Noonan?

keeppah · Mar 12, 2003

Has anyone seen Noonan play in any of the preseason camps? I'm just curious how he's fitting in with the team since I think he's one of the most important pieces to this team.

After the draft, I pictured our lineup like this:

Twellman/Harris
JMM (withdrawn fwd)
Noonan/Hernandez/Ralston
Franchino/Kante/Llamosa/Pierce

Brown

I figure defense will be sorted out by injuries and that Jay Heaps will prove to be the ultimate utility man, filling in whenever someone gets injured.

If Noonan is even slightly above average for an MLS winger, I think this team is solid. But if we can't get some support in MF, Ralston is going to be hounded and we're going to see our forwards tracking down a lot of long balls from Joey out of the back.

The Magpie · Mar 12, 2003

Just my 2 cents, but I don't suspect Noonan will be starting, and Heaps will probably be more than a utility player in 2003; I see him as a starter...

The Magpie

M.T. Nets · Mar 12, 2003

Maybe you won't see Noonan start from the beginning but I would expect he will push the player that his ahead of him pretty hard. I see him developing very well and will be a key part of the team---I haven't seen him in pre-season but I have watched him over the last several years. Just when you think he is all talk he puts a couple of goals away and you wonder how he did that. He will be/is a good draft pick

keeppah · Mar 12, 2003

Don't get me wrong, I see Heaps starting a lot of games because of his versatility. If any of these things happen, I see Heaps as the man filling the void:

1) If Llamosa, Franchino, Kante, or Pierce are hurt
2) If Kante holds out
3) If Noonan/Griffiths/whoever stink up the left wing. Then I'd see Nicol either moving Franchino up or placing Heaps there, with the other sliding back into defense.
4) If Harris becomes invisible at forward. Then I see Nicol trying Noonan up there and then we have another situation like #3

So odds are, Heaps will see plenty of starts and I have no problem with that because I think he's a good baller.

Then again, I've only read a handful of reports about Noonan (mostly positive). I just don't think Nicol would have drafted an older player unless he was sure he could contribute fairly soon. I think our void on the left may be his best chance, but I could definitely be wrong.