Maybe I missed that he was injured or something due to laziness but I was just wondering why the joint MLS top scorer wasn't called up to the Nats?
Taylor is better, Dempsey's play went down dramatically after his broken jaw. The thing with noonan is that he is inconsistant. Some games he is just non existant. The guy has 21 goals in two years so I don't think its his offensive skills thats stoping him from getting called in, its his lack of consistancy. When he can be a threat in every game like a Twellman or Ruiz then he will get more call ups
He's just caught in a numbers game, and now he's fallen way behind Eddie Johnson, Ching, Buddle, etc. I'm afraid Twellman (or as I like to call him Taylor Kreis) is in a similar situation, and he's better than Noonan. The US now has considerable talent at each position that it hasn't ever had before. Just being a good player doesn't do it anymore.
Thanks for the replies guys. Still I would have thought being the points leader would mean something but I guess not. Inconsistency seems to the main reason.
After watching last nights game, it is clear why "no noonan". All the players on the field last night played a two way game. Pat's problem with the rev's is that he is a one way player for most of the match. At the Nat level you need to work hard for the entire 90+ minutes and Pat just doesn't do that on the club level. Look at McBride and Wolfe, how many times did you see them track back defensively, and then get on their horses and counter attack off a stolen ball. I like pat, but he is not a nat player at this point in time.
I'd like to see Noonan get a look. Not a start or even a cap, necessarily, but I think he might be a useful player over the next two years if some of those perceived to be "ahead" of him go down with injury, cards, or a drastic drop in form. Noonan's a crafty player who just knows how to score goals. Has he even been brought into a camp?
I agree its part of the numbers game, and what each player brings to the game. As to the top scorer not being called... right now there are a few people tied for the lead in goals... including Americans Johnson, Ching and Buddle. But just being top scorer doesnt mean you're the right fit for the team. Remember Roy Lassiter? He lit it up in MLS, but was awful for the national team. I personally think Noonan will get a chance, but it's hard when some of the other young players have stepped up. Also hurts when Ching and Johnson each score in their first couple games.
Even among uncapped MLS strikers, I'd say Noonan is behind Buddle and Arnaud in the pecking order. (Yes I know Buddle has a cap, but it was several years ago and as a sub IIRC, so he's essentially uncapped for the purposes of our argument)
Not to mention Jason Kreis, MLS all time leading goal scorer, had several chances with the Nats and never did a thing.
Noonan I am sure will get called in again and hopefully get some playing time. He has skills and is a good finisher. The thing is Arena has a thing for speed. He does not have EJ s quickness to an open ball. Dempsey has a better shot in that regard. If Dempsey gets healthy I expect great things. Sorry that Casey had no time on the field.