Noonan healthier, wealthier
FOXBOROUGH -- Coach Steve Nicol put the Revolution's money on the line for Pat Noonan. Though Noonan had limped through last season with one goal and was preparing for this year under the cloud of injuries, he was offered a substantial raise, a four-year contract at around $225,000 per year.
After a slow start, Noonan has been producing returns on the investment, scoring four goals in the last seven games. Noonan has regained his health and is expected to make his eighth successive starting appearance tonight against Kansas City. The Revolution (8-3-6, 30 points) lead and the Wizards (8-5-5, 29 points) are second in the Eastern Conference.
"From the Columbus game [June 16] on, he did some stuff, and he has really kept on it," Nicol said of Noonan yesterday. "The fact that he was out more than he was in last season -- it takes a while to get back to your peak. He has missed, really, 12 of the last 18 months. But now we are seeing the best of him. He has always scored his fair share, and also set up goals.
"We showed faith in him and he deserved it. Since he came in, he has done a lot for the team. We don't give anybody anything unless they have earned it."
Noonan was assured of a place on the United States roster for the World Cup last year but didn't recover in time from back, leg, and hernia problems. He appeared to be regaining his health at the end of the season after undergoing Minimal Repair Technique surgery at the Hernienzentrum in Munich, and played a major role in the playoffs. But during the preseason, Noonan was again below par, and it wasn't until he underwent another procedure at the Hernienzentrum in March that his health has steadily improved.
"It took awhile but I feel 100 percent," Noonan said. "I needed to get my confidence and I needed minutes and I feel good now."
Noonan scored the first goal of the game in the last two matches, but the Revolution surrendered their advantage before rallying to tie Houston (3-3) and defeat Real Salt Lake (2-1). The Revolution will play six times in 18 days, concluding with an Aug. 19 visit to Kansas City. The Revolution will play four straight home matches in the next 10 days, including a US Open Cup date against the Harrisburg City Islanders Wednesday.
"I enjoy playing games," Noonan said. "And I imagine most players do. This is going to be a lot of games in a short time, but it's more fun playing games."
The Noonan-Taylor Twellman pairing is among Major League Soccer's most potent strike forces, and Adam Cristman has scored three goals filling in when Noonan has been injured and Twellman went away with the national team. The top pairing worked well against Real Salt Lake, producing the opening goal as Twellman drew the defense, then headed down Jeff Larentowicz's long ball for Noonan to score in the 39th minute. Larentowicz then broke the tie with a free kick in the 82d.
"Pat pretty much said it, he needed minutes and time to get back," Twellman said.
Asked if he was concerned about Noonan's long recovering process, Twellman said: "More so as a friend. But what he does on the field helps me. It was a matter of time. When you are injured, it's frustrating, the initial period. You have to go through that. But a good player will show what he can do."
Twellman expects the Revolution forwards to be busy against Kansas City, leading the way with a pressing style of defending.
"We will be at home and we have to do what we do best, put them under pressure," Twellman said. "We have to score some goals and keep on them. We have a selfless team, we work for the team, and when you have that you want to do the running."
The Revolution have played to ties at Columbus (2-2) and D.C. United (1-1) in Thursday night games, which are televised on ESPN2 this season . . . Gambians Sanna Nyassi and Abdoulie Mansally, who played in the Under-20 World Cup in Canada last month, and goalkeeper Tim Melia (Lynn University) have been training with the Revolution.
Frank Dell'Apa can be reached at f_dellapa@globe.com. 
