few players in MLS have his array of moves -- but as is the case with all solo artists, the end result must be good for the other 10 men on the field, or the act gets tired in a hurry.
5. Pat Noonan. New England Revolution. When Noonan is healthy and in good form, he's one of the most well-rounded attackers in MLS. He's good with both feet, can take you on off the dribble and score with his feet or his head. The issue has been health (hamstring, back, hip flexor, sports hernia last year alone). He was limited to only 14 games (12 starts) a year ago and scored only one goal. Steve Nicol has to be praying that Noonan can return to form, because of the added dimension he gives the Revs.
4. Nick Rimando. Real Salt Lake. What a strange offseason for Rimando, traded to Salt Lake from D.C., to New York from Salt Lake, then back to Salt Lake from New York. With the retirement of Scott Garlick, Rimando has a chance to get back in a starting role. This guy is one of my favorite all-time MLS 'keepers because they don't come any more acrobatic. But if he can't win the job for RSL, his time in the league might be over.
3. Claudio Reyna. New York Red Bulls. There are so many guys in the crosshairs in New York that it's hard to single out just one guy, but the bottom line with Claudio is that, for now, he's N.Y.'s one big offseason signing, and he's got the keys to the car. Can he be a playmaker in the league? Or will he be more of a pivot player, simply working from deep spots and trying to link the backline to the forwards? My feeling is that New York needs him to push up close to the strikers and create goal scoring chances.
2. Amado Guevara. Chivas USA. The Galaxy signed David Beckham with its much ballyhooed Designated Player slot and Chivas USA, from down the hall at The Home Depot Center, traded their DP slot to N.Y. for Guevara. Can Amado play like he did during his brightest moments in New York? Or will he have trouble blending in? If Chivas USA hopes to move up in the West, they need Amado to be at his best.
1. Eddie Johnson. Kansas City Wizards. Hard to believe that such a short time after Johnson was racking up goals left and right for the national team we're now discussing him as a guy who's career hangs in the balance. Perhaps that's an exaggeration, but that's only because the expectations EJ brought upon himself -- by scoring the types of goals not many forwards can score. New coach Curt Onalfo has said all the right things to this point about wanting Eddie to be the man -- now let's see how EJ responds.
Jeff Bradley is a senior writer for ESPN The Magazine. Send your comments and complaints (200 words or less, please) to Jeff at jbradleyespn2003@yahoo.com and he promises to read (but not respond to) all of them. The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author's, and not necessarily those of Major League Soccer or MLSnet.com.
