Gio Reyna assisted with a corner kick in Nottingham Forest’s 2-2 tie with Wolves on Saturday in his first English Premier League start since joining the club on loan from Borussia Dortmund on Jan. 31. Reyna had previously come off the bench in six games for Forest for a total of 90 minutes of action.
His status at Forest didn’t change in Forest’s first three games after earning MVP honors while helping the USA win the Concacaf Nations League title but he played the first 71 minutes against Wolves and delivered the corner kick Morgan Gibbs-White headed home to notch his first EPL assist.
“He played good,” Forest coach Nuno Espirito Santo said after his team’s tie kept it one point above the relegation zone. “He gave us good possession. He had good situations, good passing and finishing. He is a good option for us and different to what we have normally. He did OK.”
Tyler Adams, who had been suffering back spasms, missed a third straight Bournemouth game, a 2-2 tie with Manchester United, after playing twice in March following a year layoff with a hamstring injury.
“Tyler is improving,” Bournemouth coach Andoni Iraola said at a press conference on Friday. “I think he can continue this improvement and he can be available next week.”
In the Netherlands: Malik Tillman scored Eredivisie leader PSV’s second goal in its 6-0 rout of Vitesse. The midfielder now has seven goals and nine assists. Tillman scored on a rebound after left back Sergino Dest‘s cross sparked an onslaught on Vitesse’s goal. Ricardo Pepi was left out of the squad for the second game since he and his agent addressed his lack of playing time. The 20-year-old American central midfielder Paxten Aaronson went the full 90 for Vitesse.
In Italy. Tanner Tessmann scored both goals in Venezia’s 2-0 win over Brescia that moved Venezia into third place in Serie B and to within three points of an automatic promotion spot. Tessmann, 22, started in midfield alongside fellow U.S. Olympic hopeful Gianluca Busio, 21.
Both Tessmann and Busio have six goals and three assists for Venezia, which they joined for the 2021-22 season when it failed as newly promoted team to remain in Serie A.
In Serie A, Christian Pulisic was among AC Milan’s regulars who saw limited action in a 3-3 tie with Sassuolo ahead of Thursday’s European League quarterfinal against Roma, which won the first leg, 1-0. Yunus Musah got his ninth start (subbed in the 55th minute) of the season for AC Milan, which is poised to finish runner-up behind Inter Milan. Third-place Juventus, with Weston McKennie (90 minutes), tied 0-0 at Torino to officially end its title hopes. Tim Weah stayed on Juve’s bench for the second straight game.
Women’s Weekend. Catarina Macario was a 70th-minute sub in Chelsea’s 2-1 FA Cup semifinal loss to Manchester United. Chelsea, which lost the League Cup final to Arsenal, still has two chances for a trophy this season before Coach Emma Hayes takes the U.S. helm. It’s three points behind Women’s Super League leader Manchester City with a game in hand and faces Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League semifinals.
I watched Gio play a game or two ago. He subbed in after halftime and played well. Good decisions, changed the game a bit.
GIO GONNA DO, WHAT GIO GONNA DO.!!!
Got to find a Liga, Team, Coach… That will let him Run the Show…
Maybe LaLiga or Italy,,,
Premier League… NO… It will Ruin Him.
Not that he Can’t Handle it…Or Compete… But, it will make him into a “Grinder”
Holland for Sure… but that seems too Far a “Step Down”, Unless it’s to a Champions League team. (PSV would be Good, if Tillman Leaves, (Don’t know it there is “Bad Blood” there with Ernie or Not.???)…Feyenoord is Almost a “Lock” for 2nd Place Champions League Spot)
I don’t think the any Current German Teams play with a #10… So, I don’t see him staying In Bundesliga.
Maybe a French Team.??? I don’t keep too much Track on that League…(Don’t want to Pay for another Subscription, but if Gio went there, I might have to Re-Asses)… Would be Interesting for him to get Linked up with Balo at Monaco… They could make each other look GOOD.!!!
Santi, Deportivo Louis Vutton FC is looking for a player 🙂 🙂 🙂
Milano it Is Then.!!!
Why not another American.!!!
Getting a start and playing a part in a getting a point – in the context he’s in – a point above relegation – means he’s seizing the opportunity. Every game is a battle in that context and that level – no room for error. Getting vote of confidence from Nuno – says a lot. This move for Geo – paying dividends in many ways. The move to Forest was to end of season with no buy clause to make the move permanent. His agent is Jorge Mendes who has strong ties to Nuno, from Wolves and they are both Portuguese, so Nuno is helping his friend Jorge, and Gio is helping himself. The challenge is still on to keep Wolves up. If successful and Gio is seen as playing a roll in keeping them up, as he did on the weekend – he will have more options – Dortmund – will not get in the way of a move it that is his desire – b.c. you don’t mess with the big dogs – like Mendes.
It was Interesting to see how Coach Nino used Him…
Started as a Right Wing-Mid in a 4-2-3-1
Put Gio really “Did His Thing”… Lots of Floating to the Middle and even Interchanging Positions with the #10 M-G-W…
They seemed Very Comfortable Playing off each other…
MGW really likes to do the “Gio” and Drop Back into the Defense to find the Ball… Gio could then Float Inside and Up, and even found himself on the Left Side of the Field on Numerous Occasions.
Very similar to USA, when CP drops Into the middle and then Gio Floats Back to get the Ball…
It will be Interesting to see if the Coach will “Turn Over” his Chances of Staying UP, to Playing Two #10s.???
NF plays AT Everton, Sheffield and Burnley… Winnable but difficult on the Road.
Ties on the Road might Do it… Which Doesn’t Favor Gio playing much, unless they get Behind.
Home Games with: Man City and Chelsea … Difficult to Win… Even a Point could be a BIG Difference…
This is a sad headline for a 4 year pro….
R2, I totally agree
Sad? How many other US citizens by their 4th pro year have started an EPL match? I have no idea, but I suspect that the answer is none without a UK passport.
You would think that the English Teams would be ALL Over him,
As he could fill one of the “British” Passports per Squad that is Required…
Maybe one of the other EPL teams will pick him up Next year, if Not NF.
Maybe he just needs more time and perseverance. I’m impressed with his ability to forge ahead despite the background noise and harsh spotlight he’s been under. He seems to have arrived in the territory occupied by a few of our better players in Europe: he can play a good game and look impressive at times when surrounded by a team full of excellent players. As of now, its questionable whether his game can make that quantum leap to the next level and this gets illuminated when he’s on the field with the national team and non-Premier League level teammates.
I think that he might be able to even make a BAD Team Look Good, if there was just a Coach that was Willing to give him the Reins.!?!?!?
for me not sad at all, rather I see Gio progressing with Portuguese coach, learning a lot. Look at top of Prem at this moment. Three Spanish coaches. One German, and look at the inertia, the game Arsenal v Aston Villa – insanity – amazing watch – these coaches – they play! You want to learn soccer – go to Spain, Portugal. Gio – is latino roots – Germany – wrong place for him – his dad and Mendes – found him a roster spot – where he is hardening up – which he needed – under pressure – and getting a chance to shine. The growth of the player with talent like Gio – is always a matter of stitching together moments of brilliance. At Dortmund – they brought him on – and he was brilliant – but maybe – not in certain aspects they desired – and they focused on his failures. Players that can create and score goals – at this level – have to be nurtured, cultivated, developed. This is what Nuno is doing. Dortmund – clueless. Look at what Bellingham is doing at RM. How did they not win league with him and Gio? You will see – Gio – special talent – he will grow.
I think , we are missing the bigger picture on Gio….Gio didn’t choose on his own to want to go to England to further his development on a better team but instead left on loan because he either wasn’t good enough, Dortmunt didn’t need him or perhaps Dortmunt is looking to get rid of him. And worse he’s loaned to a team who fighting for relegation which is not the best situation for a young player to learn the game. The fact Dortmunt isn’t using him and then loan him to a team that is fighting for relegation which requires efforts of him that doesn’t suit his playing style.
I have no idea why Nottingham took Gio for that is not the type of player they need because of the dire straights they are in…Then now to make a big deal that he’s started the last game as if he’s finally reached the level of the play of what Nottingham wants from him. Yeah, he’s now ready to kick ass and fight to stay above relegation…Maybe there was a reason he started this particular because of other factors that has nothing to do with Rio, or other things in between…
I personally don’t know why Nottingham ever picked up Rio, perhaps they couldn’t find another player suitable and had no other choice for anyone with a soccer brain would never pick Gio when one is fighting for relegation…for so much ‘real’ football is thrown out the window just to survive….
Maybe they needed a British Passport.??? Got to have a Certain amount of “Home Grown” Players on the Squad.!?!?!?
Yup, exactly, who knows
Coach Frank, let’s give you responsibility for training Gio starting now. Is he of the level that Wesley Snyder was at before Snyder got trained up? If so, who would you appoint as Gio’s main trainer(s) to hopefully get him to make that quantum leap? Cruyff isn’t available, so next choice.
This isn’t BigSoccer.
Van der Vaart or Sneyder would be good or Klaasens who played some in Germany as well as van der Vaart. But these guys I mentioned especially the first two were were already the cream of the top in Ajax, before coming to the first team, in other words they only needed to be polished a bit. These types were already a step above their peers in the Ajax youth system. The Ajax youth system is set up to develop the average good Ajax players to raise their level of play to support these better players.
Sneyder can pass and shoot with either foot even before he got to the first team.
But Gio at 22. isn’t even at that level of playing sophistication of a Sneyder or van der Vaart at the first year of Ajax squad. Can you name a nice sophisticated German midfielder …..I can’t. How about a nice German striker…idea ditto. What I’m trying to say Germany
Soccer , their style of play does not contribute to producing nice midfielders. Their game has always been about running …that’s in their blood,DNA. That’s neither meant to be bad or good but you don’t go to Germany to develop savvy , insightful midfielders with smooth silky touches on the ball. The German nature is more about fighting, as compared to the Dutch whose play is more cerebral and therefore more technical.
At 22, I would begin first to look what part of the field thus he function best, left ,right or middle. Next, position himself to receive the ball giving him always open field view . Work on his passing variety, outside of foot, backspin passes while in motion that drop into space, and very important work on good hard shots right outside of penalty…so few goals and shots are taking from the second line. This is just some basic stuff technically speaking, lot of the other stuff he needs to work experience older players . You look at Real Madrid and you see some older players , in the mix to teach and guide the younger ones…Gio has never had that, just like Pulisic ,they were just thrown to the lions out there
Thanks Frank! Love these insights.
Philip, this is just for starters,a hasty review
When you think of RM – I understand Ancelotti was classy MF in his time – though I never watched him play. Gio – now has his dad – focused on helping him – and it shows at Austin FC – slipping – who was a MF’er. He has a good chance to make-up on lost time – will be critical what papa and Mendes work out for him – going back to Durtmund – this is not the solution – even though he just signed extension with them. Getting pointers from top class pros – if a player can do this – wow. I am working on a project for my son – with a top class MF’er still playing – door is cracked – let’s see where it goes…
Humble,RM has always had older guys in the player mix to guide the young players…You need that for young players simply don’t have the brains and experience. Ajax does the same thing but lately have had too many young players in the mix. Normally a stable team could fit one or two among the older ones which is best…And Yes Ancelotti was a classy midfielder of AC Milan…
Van Basten, a topnotch player who was 17-18 was the cream of crop at Ajax. Everyone at Ajax could see how good he was until he moved up to the first team coached by Cruyff…This is where he really learned his trade from Cruyff…During practice he was continuous told what he did wrong to the point he often went home in tears after practice….He had no idea and was never told of the wrong things that required someone like Cruyff who has played at the highest level to show and tell him what he did wrong. Cocky as he was, he soon learned there is a lot more to this game as taught by Cruyff. He also learned from him that the best player in a game doesn’t necessarily have even touched the ball and that Technique is useless if it gives the opponent more time…That Technique has everything to do with speed, in the manner how you handle the ball ,the position and stance taken, in the manner how you receive the ball, how you pass it, and the various techniques applied in transporting the ball somewhere else.
Gio’s dad I’m afraid can’t help him anymore he needs someone with much better credentials…Claudio might have been decent for American standards but he didn”t anything in Europe. We need an Ancelloti, Valderama, a Pirlo, Lampard ,Gerard type of world class midfielder to teach our mids, for we have no one in the states that has any quality to teach higher level midfield play.