This article is part of our MLS Barometer series.
Three Up
Bradley Wright-Phillips
Last year's Golden Boot winner is on the board! BWP showed this past weekend that life after Thierry Henry is going to be just fine. With the opening goal, and an assist to seal the deal, BWP led the Red Bulls to a victory over Ben Olsen's typically stingy D.C. United. Wright-Phillips could have added another assist, had Lloyd Sam taken advantage of another great pass. It's possible that a more direct attack, one that isn't always deferring to Henry, will benefit BWP more than expected. Sacha Kljestan and Felipe Martins look like they will combine to give the Red Bulls' forwards plenty of chances, and Dax McCarty has elevated his already relentless work rate in the center of the pitch.
Speedy Sam measurably improved last year, and looks poised to take an even larger leap forward in 2015. Most importantly, Wright-Phillips showed a knack for smart runs and deft touches, which will be crucial for continued success in life after Henry. Skepticism was understandable in the off-season, but the Red Bulls and Wright-Phillips have gotten a good jump out of the gate here in March, and it's time to question if they might actually end up a better overall group this year than last.
Octavio Rivero
Vancouver look to have found their striker. Despite having at least one memorable missed chance in all three games he has played so far, Rivero also boasts a goal in each match. After being held at bay by Orlando City's defense this weekend, Rivero scored a stoppage time diving header to give Vancouver the 1-0 victory.
His work rate and enthusiasm are admirable, and his quick adjustment to life in Major League Soccer is encouraging. Anyone pointing to the missed opportunities is taking a glass half-empty approach. The chances won't dry up for Rivero, who is surrounded by quality playmakers, and wise fantasy owners may even bet that more of these balls will start finding the back of the net. Pedro Morales is all but guaranteed to spring Rivero free with a long ball once per game, and if the midfielder can return to his form from last season, the rest of the league could be in trouble. Going forward, it appears a suspension is looming for Kekuta Manneh, and it will be interesting to see how the Whitecaps attack functions in his absence. Luckily, manager Carl Robinson has a wealth of quality options to replace Manneh, and Rivero's hot start has a great chance to keep rolling!
Axel Sjoberg
Defenders haven't gotten any love thus far in the MLS Barometers, but 6-foot-7 rookie Sjoberg is changing that this week. In Week 1, Sjoberg earned Man of the Match for holding Colorado's clean sheet after Bobby Burling's red card reduced the Rapids to 10 men. After a break last week, Sjoberg and the Rapids returned to action and held David Villa and NYCFC to zero goals. Two straight shut outs was not what most expected from the Rapids to begin the year. Additionally, Sjoberg has rocketed to the top of MLS in clearances per game, with 33 through just two matches. Manager Pablo Mastroeni has never shown hesitation in letting the youngsters soak up as much playing time as they can handle, and letting Sjoberg face off against a Spanish footballing icon in just his second career match seems very telling. Surely, Colorado must regress in their defensive performances, and they likely won't dominate possession against many teams. However, the Rapids have shown an aptitude to at least compete in Major League Soccer this season. In particular, Drew Moor beside Sjoberg could make for a steady defensive foundation that Mastroeni can build a competitor out of.
Three Down
Mauro Diaz
There might be too many cooks in the Dallas kitchen. Thus far, Blas Perez, Fabian Castillo and Tesho Akindele have made their mark on the MLS season. FC Dallas is the only team with three wins in three matches. However, Diaz has failed to stake his claim for even a small period of time this season, after being given ample opportunity. He has already been moved into a variety of roles, and manager Oscar Pareja continues to insist that the team needs Diaz firing on all-cylinders. Pareja will keep faith in the young talent for as long as necessary, and it's the right call, as Diaz can truly take over a match.
When the switch will click back on, though, is anybody's guess. It's possible that Diaz still needs time to shake off the rust after battling a meniscus injury and several lesser knocks last season. While he will continue to be involved, the attacking responsibilities are being shouldered more and more by Perez, Akindele, and Castillo. Until Diaz proves he is unhappy deferring to the others, he cannot be relied upon to stamp his name all over the score sheets like many had hoped coming into the year. Monitor the slippery Argentinian for signs of life, and in the meantime appreciate his flashes of brilliance that surely return with regularity one day!
Kekuta Manneh
Manneh has always been a frustrating prospect for Whitecaps fans. His potential is impossible to overlook, but he rarely seems to turn in a complete, consistent shift. Even through three matches, he has ridden a rollercoaster of form. After two matches, he led the league in key passes. In his third, he inexplicably thrust a two-footed studs-up tackle at Aurelien Collin that should have earned him a red card.
Instead, manager Carl Robinson simply removed him from the game. Ultimately, Manneh is a luxury and not a necessity for the Whitecaps. Pedro Morales and Octavio Rivero could survive with Darren Mattocks or Erik Hurtado on the wing. Both of those players have had their moments in the past too. Should one get into a run of good form, especially during a possible Manneh suspension for his reckless tackle, then a true rotation could set in among Vancouver's open offensive spots. Perhaps this year really is the one that Manneh will fulfill his boundless potential. He is able to outrun almost anybody in the league, and should find plenty of space with defenses keying on Rivero. 'Should' is the key word though, and it's one that Vancouver fans have been placing in the same sentence as Kekuta Manneh and his potential for quite some time.
Graham Zusi
Sporting Kansas City's keeper, Luis Marin, is averaging more passes per game than Zusi. Let that set in.
It has been an interesting start to the season for SKC, who have just two goals through three matches and have yet to find their first victory. Benny Feilhaber is impressing, but in a much deeper midfield role than he should be featured in. The returning midfield bulldog Roger Espinoza has been more involved both in passing and scoring than Zusi, too. The man-bun rocking US National Team player has reportedly been playing through a stress fracture in his foot, which could explain much of his early season disappearing act. But something else just feels off, too.
On the telecasts, it wouldn't be difficult to forget he was playing if they neglected to show him preparing to take every SKC corner. Zusi's team looks to be struggling to find an identity this year, while they attempt to incorporate several new faces. Their personnel may not be suited best to the 4-3-3 formation that Peter Vermes has favored in the past, and Zusi simply can't continue to flounder on the wing if the team wants to get back on track. It appears as though the foot injury isn't going away any time soon, and SKC seems to have little interest in attempting to let it rest, so where things go from here is anybody's guess. What isn't in question is Zusi's work ethic, and value to a squad when fully fit, and hopefully we get to see that at some point this MLS season.
