USMNT - 2026 Cycle - "Early Days"

[Nonlinear FC]

Dest is one of the most technical players on the team. I'm not saying he's perfect, but you can't play him with MLS players.

He's bossing it at PSV (I'm watching all their highlights), he just needs ppl thinking at his level.

Dude is amazing.

[Nonlinear FC]

Ghana is in "not in the face" mode. I don't mean to be crass, but Holy Shit.

I like Lund right now. A lot. great presence on the left.

[Rex]

Free kick inside the penalty area!

Good to know you can’t do that. Dude closed up the pads like he was Dominik Hasek

[tennbengal]

Reyna?????!!!!

[mister d]

Any time Reyna or Pepi does something its a real happy-but-annoyed moment for this guy.

[Nonlinear FC]

The US hung tough with GER and absolutely smashed a team full of top notch talent while playing the 4-2-3-1. We look like garbage in the 4-3-3.

Reyna sitting in the 10 spot makes us a completely different team. I'd also add that playing the MMA midfield might be a good defensive set-up, but we rarely score against better teams in the set-up.

I liked Cardosa (Johnny) in the 6 slot. Not saying he's better than Adams, but... I like what I saw from him there. He's not blowing guys up, but he plays the lanes well and I think he might have an edge in terms of handling the ball. Good in the air, too.

I dig Lund out on the left. At least good to have more decent options, but I worry a little bit about his pace. I spoke about Dest, who does some amazing stuff with the ball at his feet and runs off the ball to open things up. He needs to be surrounded by quality AND someone pacy enough to cover for him when he goes forward.

[Steve of phpBB]

Guess we’re not Ghana take it anymore

This should not pass unnoticed. Nice work.

[HaulCitgo]

Didn't watch the game but I've never viewed Reyna as a creative passing type. More a skilled dribbler type. Better version of de la Torre? Maybe the creative attacking midfielder is dead but those skills feel like winger skills more so than midfield. And not sure I've ever noticed Reyna on the other side of the field.

[Nonlinear FC]

He is a very good passer. Watch the highlights.

[HaulCitgo]

Assumed as much with the last name but maybe his dad hasn't been so involved in his development

[Shirley]

From what I've seen so far, if he can get his attitude under control, Reyna has a good chance to be the best American player ever (not counting goalies). I feel like Pulisic already has that title, even if he hasn't yet matched the careers of Donovan and Dempsey. But Reyna just seems to ooze talent and potential.

[HaulCitgo]

Dunno. Pops better than Pulisic. But Pulisic still has a career to finish.

Watched 15 mins of extended highlights and saw about 1/2 a good pass. He put pulisic through that earned the indirect kick in the box but that's a pass you have to make not something he created. Pulisic absolutely free but he did split defenders. He did create the penalty but dribble skill and balance not vision and anticipation. Not sold but I'll look for club games. Probably a more fair indicator.

[Shirley]

I'd put Claudio around #3 right now for US careers. I actually think he was a better player than Dempsey, but you can't deny the numbers. I still think Pulisic is better than all of them. He just needs his World Cup moments.

[The Sybian]

Didn't watch the game but I've never viewed Reyna as a creative passing type. More a skilled dribbler type. Better version of de la Torre? Maybe the creative attacking midfielder is dead but those skills feel like winger skills more so than midfield. And not sure I've ever noticed Reyna on the other side of the field.

I listened to Roger Bennett and Herc Gomez analyze the game, and they were both saying Reyna is best as a 10 because of his creative vision and passing. They said Reyna's vision was the key that unlocked Balogun and Weah and when healthy, there is no reason for Reyna to not be starting in the 10. I think a different podcast I heard GGG needs to scrap everything in his system and start with Reyna as the 10 and build the rest of the lineup around that. I agree, I think Reyna can tend to get lost out wide, and I love Pulisic and Weah at the 7/11. Herc was saying that if Balogun is our 9, he needs Reyna at the 10 to find him.

When everyone is healthy, I think the only option is Adams/McKennie/Reyna in the middle. I love Musah, but I don't think he provides as much cover as Adams, and he doesn't add as much offensively as McKennie. Incredible player to have as some depth. Pepi, Aaronson and Musah is some incredible talent to come in off the bench. I love watching the battle between Balogun and Pepi for the 9, I think they will both thrive from the pressure of pushing each other. And if we can ever get Sargent or Dike healthy, they could make some noise. I always thought Dike would have claimed the role by now, so unfortunate seeing him struggle with injuries for so long. Guy is a beast.

I don't think it's debatable that Gio has more potential than any American ever. I think Pulisic already won the crown of greatest American player ever, but Reyna has potential to be better. I'm confident he will learn and grow from his immaturity leading up to the World Cup, I just hope his parents stay out of his way. And I hope GGG can patch things up with him. I mean, I really wish GGG wasn't in the job again, but that's what we are stuck with.

[govmentchedda]

Didn't watch the game but I've never viewed Reyna as a creative passing type. More a skilled dribbler type. Better version of de la Torre? Maybe the creative attacking midfielder is dead but those skills feel like winger skills more so than midfield. And not sure I've ever noticed Reyna on the other side of the field.

I listened to Roger Bennett and Herc Gomez analyze the game, and they were both saying Reyna is best as a 10 because of his creative vision and passing. They said Reyna's vision was the key that unlocked Balogun and Weah and when healthy, there is no reason for Reyna to not be starting in the 10. I think a different podcast I heard GGG needs to scrap everything in his system and start with Reyna as the 10 and build the rest of the lineup around that. I agree, I think Reyna can tend to get lost out wide, and I love Pulisic and Weah at the 7/11. Herc was saying that if Balogun is our 9, he needs Reyna at the 10 to find him.

When everyone is healthy, I think the only option is Adams/McKennie/Reyna in the middle. I love Musah, but I don't think he provides as much cover as Adams, and he doesn't add as much offensively as McKennie. Incredible player to have as some depth. Pepi, Aaronson and Musah is some incredible talent to come in off the bench. I love watching the battle between Balogun and Pepi for the 9, I think they will both thrive from the pressure of pushing each other. And if we can ever get Sargent or Dike healthy, they could make some noise. I always thought Dike would have claimed the role by now, so unfortunate seeing him struggle with injuries for so long. Guy is a beast.

I don't think it's debatable that Gio has more potential than any American ever. I think Pulisic already won the crown of greatest American player ever, but Reyna has potential to be better. I'm confident he will learn and grow from his immaturity leading up to the World Cup, I just hope his parents stay out of his way. And I hope GGG can patch things up with him. I mean, I really wish GGG wasn't in the job again, but that's what we are stuck with.

Exactly where I am on all of this.

[Nonlinear FC]

Dunno. Pops better than Pulisic. But Pulisic still has a career to finish.

Watched 15 mins of extended highlights and saw about 1/2 a good pass. He put pulisic through that earned the indirect kick in the box but that's a pass you have to make not something he created. Pulisic absolutely free but he did split defenders. He did create the penalty but dribble skill and balance not vision and anticipation. Not sold but I'll look for club games. Probably a more fair indicator.

The problem with focusing on club games is that they often play him out wide. That's the point I'm making about him playing centrally and helping play even with Germany and absolutely the engine in waxing Ghana 4-0 in 45 minutes last night.

[Nonlinear FC]

I'd put Claudio around #3 right now for US careers. I actually think he was a better player than Dempsey, but you can't deny the numbers. I still think Pulisic is better than all of them. He just needs his World Cup moments.

Very different players. Pops was the engine. Remember when they put him out wide against MEX in Korea, forcing a 30 minute sub from El Tri, who had game-planned around Reyna playing centrally and driving the bus? He wasn't really out there to score goals.

[Nonlinear FC]

Didn't watch the game but I've never viewed Reyna as a creative passing type. More a skilled dribbler type. Better version of de la Torre? Maybe the creative attacking midfielder is dead but those skills feel like winger skills more so than midfield. And not sure I've ever noticed Reyna on the other side of the field.

I listened to Roger Bennett and Herc Gomez analyze the game, and they were both saying Reyna is best as a 10 because of his creative vision and passing. They said Reyna's vision was the key that unlocked Balogun and Weah and when healthy, there is no reason for Reyna to not be starting in the 10. I think a different podcast I heard GGG needs to scrap everything in his system and start with Reyna as the 10 and build the rest of the lineup around that. I agree, I think Reyna can tend to get lost out wide, and I love Pulisic and Weah at the 7/11. Herc was saying that if Balogun is our 9, he needs Reyna at the 10 to find him.

When everyone is healthy, I think the only option is Adams/McKennie/Reyna in the middle. I love Musah, but I don't think he provides as much cover as Adams, and he doesn't add as much offensively as McKennie. Incredible player to have as some depth. Pepi, Aaronson and Musah is some incredible talent to come in off the bench. I love watching the battle between Balogun and Pepi for the 9, I think they will both thrive from the pressure of pushing each other. And if we can ever get Sargent or Dike healthy, they could make some noise. I always thought Dike would have claimed the role by now, so unfortunate seeing him struggle with injuries for so long. Guy is a beast.

I don't think it's debatable that Gio has more potential than any American ever. I think Pulisic already won the crown of greatest American player ever, but Reyna has potential to be better. I'm confident he will learn and grow from his immaturity leading up to the World Cup, I just hope his parents stay out of his way. And I hope GGG can patch things up with him. I mean, I really wish GGG wasn't in the job again, but that's what we are stuck with.

Exactly where I am on all of this.

Yo tambien. (Though, I'd take slight issue with putting all of that on Gio. GGG, if the consensus reporting is accurate, did not handle the situation well at all. Not saying Gio is blameless, to be clear.)

[The Sybian]

Yo tambien. (Though, I'd take slight issue with putting all of that on Gio. GGG, if the consensus reporting is accurate, did not handle the situation well at all. Not saying Gio is blameless, to be clear.)

To be clear, I put 90-95% of the blame on GGG. He was 19, and by what was reported, he acted like a 19 yo. Maybe I'm blinded by my fandom, but I'm not too concerned that he will turn out alright from a mental/maturity standpoint. His parents, OTOH... Which is such a shame, I was always a huge Claudio fan. I even own a Man City Reyna jersey, pre-Sheikh days, when they were a working class mid-table team that I could wear their shirt without embarrassment or disgust.

[HaulCitgo]

Dunno. Pops better than Pulisic. But Pulisic still has a career to finish.

Watched 15 mins of extended highlights and saw about 1/2 a good pass. He put pulisic through that earned the indirect kick in the box but that's a pass you have to make not something he created. Pulisic absolutely free but he did split defenders. He did create the penalty but dribble skill and balance not vision and anticipation. Not sold but I'll look for club games. Probably a more fair indicator.

The problem with focusing on club games is that they often play him out wide. That's the point I'm making about him playing centrally and helping play even with Germany and absolutely the engine in waxing Ghana 4-0 in 45 minutes last night.

Ok. I'll look for games where he's in the midfield but why do they play him at winger? Quite sure they need playmakers in Germany too. Just maybe he's better suited or not quite as good. Hope not though. Dad was probably my favorite player to watch in the short.

[wlu_lax6]

CONCACAF NATIONS LEAGUE QUARTERFINAL SCHEDULE

Win the 11/16 and 11/20 aggregate and get the automatic spot in the Copa America in America. Lose and there are still 2 spots available.

Thursday, Nov. 16
United States vs Trinidad and Tobago
Costa Rica vs Panama

Friday, Nov. 17
Jamaica vs Canada
Honduras vs Mexico

Monday, Nov. 20
Trinidad and Tobago vs United States
Panama vs Costa Rica

Tuesday, Nov. 21
Canada vs Jamaica
Mexico vs Honduras

[mister d]

(Though, I'd take slight issue with putting all of that on Gio. GGG, if the consensus reporting is accurate, did not handle the situation well at all. Not saying Gio is blameless, to be clear.)

I put about as much blame for Reyna's reaction to being told he wasn't playing a prominent role as I would put on Pulisic or Adams. There's no necessity, at 19 or 29, to reaction rationally to an irrational decision.

[The Sybian]

(Though, I'd take slight issue with putting all of that on Gio. GGG, if the consensus reporting is accurate, did not handle the situation well at all. Not saying Gio is blameless, to be clear.)

I put about as much blame for Reyna's reaction to being told he wasn't playing a prominent role as I would put on Pulisic or Adams. There's no necessity, at 19 or 29, to reaction rationally to an irrational decision.

BIame, sure, but I am more inclined to believe a 19 yo with that reaction will mature than a 25 yo with the same reaction would grow. I still put the majority of the blame on GGG for openly discussing the private dressing room matters at an event filled with journalists. And I put more blame on the Reyna parents for going with the horrific nuclear option of publicly shaming Gregg and his wife for something that happened 30+ years ago. Gio was a petulant baby, even if he did deserve a bigger role, and it may have impacted the team dynamic. It's a big problem and he needs to act like a professional, but the situation should have stopped there.

[mister d]

Yeah, I don't agree. I haven't heard a remotely acceptable reason yet for Reyna not featuring so why treat it as a rational decision, just because it came from the decision-maker?

Like say the Phillies drop ... Turner from the World Series roster. Should Turner tolerate that "like a pro"?

[The Sybian]

Yeah, I don't agree. I haven't heard a remotely acceptable reason yet for Reyna not featuring so why treat it as a rational decision, just because it came from the decision-maker?

Like say the Phillies drop ... Turner from the World Series roster. Should Turner tolerate that "like a pro"?

Baseball analogies are useless on me, but I'll say Turner needs to be a professional and play where/when the coach tells him. Every player wants to start, you can't let one guy mouth off or stop trying in training because the coach said he'll be a role player.

[HaulCitgo]

Not good enough not fit enough headcase. Good enough reasons I'd say. Syb all over it. Who is gio Reyna to be immune from selection questions and then a hissy fit cause he didn't get enough minutes

[The Sybian]

Not good enough not fit enough headcase. Good enough reasons I'd say. Syb all over it. Who is gio Reyna to be immune from selection questions and then a hissy fit cause he didn't get enough minutes

That's a good point, Gio was returning from yet another injury and not fully fit.

[mister d]

I don't think this is true ... Reyna had played in 10 straight matches for Dortmund before heading to the World Cup, two more total appearances than Pulisic in that span. If you're searching for reasons a coach benches a player who absolutely should be in the lineup, you can always find one, but we can't pretend like it wasn't a shock he was out of the XI but not because of injury. This isn't like Jordan Morris being like "fuck this, I should be a starter", this is a no-brainer selection Berhalter simply passed on for whatever dumbshit Berhalter reason he came up with. No different than Pepi hanging up the phone and being proved right too later on, there's no onus to defer to power when its wrong.

Also, I have no idea who this dude is. Never heard his name before:

[Nonlinear FC]

We've had this same conversation on this board multiple times. Beyond tiring at this point.

[mister d]

I can think of one thing that would file it away forever ...

[HaulCitgo]

Yes we even discussed the game logs.

[sancarlos]

Also, I have no idea who this dude is. Never heard his name before:

Wiki says German mother, American father. Played in Germany from youth through present. His team, Heidenheim just got promoted to Bundesliga this year.

[HaulCitgo]

What's up with Brandon Vasquez on 8 goals for the mls season on a first place team? Don't make me pull up old posts. The guy has 8 goals while playing with a 10 thats getting national team consideration. Stop.

"All this surely makes Acosta an attractive option to Gregg Berhalter who might be able to call up the attacking midfielder to the US men’s national team in the near future. Acosta is reportedly nearing his United States citizenship which would make the Boca Juniors academy product eligible to play for his adopted homeland at international level."

[Nonlinear FC]

Dude is going to need to be an absolute game-changer to break into the US midfield at this point.

Meanwhile, transfer rumors around Miles Robinson are heating up. PSV, Mallorca and Wolfsburg all sniffing around.If dude winds up at PSV, we've got a serious American situation going on. Malik Tillman, Sergino Dest and Ricardo Pepi...

[mister d]

Saying PSV as "Paris Saint-Van Eindhoven" is one of those dumb things my brain does.

[Nonlinear FC]

Citgo:

Watch this highlight package to see what we're talking about with Gio and his passing. If you want to skip ahead to the 3:00 mark, there are 3 or 4 really nice passes in tight space to set up dangerous chances. He eventually is the second assist on their first goal. (I don't care if they don't count it, we all know how things work.)

Even when they play him out wide he drifts centrally quite often. His second assist on the goal starts from the flank and drives centrally with the ball to set things up.

His vision and switching the point of the attack almost produced the second goal (6:00 mark).

[mister d]

This better end like 9-0.

[Rex]

Need to score the goals tonight

[P.D.X.]

At least 4.5

[mister d]

The possession to xG ratio is going to be off the charts.