It's getting to a point where I might as well just copy and paste that headline and re-post it every week.
In all seriousness though, Ryan Meara finds himself atop the MLSsoccer.com Rookie Rankings yet again as he holds a 9-5-4 record between the pipes for New York. The rook out of Fordham did take a bit of a beating in Sunday's 2-0 loss to New England, as he suffered a knee knock early in the match and a knee to the head by fellow rookie Kelyn Rowe in the 87th minute. But Meara didn't let the dings and dents keep him down, as he continued to bounce back to his feet in an effort to finish the match.
Rowe was in turn suspended one game for his hit on Meara
.
Here's what MLSsoccer.com had to say about Meara in this week's rookie rankings
:
"Like Nick DeLeon before him, it appears Meara's stay at the top may be coming to an end. Don't read too much into that, though. The Red Bulls 'keeper has been solid recently, but perhaps not quite the game changer he was early in the season. Of course, he's still No. 1 in these rankings, so take that as a sign that the rookie netminder is still doing plenty right."
It goes without saying that the past few weeks have been tough on the Red Bulls, as they've experienced little to no reprieve on the injury front. However, the upcoming three-game home stand, where the Red Bulls remain an undefeated 5-0-2, can certainly impact their place in the standings and, in turn, Meara's security in these rankings.
The Red Bulls return to action Sunday, July 15, when the host the Seattle Sounders for a 4 PM kickoff. Get your tickets now at
Red Bulls Ticket Central
, or by calling 877.RB.SOCCER.
