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Gio Reyna Nottingham Forest 2024Getty Images

A waste of time! Gio Reyna's miserable loan spell continues as USMNT star is limited to just 10 minutes off the bench in Nottingham Forest's loss to Aston Villa

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  • Reyna comes off bench again
  • Plays just 10 minutes
  • Forest fall 4-2 to Villa
  • Douglas Luiz Aston VillaGetty

    WHAT HAPPENED?

    Aston Villa were absolutely on fire early, scoring three first-half goals to seemingly put the game out of reach. Ollie Watkins got the first, scoring just four minutes in while Douglas Luiz added goals 10 minutes apart later in the half.

    Villa, though, couldn't make it to the locker room with that three-goal lead. A Moussa Niakhate goal in the fifth minute of first-half stoppage time gave Forest hope, and Morgan Gibbs-White used that hope to make it 3-2 with another goal just three minutes into the second half.

    Just as the comeback felt on, Leon Bailey put the match beyond doubt, making it 4-2 in the 61st minute to lock up three points for Villa.

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  • Dominguez Nottingham Forest 2024Getty

    THE BIGGER PICTURE

    The loss keeps Forest right in the thick of a relegation race. They currently sit 16th in the league, just four points ahead of 18th-placed Luton Town. That gap could shrink to one, though, as Luton do have a game in hand.

  • Gio Reyna USMNT 2023Getty Images

    USMNT IMPACT

    Reyna's role at Forest continues to be extremely limited. He's only featured off the bench so far, having played just 39 minutes across his three appearances.

    The loan move to Forest hasn't provided much of a change for Reyna, who continues to be used sporadically despite changing clubs in the winter. There were no reasons to be concerned about Forest easing him in but, nearly a month after his arrival, he still hasn't cracked the Forest XI.

    Matt Turner, meanwhile, remains on the bench as Forest's clear No.2 and will need some sort of injury or massive change to reclaim his place in the XI.

  • Reyna Nottingham ForestGetty

    GOAL'S RATINGS

    Gio Reyna (6/10):

    Got nine touches and completed eight of his nine passes. Looked solid, but there's only so much you can do with a 10-minute cameo.

  • Divock Origi Nottingham Forest 2023-24Getty Images

    WHAT COMES NEXT?

    Forest will now look ahead to an FA Cup fifth round clash with Manchester United, which is set for Wednesday at the City Ground. It doesn't get much easier after that, though, as Forest's next Premier League match will come at home against Liverpool.