2014 OaM Awards: RBNY Defensive Player of the Year

Yesterday we posted the award for best Young Player of the Year. Today we continue our post season awards with Defensive Player of the Year. To qualify for this award, a player must play a defensive position (GK, Back Line, Defensive Midfield) and have played a significant number of minutes as either a starter or substitute. Here's what the Once a Metro staff thought.

2014 End of Year Awards:

• Young Player of the Year
• Offensive Player of the Year
• Match of the Year
• Moment of the Year

Austin Fido - Luis Robles

For the second season in a row, Robles played every minute of every regular season game (and the playoffs). For the second season in a row, he took an absolute shelling: 147 shots faced in 2013; 171 rained down upon his goal in 2014. For the second season in a row, he had 10 penalties to handle.

He made his fair share of mistakes, but was asked to do more than his fair share of work in keeping RBNY going through some tough periods of this season.

Jason Iapicco - Jamison Olave

Olave has been a rock for the New York Red Bulls. This year, while having bad moments, was no different. Despite injuries and playing on turf, he was a constant in the Starting XI, appearing 28 times for 2519 minutes in the regular season (his highest total in MLS). He was slightly hampered this year by a constant flux in center back partner, pairing with Armando and Matt Miazga before settling in with Ibrahim Sekagya. He still has the speed to track back against most MLS forwards and is a physical presence in the box. While Robles has many saves this year, Olave has been the main reason he hasn't needed to be called on more.

Matt Coyne - Luis Robles

The Red Bulls defense was, uh, bad this season. But Luis Robles made several well-timed saves over the course of the year to keep the Red Bulls in games.

Even when the number of shots he was facing dropped off, with head coach Mike Petke making a late-season formation change, Robles still stayed on top of his game. With a lesser keeper, the Red Bulls are in trouble. But Robles showed he’s one of the league’s best, rising to the challenge whenever called upon.

Tim Dean - Luis Robles

This team had a frustrating amount of, what seemed to be, unnecessary draws due to poor finishing….however, most of those draws could have easily been losses. Why weren’t they? Luis Robles.

Verdict: Luis Robles 3-1 over Jamison Olave

Do you agree with the Once a Metro staff about Robles as Defensive Player of the Year? Let us know in the comments.