Jay Heaps Questionable

Discussion in 'New England Revolution' started by teskicks, Oct 22, 2003.

  1. teskicks

    teskicks Member+

    New England Revolution
    United States
    Jan 14, 2002
    Wrentham, MA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I noticed that MLS is listing Jay Heaps as "questionable" for this weeks game. Does anyone have any more info on this? He has been the one player in the back line that has been on the field pretty consistantly all year. Don't need to loose him heading into the playoffs.
     
  2. brianzappa

    brianzappa Member

    Oct 21, 2003
    In a big country
    Where did you see this on the mls site? It would be very unfortunate.
     
  3. ProfZodiac

    ProfZodiac Moderator
    Staff Member

    Jan 17, 2003
    Boston, MA
    Club:
    New England Revolution
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    On the field, yes.

    "On the ball", when used as an expression, not literally, I think not.

    Not a big loss, IMHO.
     
  4. teskicks

    teskicks Member+

    New England Revolution
    United States
    Jan 14, 2002
    Wrentham, MA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
  5. Jon Martin

    Jon Martin Member+

    Apr 25, 2000
    SE Mass
    Re: Re: Jay Heaps Questionable

    You're joking. There's a reason why SN has gone with Heaps all year. I assume you think we stronger with Pierce on the right, and Llamosa and Kante in the middle. Nevermind that we haven't played with that line-up since I don't know when, what kind of speed does that give us in the center? Heaps has been playing his best in the last month. He would be missed.
     
  6. ProfZodiac

    ProfZodiac Moderator
    Staff Member

    Jan 17, 2003
    Boston, MA
    Club:
    New England Revolution
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re: Re: Re: Jay Heaps Questionable

    And so it begins.

    Jay thinks he's a midfielder. Yes, it's one thing if a defender pushes forward to be opportunistic, a la Eddie Pope. But it's another thing altogether when they push forward to the point of not getting back in time, a la Mauricio Wright. Yes, it's great Heaps has 3 goals on the season, good to see everyone getting in on the act. But he's constantly out of position, and getting beat. He has his moments, but for the most part, he gets stripped of the ball if he goes at someone, he gets beat if someone goes at him, and he's convinced he's Steve Ralston.

    The only reason Stevie Nicol keeps him there is that there are no alternatives. Heaps can be fast, at times. Kante and Llamosa cannot. That's why the Revs aren't working with a Joey-Llamosa-Kante-Pierce. Heaps is overrated. If the Revs pick up some good right wing defensive talent via the allocation for Hernandez, the draft picks for Nowak, or the natural picks, Heaps might find himself in San Diego playing for a cellar-dweller team before long.
     
  7. johnh00

    johnh00 Member

    Apr 25, 2001
    CT, USA
    Club:
    New England Revolution
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Re: Re: Re: Re: Jay Heaps Questionable

    Well the Wright comparison doesn't remotely hold up, as he was a CD, not a right back. Most of the time that Heaps is "out of position", he really isn't. He is doing the overlapping runs that the Revs are asking him to do. If you want to kill him for his tackling(which is horrendous) or his marking(which is worse then average), go ahead. But don't blame him for playing the way the coaching staff is asking him to. And you also have to realize he is probably our best defender and one of our strongest attacking threats on set pieces. You can say this is only for a small part of the game, but it is a small part of the game that is important. He's not the league's best right back, but he works hard, provides athleticism and gives enough offensively that the team is better off with him out there, then without.

    As an aside, I can't believe I'm defending Jay Heaps. ;)

    Lee
     
  8. Jon Martin

    Jon Martin Member+

    Apr 25, 2000
    SE Mass
    Heaps overrated?

    I had the impression most people on this board thought him weak. I'm not embarrassed to defend Jay Heaps. I'm not claiming that he is the class of the league, nor is he the worst. I agree that his weakest points are one-on-one man-marking and open-field tackling, but he is no worse than Joey F. in those regards, and has improved over the course of the year. On the positive side, he is a threat going forward and on set pieces as Lee pointed out. He has rarely been caught out of position in the recent run. I believe Lee is right about him making overlapping runs as part of Nicol's system. I also find that, especially recently, he anticipates well, intercepts passes, and wins his share of 50-50 balls.

    Should we replace him with a really outstanding right back? Why not? I think Kante/Llamosa 2004 is a weaker link than Heaps, but would take a superb right back (or left back) if available. Did you have anyone in mind? What current MLS right backs would you exchange for Heaps?
     
  9. REV-OKe

    REV-OKe Member

    Apr 4, 2001
    Re: Re: Jay Heaps Questionable

    jay is binary - on or off. i think he is more on than off, and is overall good for the team.

    i can see his positives - they put him at least in the category of average defender, and at least as good as any other rev defender.

    his negatives are costly, and sure, we could use an upgrade. ( at any position in the back this is true).

    however this team can ill aford to be further depleted in an already weak backline. we need jay.
     
  10. gotyourback

    gotyourback Member

    Jul 18, 2002
    Aurora/Arlington
    Re: Heaps overrated?

    I think that this is really important to note. Jay's been 'fitting right in' with this current surge. Heck, he 'fit in' when they looked pitiful too. It wouldn't surprise me if his teammates gave him their full support. I admit, even when he looks bad, I like watching him play. Seeing him sky above much taller players is fun to watch.
     
  11. JohnnyRev

    JohnnyRev Member

    Feb 23, 2001
    Boston, MA
    I'm reminded of a limerick (mine).

    Pierce, Franchino, and Heaps.
    Hustle, bustle, and leaps.
    When they're on the defensive
    They're sometimes offensive.
    But not to Revs fans in the seats.
     
  12. soccertim

    soccertim Member

    Mar 29, 2001
    Mass
    Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Jay Heaps Questionable


    I'd say that Jay Heaps is nowhere near our best defender, and hasn't had a great year. But I'd also say that he's played better recently, and that any defensive gain by moving Pierce into his spot would be more than offset by the problems that a Llamosa/Kante pairing could pose.

    There have been times this year that Heaps has been out of position, and it wasn't on overlapping runs. I'm thinking of times that he was in the middle of the field chasing the ball while 2 or 3 opponents passed it back and forth, and then sent balls into the huge empty space next to Kante. Also, since he's not a great tackler, being out of position exacerbates this, as he has to chase the play and try and stop it. When he stays in his spot and the offensive player has to go toward Jay, he's much more successful at disposessing them. Since he's doing that now, he's looking much more solid defensively, and the team's therefore better with him than without him.
     
  13. NER_MCFC

    NER_MCFC Member

    May 23, 2001
    Cambridge, MA
    Club:
    New England Revolution
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    All the detailed analysis of Heaps' game (some of it quite good BTW) is entirely irrelevant if we're talking about Saturday and the play-offs. It's not how good he is in absolute terms, or whether the Revs can upgrade at that spot next year; it's how much the Revs would lose if he can't play. Who would Nicol put out there? Cullen? Probably, but if Nicol thought Cullen was a good option at fullback, don't you think he'd have played some there this year? Nick Downing? Hasn't gotten off the bench since returning from Portland, and so is unlikely to anything other than a not small step down. Moving one of the other starters would mean a downgrade at that position.

    So, unless Franchino gets healthy quickly, Heaps is unreplaceable at the moment. And that, Professer, is a big loss.

    I do hope that the thundering silence from the people who watch practices semi-regularly means that we are just making mountains out of dust motes.
     

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