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SBI MLS Rookie of the Week: Connor Lade

Lade (ISIphotos)

Photo by ISIphotos.com

No, Connor Lade did not get on the scoresheet, nor was he directly involved with either of the New York Red Bulls' goals Friday night, but his contribution was definitely felt in the club's important 2-0 victory over the Houston Dynamo. 

The versatile Lade, who got the start at right back, helped lock down in-form Houston forward Mac Kandji, played a vital role in the clean sheet and was his usual active self up and down the flank to earn SBI MLS Rookie of the Week honors.

Lade beat out a group of rookies that included D.C. United's Nick DeLeon, who scored the club's goal against Sporting Kansas City; Vancouver's Darren Mattocks, who was active and involved in the club's second goal against Real Salt Lake; Seattle's Andy Rose, who turned in another solid overall performance in central midfield for the Sounders against San Jose; and Chicago's Austin Berry, whose consistent play at centerback carried over into the Fire's 3-1 victory over the Philadelphia Union.

What did you think of Lade's performance? Which rookie do you think had the best Week 23 in MLS?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. I didn’t see the NY game. But, Rose actually had one of his poorer games vs SJ. So, the fact that he was an “honorable mention” makes me question the rest of the article.

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  2. Did not see the game in NY but Kandji was running circles around him in Houston. He does hustle but if they deploy him as a defender plenty of flaws need to be patched. Keep up the hustling.

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  3. You guys keep forgetting that Mac should have been kicked out of the game for head butt in 27th min, ref help houston there . Weekend was the same thing , not saying that you shouldn’t win hat game , but both goals were on refs mistakes. Mac would have 2 yellows that game too, as when he kicked ball in the net 10 sec after the whistle.inconsistency was an issue in the game in Houston .

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  4. Boy, you can trade a player away and the broken record of “Kandji should have scored” still plays in RBA years later…**yawn**

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  5. I didn’t think Lade had a particularly good game at all and it’s quite a stretch to say he “locked down” Kandji. As others have mentioned, Kandji should have had a goal or two in the first half. I appreciate Lade standing toe to toe with a much bigger man and not backing down but as far as his actual play at right back – I’ll be glad to have Barklage return this weekend.

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  6. I’m not saying that Lade wasn’t tough. He definitely gave it his all, but this would be a completely different conversation if Kandji was a half decent finisher. He missed 2 golden one on one opportunities with the keeper and he shanked another shot when he had an open look. Lade was able to grind out a tough performance, but he was physically no match for Kandji.

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  7. Lade truly has a terminal case of little man syndrome. Whether he performs well or not I just can’t stand to watch him and not be irritated.

    And to Lade, no, your mohawk is not the equivalent of being an inch or two taller but great try.

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  8. Kinnear might have ridden the refs but he did not get wing subs in to continue to press Lade. He subbed in two DMs plus Ching. Net result was Houston was not able to use NYRB’s early energy expense back against it. We had tired players running at people like Lade late when we needed offense, and the energy in this formation comes from wide.

    Basically I felt like NYRB did a good job of slowing the game down defensively and making it more physical. We lacked a tactical response, which made Lade look very good.

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  9. Credit Lade for getting in Kanjis head, but thats all he did. Lade from the get go was cheap and clipping Kandji all day. Of course, no one is going to call the 5’5″ guy for being too physical on the 6’5″, at least not in MLS.

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  10. I would tend to agree. I love Lade and he’s had a great season, but Kandji would have scored 2 goals if he could finish at all. Granted, on one of them, Mac grabbed Lade’s shoulders with 2 hands and yanked him off balance which was somehow missed by the ref, but Conor also got away with a few of his own. I feel like it was a gritty, gutty performance by the youngster, especially out of position, but I don’t think this was one of his best games.

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  11. you kidding me? Lade turned kanji around, and defiled him in front of a crowd… Not to mention nearly teed off on him when kandji tried to get tough.

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  12. He was gritty in the game against Houston, but Mac Kandji owned him from beginning to end. If Kandji actually knew how to finish off a shot, then he could have had a hat-trick. Lade just did not have the size or athletic ability to compete with him.

    While Lade has had a solid season, would disagree that he had a rookie of the week type of performance in his most recent game.

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  13. He was lucky he didn’t get carded in the first half for persistent fouling on Kandji. It wan’t until Dom Kinnear chewed out the ref for letting the NYRB blatantly kick Kandji 4+ times that the ref satarted to show some cojones and cards.

    It was an effective game plan, though. It neutralized Houston’s right side, but I don’t think the NYRB would have gotten away with that play with most refs. Penso is notoriously inconsistent (yes, more inconsistent than most MLS refs, and that is saying a lot…).

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  14. At first I was disappointed as this seemed to be a homer-award for your local team. but the more I think about it I’m glad the ROTW award isn’t just a “what rookie scored the most this week”

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  15. Pitbull from Morristown. No one stands a chance squaring up/toeing the line to this kid despite his size.. Kandji would have been hurtin had he continued with his pretending to be someone special.

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