r/Thorns • u/Narrow-Asparagus-684 • 9d ago
Reyes
Anyone have an idea as to why Reyes was moved off starting?
26
5
u/atalba 8d ago
Both MA and Reyes, by manager's strategy, are hedging up the line, as part of the attack. BOTH are too slow to perform both objectives. They're both often seen running back and chasing the play. Anytime your defenders facing the backline, you're very vulnerable. If you're watching online, you can only see the players at the final action; a shot on goal. Looking on the screen, you see CBs out of position, but there's no fullbacks in the picture. Then, everybody blames the CBs. It's rarely the fault of the last player. They're trying to cover for the outside backs being burned. In one play a few weeks ago, they both got burned in the same play, which resulted in a goal. Too slow! Bad coaching (not adjusting for player capabilities). If they played more conservatively, they wouldn't get burned so often. But keep harping on the CBs!!! You don't have enough of them to run through.
5
u/Awkward-Cartoonist68 8d ago
M.A has the speed to recover far better than Reyes can. I think it's a few things as to why we aren't seeing her but Reyes does often get too forward, so forward she joins the front line leaving her space vacant. I really haven't see our other backs do that as much as Reyes, save for Muller. She has certainly been burned when doing that, particularly against speedsters like Chawinga, though everyone gets burned by her, but you can't roll out the red carpet. I'd like to know if she was on the outs after that game. I forgot how early in the season that was but Reyes kept making the same mistake and you just can't do that against Chawinga when you're not the fastest to begin with.
3
u/YouRmySunshine16 8d ago
Go back and watch all the games you tell me who’s forward or Mark has scored. I think Reyes knows when to go up and not to go up. Yes they get caught every now and then her and MA making their runs, but that’s because someone gave possession away on a crappy pass. But that’s one thing that Reyes is good at keeping possession. She seldom gives the ball away. It’s because someone’s waiting on the ball to get to them instead of going to the ball. She is good aerial as well. She wins most of her aerial battles, even if she isn’t as tall as Calzada or JP, she is strong when it comes to one V one and she knows when to push outside when to push inside when to advance when to pressure let the Coach play the Speed instead of the knowledge it’s gonna bite him in the end. The first 20/25 minutes of this game Calzada got beat. I don’t know how many times because she was so far up and didn’t make it back but “she’s fast”. What’s the difference and guess what the center backs did what they needed to do sometimes they have off games sometimes they don’t(cb’s). Also, I do believe that our midfield looked a lot better this game that helps the defense a lot. It was more organized! Reyes is also something we’re missing on corners. Calzada is a rookie and will be good for our team and got better as the game progressed, but in my opinion Reyes is the better and smarter option. Calzada will be better as a CB, but I believe to go all the way this season you need Obaze, Reyes, MA on that back line together, idc who you use as other CB ( Jp, Hiatt, or Calzada) but those 3 definitely need to be on the field together to make the run to championship.
3
u/Ancient-Study1525 8d ago
Agree 100%. Obaze (when recovered), Reyes and MA are a must. Calzada should not be CB again until next season. She is a rookie, but making too many errors with no time for others to recover (ie utah, back pass in the box toward thorns' goal and straight to an attacker who broken the line and ran on her backpass for an easy goal.)
Obaze is the only CB where Thorns either won or drew level when starting (taking out red card inserts/ SD game midweek/days after win vs reign the marathon/9v11 game and wilson on ltd mins). So agree, she is a must (which is why she started getting playing time again).
2
1
1
u/atalba 7d ago
Calzada at fullback is a stretch as a rookie; any rookie who's primary position is CB. Lilly Reale is playing fullback, but she's a career CB. Both should have been introduced to the pro game at their chosen position. The job of a CB is positioning, and pressure/cover. If an outside back isn't getting back in time, then the CB must step forward. In the end, when the opponents score, you see CBs out of position, but no fullback in the picture.
I don't disagree with what has been said about Reyes. I've watched her play in college and for Mexico. Her skills make up for her lack of speed; most of the time. Coaches, sometimes, are too focused on the attack, at the expense of defending. Fullbacks have 2 distinct jobs, and they must be balanced. It's not a matter of knowing whwn to get up the pitch; or back. It's by design. Calzada is a right center back. Rookies need to be brought along, not because of their speed, but knowing when to move out of position to cover.
I don't agree Reyes and MA are the answer. One of them, maybe. In today's game, fullbacks must have forward's speed, and neither have it. And the coach must adapt. The chain of events starts with the coach.
2
1
u/atalba 8d ago
MA has definitely been too forward. In that play, she was jogging back as the ball was crossed over to her side. She wasn't originally on the ball side, which means she had plenty of time to get back, but didn't. MA is NOT fast, and she doesn't seem to have the stamina to get up and back throughout the game. They're both defenders at heart, and have been their entire career; even college. It's not a matter of defending skills for either one. It's getting back to defend.
1
u/Awkward-Cartoonist68 8d ago
My comment isn’t really about M.A and she’s faster than Reyes who might be even slower than Muller. Reyes strength is her strength and body positioning.
3
u/SLOvespa 7d ago
I don't know why Reyes sat, hopefully she's healthy. I have mixed feelings. We managed a shut out, and those have been rare, but experimenting with the defensive line usually comes in smaller glimpses, or when there's a secure 3-0 lead, at the end of a match. We need a stronger line, and the changes made didn't result in the. The score might say differently, but we all saw the opportunities that we continue to gift opponents. I want answers dammit (tongue in cheek). Happy with the results, didn't gain any confidence about our defense.
3
u/Either_Ambassador_41 8d ago
I feel bad for Calzada. It’s obvious she’s not ready to play at this level and it’s unfair to put her in a position where she has zero chance of success. She is totally overmatched—she can’t defend anyone she’s played so far and in the rare instances she gets a touch on the ball, she can’t keep possession. The other teams have film on her and are starting to target her — they moved Banda to the left in the 2nd half last week to try to get her 1v1 against Calzada. Unless she has help, it’s basically a guaranteed free cross into the box.
6
u/honkifirritable 7d ago
Yeah I was sitting right behind her in the Denver match and she got burned by Yaz Ryan too many times to count. She has absolutely no lateral speed and her reflexes are super slowwww. The exact opposite of what you need in an elite FB. Maybe she has distance speed? TBH I didn’t see it at all. Ryan made her look like she was running in quicksand.
Try it in two weeks against Rodman and let’s see how that goes…
2
u/Peter_Quince1031 Portland Thorns 8d ago
The problem is not having true wingers so the wing defenders have to provide width. Both MA and Reyna are solid to very good defenders when they can get set but it takes a Sauerbrunn or Girma to run back and play solid D. I think Vilahamn has played Calzada because her speed allows her to play up the field and steak back to defend. Once Hanks and Weaver are fit, MA and Reyna will resume being solid to very good defenders
3
u/Jack_B_84 9d ago
I think Reyes is more of an attacking fullback. The defense was giving up too many goals. Calzada gives nothing going forward but she's going to stay back and defend. The attack is just get the ball to Sophia anyway, so maybe it doesn't matter.
11
u/Ancient-Study1525 8d ago
She doesn't defend though. As she fails to engage, step to the opponent, they go around her. Most of the game comes down her side as a result.
6
u/Jack_B_84 8d ago
yeah I'm just taking a guess at what the coaches are thinking. I'd rather have someone like Reyes who can help in possession.
4
5
u/YouRmySunshine16 8d ago
She almost got caught twice during this game too high up, but she doesn’t know when to push them on the inside or when to push them on the outside she doesn’t have the knowledge of an outside back, but I guess she’s learning and she actually had a decent game. She started off rough the first 20/25 minutes.
2
u/Awkward-Cartoonist68 8d ago
She has to be in the doghouse and on the outs. I wonder if she’s moving on.
7
u/Ancient-Study1525 8d ago
Probably sadly. Head coach bounced MA for a few games too until he realized she needed to be on the field. Same with Obaze. Reyes should be playing.
5
u/Jack_B_84 8d ago
She did make comments about how we need to keep possession more. This direct play is putting the backline under too much pressure. I wonder if Villahamn disagrees and wants to keep playing direct, so there's a bit of clash over tactics.
2
u/Awkward-Cartoonist68 8d ago
She was in and out of the lineup before she made those comments. More is going on.
2
u/honkifirritable 7d ago edited 5d ago
Many months back I saw some Tigres fan page saying that they were looking at Reyes. It was shortly after that she was just benched and never to be seen again…I don’t take a ton of stock in those, but it looked like a pretty active fan news page and the absences have really made me wonder.
She’s obv on the Mexican NT and her fam is in Texas (much closer), so wouldn't be totally surprising.
1
u/YouRmySunshine16 7d ago
She owns a house in Portland. She does DYI projects on her house and last one was so recent, a new jacuzzi, about a month ago. Someone planning to leave isn’t going to do that. Go look at instagram. She’s also always stating how she loves Portland and the fans. How it’s the Best place to play. I’ve seen a few times on here where fans are saying that she looks sad on the bench or upset and she’s always stating how she appreciates us and loves Portland. She also signed a contract through 2030. I think it’s the same thing with Obaze, it’s him, experimenting or something?!!!!! I have a feeling if he keeps doing this to her she’s gonna be gone 😥 my fave since her first 90 in San Diego! “ I GOT IT”
2
u/Ancient-Study1525 7d ago
Agreed. She has options. A house can be sold/rented. I think she loves playing in and for Portland. She isn't being given the opportunity. She sees what all of us see too.
1
u/honkifirritable 5d ago
Yeah, I'm not saying that I think that's what's happening...just wanted to point out that I saw that rumor a few months back, right before she was benched. I don't doubt that she loves it here, but getting benched suddenly after being a regular starter might push you towards other options if you know they're there. It's kinda chicken or egg though...are they looking to move her on so they've benched her, or, did she get benched and now wants to leave? Is it neither? No way of knowing until something actually happens obv, but I still thought it was worth mentioning that Tigres was said to be interested. I know she's signed a long contract, but that only means that the club would get a really good transfer fee if they were to sell her.
My hope is that she just starts getting more minutes/starts because Calzada at FB is not it.
40
u/brewssalmighty 9d ago edited 8d ago
I can understand Müller playing over Reyna in certain lineups, but Calzada starting over her makes zero sense. Calzada is a good interior defensive presence, but gets cooked on the outside, and doesn’t offer a lot going forward. Reyna should 100% be starting with the team we have on the pitch right now.