Coming to terms with another loss to its injury-ravaged squad, as well as the concession of a scruffy late equalizer on Saturday night to Houston Dynamo, the New England Revolution are certainly in the mood for some positive news. And the return to the starting lineup of Pat Noonan is certainly a welcome boost to the defending Eastern Conference champions.
Noonan had made his comeback a week previously, as a substitute in the Revs' 4-0 loss to FC Dallas and on Saturday, after a full week of training, was let loose from the start against Houston. The 25-year-old forward was impressive in his 82 minutes of action, the highlight of which was a fine cross for Steve Ralston's 55th-minute goal, which looked to have set the Revolution on their way to victory until Ryan Cochrane's leveler came three minutes after Noonan's departure.
The right hamstring that Noonan originally damaged in February in the Revolution's CONCACAF Champions' Cup tie against LD Alajuelense, and then re-aggravated last month, is still not totally healed. That was borne out on Tuesday when he sat out much of the side's training session with an ice pack pressed to the vulnerable area, in which he felt some tightness.
Playing it safe with Noonan is critical, especially with the Revs having so many other regulars out of playing action. This week it was learned that James Riley, the starter on the left side of Steve Nicol's back three, is likely out for some time with an ankle tendon problem.
The impact the St. Louis native has on his side is tangible, with his regular strike partner, Taylor Twellman, a particular beneficiary. The two, who grew up playing together, have developed one of the most effective partnerships in MLS in the three-plus years they have played together with the Revs, as they have worked as closely together on the field as they are off it.
"I think that has got to be a help," said Revolution assistant coach Paul Mariner. "They have a close relationship off the field; they're like blood brothers, joined at the hip, which is a great thing for a front two to have. It seems to cross over to the field which is great.
"Having said that, you can be great friends off the field but not have that little bit of telepathy that some partnerships do have. They seem to have that. They have worked on it on the training ground; it's not just come out of nowhere but it's definitely there with those guys."
Between them, Noonan and Twellman have scored 96 MLS regular season goals and much of the success the Revolution hope to have in the future will be dependent on the continued output of its front two. Of that goals total, Twellman has notched 67, but Mariner is well aware that Noonan does not need to be figuring in the boxscore every week to be effective.
"Taylor is very good at getting into the box and scoring goals, his record proves that. With Noonan, there is no defender in this league that wants to get caught on the edge of the box with him. The thing with Pat is that he has got incredibly quick feet and when he gets the ball out wide in that final third he is very difficult to handle.
"It's not necessarily pace, but more quickness of movement and then the release of the cross coming in. We like Pat to get in those situations between the wide midfielder and the fullback or the fullback and the center half. That gives him time and space to do his work."
Noonan and Twellman each bring an intensity to the Revolution that is as much in evidence on the training field as it is on gameday. The seriousness with which they take their jobs is clear for all to see and both men are thoroughly professional when it comes to their preparation for matches, which includes continually trying to develop and improve their impressive partnership.
"It starts with the patterns that we set out with the team but what they have done is add other dimensions to that," said Mariner. "It's developing all the time with the runs that they make and where the ball is delivered to. It often looks like a 'blind' ball; if you looked at it on tape you would ask why they are playing it there but that is the space that they are going into. It's just sharp movements; not long runs but one-step movements."
Never was the understanding between Noonan and Twellman more in evidence than on Saturday in the buildup to Ralston's goal. Released on the right by Jeff Larentowicz, Noonan found himself in just the 'between defenders' position that Mariner and Nicol want him in. Looking up, the forward saw Twellman running hard to the near post with two defenders for company. Meanwhile, Ralston was quickly arriving on the scene at the far post.
Having spotted the veteran midfielder, Noonan needed some help to find him and it was duly provided by his buddy, Twellman, who checked his run slightly away from goal to open up a passing lane that Noonan served the ball into for Ralston. The whole sequence took mere seconds but was vital to the eventual scoring of the goal.
"Taylor's run created that goal for Steve," said Noonan after the game. "He dragged the defender(s), which made it possible."
Mariner described Twellman's role in the goal as 'an unselfish run that has to be made' and it typifies the time of 'all-for-one' attitude that will be so important to the Revolution in upcoming weeks, as they face road trips to D.C. United and the Chicago Fire. The coaching staff hopes to have some more of its number back in action soon but until then, know that with Twellman and Noonan leading the line, the Revolution will remain an attacking threat to be reckoned with.
"The one thing that every single partnership needs is rhythm. When you get playing week in and week out then that understanding is there," said Mariner. "What we said to them is that if we can hold the ball up in the middle third, then the play is going to develop and we are going to get more opportunities in the box. That is a very simplistic way of looking at it but is, in essence, what happens. If you don't hold the ball up, you are not going to score goals."
Andrew Hush is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
