The unofficial word of the week is "chances." Chances that went off the bar, high, wide, were blocked by a defender, and/or sent into the mitts of D.C. United goalkeeper Bill Hamid. Chances that didn't find their way into the netting, but chances nonetheless.
That was the story of Saturday's match against D.C. United. Despite outshooting their rival 24-4, the Red Bulls were unable to capitalize on chances that would help them secure three points in the home opener. The back line was formidable, and Luis Robles came up big when called upon in each of his two saves, but by the final whistle the end-to-end hustle and strong effort amounted to one point.
It's frustrating to see, as personified by post-game Tweets from players and fans alike. But the team remains confident coming out of Saturday's match, knowing full well that the goals will eventually come as those chances are continuously created.
The Red Bulls will look to up the ante Saturday with a few goals, and claim that elusive first win, when they face a 3-0 Montreal side on the road at Olympic Stadium for a 4:30pm kick off on MSG (pre-game show starts at 4pm).
Match Highlights: NY vs. D.C.
Until then, let's see how the Red Bulls rank in this week's Power Rankings:
MLSsoccer.com and Sports Illustrated each dropped the Red Bulls from 11th to 13th. According to SI:
"All of those chances against D.C., with nothing but a point to show for it. The Red Bulls must be wondering what they must do to score after outshooting D.C."
ESPNFC.com didn't adjust the Red Bulls based on this past weekend, but they did demote the club further in Week 2 than MLSsoccer.com and SI. So, locked in at No. 16 overall, here's what ESPN had to say:
"The Red Bulls, with 24 shots, couldn't translate a dominant performance into victory against D.C. United. Things won't get easier for New York either. Up next is an away match at red-hot Montreal."
(And if you're wondering how a "dominant performance" against D.C. United kept the Red Bulls at No. 16, and somehow moved D.C. United from 6th to 4th, I'm just as baffled as you are.)
That's the rundown on this week's Power Rankings. While New York's placement varied amongst the three websites, Montreal, this weekend's opponent, was stapled at No. 1 overall across all three. There's a challenge waiting for the Red Bulls north of the border and a chance to secure three big points against one of the league's top performers.
What's your take on the Week 3 Power Rankings? Comment below.
