Gio Reyna moved clubs last winter and obtained a loan from Borussia Dortmund to Nottingham Forest in the Premier League with the aim of getting more minutes.
Rather the opposite has happened. While Reyna has at least found regular minutes off the bench for a big Bundesliga club, he has been a completely forgotten entity amidst an English team battling relegation. A movement that began with the promise of a return to prominence has quickly gone down the drain.
So when Reyna moved on to international duty, questions began to arise about her place within the team. In particular, former Leeds United coach and former US head coaching candidate Jesse Marsch questioned Gio’s inclusion in the March camp.
However, Reyna would play a starring role for the USA against Jamaica and Mexico in the CONCACAF Nations League, assisting both of the USA’s goals in overtime of a nervy 3-1 victory over Jamaica, before scoring to make it 2-0. victory over El Tri.
The performances earned Reyna the Best Player of the tournament award, sending him back to the Premier League on a high. Now, the questions have shifted from whether Reyna’s inclusion on the U.S. team is justified to why on earth he doesn’t see the field for his club in England. The two just don’t seem to coexist in the same universe.
Why doesn’t Gio Reyna get minutes at Nottingham Forest?
While there are countless possible reasons for Gio Reyna’s lack of playing time at Nottingham Forest, the short answer to this question is that we don’t know. Nothing seems to add up.
When Reyna arrived at Nottingham Forest, coach Nuno Espirito Santo spoke very well of the Americancalling him “a very good player with a lot of potential” before talking about his versatility in the midfield and in attack.
The biggest problem seems to be that his “best” position is number 10, which is already occupied at Nottingham Forest by Morgan Gibbs-White, who has undoubtedly been the club’s best player in the midst of a difficult season with few bright spots.
However, Reyna has repeatedly shown that he can influence games in other positions, whether it be at the number 8 position, where Gregg Berhalter repeatedly touts his abilities, or as a true winger. Another bright Forest youngster, Anthony Elanga, occupies the left winger position, but Gio is more of a right-sided player, so he should not compete with the former Manchester United youth product.
Reyna is yet to score or assist a goal for Nottingham Forest, but with 39 minutes in total across four substitute appearances, can you blame him? He’s barely been given a chance.
There have been lingering questions about Reyna’s perceived immaturity playing a role in her failure to see the field, but those have largely been squashed (more on that later).
Competing with the likes of Callum Hudson-Odoi, Harry Arter, Ryan Yates, Danilo and Nico Dominguez, plus the departure of Orel Mangala to Lyon and the occasional rest needed by Gibbs-White, there should be more than enough minutes for Reyna. lap. Simply put, Nuno Espirito Santo’s lack of use of him makes little sense at a club that is desperate for results.
Gio Reyna’s success with USMNT should mean more
In the wake of the 2022 World Cup and the subsequent revelation that Gio Reyna was used sparingly by American coach Gregg Berhalter thanks in part to his lack of effort in training, questions began to arise about whether a similar maturity issue afflicted the young American in the World Cup. club level.
The 21-year-old had been electric off the bench on numerous occasions for Borussia Dortmund, but never seemed to break into the starting lineup on a regular basis. Injuries dogged his young career, sure, but once healthy and able to contribute consistently, he never seemed to get a chance.
Therefore, the natural conclusion seemed to be an attitude problem, and those concerns were only reinforced when he moved to Nottingham Forest with the aim of seeing more game time, but rather less. Once again, the natural conclusion was that if another club (one in a relegation battle, no less) was not giving Reyna playing time despite clear evidence of talent, it is another fact that suggests a problem behind of scene.
Now, however, after the international breakup in March, that theory seems to have been completely dismantled. Not only was Reyna exceptional on the field in multiple different roles for the USMNT, but he also carried himself with professionalism while speaking to the media for the first time in literal years, and garnered excessive applause from his teammates and coach.
Gregg Berhalter loudly defended Reyna from the largely spontaneous outside criticism and His teammates used phrases like “kill it” and “the kid is amazing” while talking about his attitude and performance.
Berhalter has been touting Reyna’s ability to play in the number 8 position for quite some time, and his performance against Mexico was the best example yet of his capabilities in that position. He was exceptional in the USMNT’s 2-0 victory, advancing the American possession and limiting the advance of the Mexican preparation. Occasionally dropping to the right-back position, Reyna’s influence was a key reason why the combination of Hirving Lozano, Edson Álvarez and Luis Chávez combined for four touches in the United States penalty area and 17 passes into the offensive third.
Reyna has already shown that he can play on the wing at a high level, featuring as a number 10 and as a winger in a brilliant performance in the friendly defeat to Germany last year, and contributing to Borussia Dortmund’s attack on the flanks on many occasions. .
And anyway, while Nuno may prefer more established players like Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi and Divock Origi, to name a few, it hasn’t worked up to this point, has it? Do you want to keep moving forward with the same failed stars while at the same time lamenting the club’s inability To end the games? Origi and Hudson-Odoi have combined for four goals and three assists in almost 1,500 minutes of Premier League action, and even Gibbs-White’s three goals and five assists in almost 2,400 minutes are far from unbeatable. The only truly complimentary production came from Elanga, whose five goals and seven assists in just under 2,000 minutes have proven invaluable.
After Reyna’s most recent international performances, even local media in England They are calling Reyna to see the field. If Nuno fails to give Reyna a real opportunity to shine in this same role at Nottingham Forest, he is denying the club a positive, versatile player who can contribute significantly to their Premier League survival. All he has to do is watch the tape and let Reyna cook.
