will scare off practically everybody else in europe I think
MLS likes broken players and gives them a chance to regain their form. I think MLS scouting databases are set to find players who's form has declined through injury or whatever and could restored to their best. The Championship can't sign players like that, as they're under pressure from day one but MLS or one of the better teams in the secondary European leagues can. A lot of EFL League One and League Two clubs have the same approach but they can't afford big names.
I don't know. It depends what's going on. It depends how bad the problems are. MLS is a physical league. You gotta be an athlete to play in MLS. Particularly to play in this gegenpressing era. If you start declining physically in that league, you start getting exposed. [See Ream, Tim.] Don't get me wrong. Somebody in MLS will roll the dice. The technical ability is there for all to see. Just like with O'Brien. O'Brien came back to MLS and couldn't get on the field. He couldn't do it. If you're broken, then you're broken. Will Packwood broke his leg in the UK. Came back to MLS with the Revolution. He couldn't do it. When you're broken, you're broken. I'm sure people could run thru a whole bunch of examples. A current example is Paxton Pomykal. If you're broken, and can't keep up physically, then you're just broken. [Pax is still somehow on Dallas' roster. I'm really surprised that he didn't retire in the off-season. I guess he's still trying. I fear an announcement in the coming weeks. Dallas is paying him A LOT.]] I don't know the extent of Reyna's problems. From a distance, though, he hasn't been able to consistently get on the field to perform since his broken leg. He'll get on the field for club or country, we see that he still has the talent, and we get excited. We think he's back. Then he vanishes for 3 months. He needs to be healthy for March. We'll see. Fingers crossed. He's played 26 minutes in 2026 so far. We aren't bereft of attacking midfielders in the USMNT pool.............................
I'm not saying MLS is an easy league physically. I'm saying that GM's at clubs are looking for undervalued players. Players that have proven talent but for some reason aren't playing at their potential. If you move to the Championship, the fans are baying at you from day one to finish in the top 6 (it may soon be 8) or outside the bottom 3. If you move to a top club in The Netherlands, Portugal or Belgium you're pretty much guaranteed to not be in a relegation fight, so you do have a little bit of grace to play yourself into the first team. If you move to MLS there's probably less pressure, as there's no relegation, a generous number of playoff places, and a lot of squad rotation, so it's a little more forgiving. You may have a little more time on the pitch to play yourself into form and coaches may have a little more patience, as they're less likely to get fired if they have a run of bad results. For instance Greg Vanney was able to ride the Galaxy finishing last and even got a new contract. No way would that have happened in Europe.
Gios greatest benefit to himself is poch has very recent knowledge of what the team looked like with him on the field vs what it looked like without him on the field. Those Paraguay and Uruguay friendlies we looked incredible and large thanks to him. If he’s even 5050 he goes.
Reyna played well against Paraguay but he didn't come in against Uruguay until the 61st minute and it was already 4-1. Your larger point likely stands but it's a bit of a counterpoint that a Diego Luna - Tim Tillman CAM'd attack put four up in 60' on Uruguay.
that’s fair, guess I misremembered, not my first time . I feel both Gio and Luna are more sure things than people would anticipate. Possibly ahead if Aaronson, which speaks volumes because he’s on fantastic form. Hope they all can go.
Zendejas missed America's CCC match last night. He was listed as having a knock. Johnny missed Atletico's Copa del Rey blowout of Barca. He was listed as having a 'muscular problem'.
that’s true and everyone is 100% correct about Gio’s health being a crucial factor but I think there is at least one more thing to consider. We really don’t know what Pochettino thinks or wants from Gio defensively. While I don’t think anyone (Poch included) expects him to be a standout defensively, there has to be a minimum. What is that and does Reyna meet it in Pochettino’s eyes?
Sounds lik Pulisic will be in the gameday squad against Pisa today, but won't start. This game against Pisa is nearly a must win if Milan want to challenge for the title. Why isn't Christian Pulisic playing for Milan against Pisa in Serie A despite injury return? - World Soccer Talk The mystery surrounding Pulisic’s absence from the starting lineup was finally clarified in Allegri’s pre-match press conference. The Milan coach confirmed that while the American is available, he is not yet ready to play a full match. “Pulisic will be available. He trained with the team for the first time yesterday, but he only has 15-20 minutes in his legs,” Allegri explained.
Big result for the club. I checked out the ESPN article on the match to see if any of the Yanks or ex-MLSers played. (Atletico has 3…Vargas, Johnny, and Almada.). When I saw Johnny wasn’t on the bench I asked the internet if he was injured, and the internet says he’s out for a week. So that jibes with the “muscular problem.” He should be back soon.
Popular channel, United Stand, talked about Tyler Adams as one of his top CDM targets for Manchester United. Starts at 3:15
Pulisic came on at minute 77 in this one! Milan with a 2-1 over Pisa on the road on a late Modric goal. Had to win it, and they did.
Dest(RB in 4231) and PSV lose 3-1 at Volendam. 1 key pass 0.64 xG+xA 52/66 passng 1/2 crossing 7 recoveries 5/9 duels 1/0 fouls/fouled FM(6.9)5th
It was 2-1. The relegation threatened team from the fishing village (pop 22,715) broke PSV's streak of 16 successive away wins in Eredivisie, and 18 successive wins over Volendam, with a late winner. PSV only 17 points clear. Squeaky bum time!
Patrick Agyemang scores his 10th goal of the season in England’s Championship, pulling even with #USMNT teammate Haji Wright. pic.twitter.com/EumFUlI7dD— Doug McIntyre (@ByDougMcIntyre) February 14, 2026 Now equal on the season with Wright for goals.
Could easily have just had a second on a corner. Did everything right......................... BIg Pat just named as "Player of the Match" by the sponsors. If I'm looking at it correctly, he's now caught Haji Wright on goals in the Championship at 10. Also, of note is that Derby is now in 6th. Serious playoff contenders.
Not a good Yanks day in the Bundesliga. No Cole Campbell (ankle injury?) at Hoffenheim. No Damion Downs (sick?) for Hamburg. No Reyna for Gladbach. Scally started on the bench as they were easily beaten 3-0 by Frankfurt. Sands started as St. Pauli were beaten to a pulp by Leverkusen. A game Tillman didn't starrt. Serious relegation danger for St. Pauli. In Italy, Yunus Musah on the bench for Atalanta as they face Lazio. This one is on Fox Deportes, and I'm watching this one to see if he comes on. Como lost today to Fiorentina, so its a chance for Atalanta to jump over them. [Huge result for Fiorentina.]