This article is part of our MLS Barometer series.
Three Up
Harry Shipp
If a rising tide raises all ships, then what does a rising Shipp raise? At the moment, the answer is the entire Chicago Fire squad. After seeing his team get shut out in their first two matches, the Chicago native has points in three straight games (one goal, three assists). That means Shipp has had a hand in all but one of Chicago's goals so far. Things are beginning to fall into place around the shifty midfielder, too. Shaun Maloney returned from international duty with an extra hop in his step, and designated player David Accam saw his first minutes of the season after returning from injury. Joevin Jones will stand out for his great goal this past weekend, but he has strung together multiple impressive performances pushing up the field from his fullback position.
Up top, Quincy Amarikwa continues to put in a very underrated effort as the engine of the team. All of this is benefiting Shipp rather than forcing him to toil in a role that doesn't play to his strengths, as was the concern when the team brought in three offensive designated players this winter. Playing alongside the similarly styled veteran Maloney should only help Shipp's progression in his second season, and the 2014 Rookie of the Year runner-up is gaining attention league-wide and overseas. It's conceivable that this up-and-down Chicago group could develop into a dangerous opponent by midseason, and Shipp is now leading the way rather than taking a back seat to the new arrivals.
Bobby Shuttleworth
Colorado continued their miserable scoreless streak on Saturday, but not for a lack of effort. Their failure was largely due to the performance of Shuttleworth in New England's goal. Making five saves, several quite impressive, the Revolution keeper notched his second clean sheet in three matches. New England appears to have fixed their leaky back line since allowing five goals in the first two matches and the impending return of Jermaine Jones should only help to solidify things further. Shuttleworth's numbers may not jump off the page compared to other MLS goalies, but keep in mind the small sample size. His most encouraging performance actually came during the 2-0 loss to NYC FC that saw him get peppered with nine shots on target. Last year, Shuttleworth was instrumental in New England's trip to the MLS Cup Final and this year he appears poised to steal games just as capably as other more celebrated goalkeepers like David Ousted or Tyler Deric. Don't let a slow start fool you! The Revs are already on their way back to form and the man between the posts has already regained his 2014 form.
Kendall Waston
Waston and the Whitecaps earned their third clean sheet of the young season against the reigning MLS champions this past weekend. Shutting out Robbie Keane and Gyasi Zardes speaks for itself, but Vancouver's defense did it in convincing fashion. After a regrettable season opener that saw the team concede three goals to Toronto FC, Vancouver have allowed just one goal in four matches. Waston has bounced back to be the force fans remember from last year, and he now leads the league in clearances + blocks + interceptions. Pa Modou Kah is having a shocking resurgence after moving from Portland in the offseason and Matias Laba has been superb whether tasked with shutting down Kaka or let loose to create havoc all over the center of the field. The only let down thus far with Waston has been his reluctance to maraud forward, something that set him apart from most other central defenders last season. Ultimately, the growth in responsibility is a plus for manager Carl Robinson, but the fantasy managers' job is to always demand more! The Whitecaps look like they'll be one of Major League Soccer's top teams this year, and they have depth at nearly every position. That reliability and a great supporting cast make it highly likely that Waston will carry his great start the whole way through the summer and into the fall.
Three Down
Rais M'bohli
When M'bohli was acquired last season, the Union already had two other capable keepers. Fans were angry, as other positions of need should have taken priority, but it was tough to hold that against a guy who carried Algeria to the knockout rounds of the World Cup. Unfortunately for M'bohli, prior performance can only earn a finite amount of patience and his has officially run out. The pricey designated player never lived up to his potential last year, and through five more games this season, he has conceded nine goals, many of which he should have done better with. The Union are missing Amobi Okugo's defensive midfield prowess, and Maurice Edu was forced to play center back last weekend. While the team hasn't had the best of luck with refereeing decisions, it's no excuse for their lackluster efforts defensively. The brunt of the blame still falls on M'bohli though, whose shaky goalkeeping has to weigh heavily in the back of his teammates' minds. It is conceivable that Union manager Jim Curtin will soon push to start last year's top draft pick Andre Blake once he recovers from surgery, but it won't be easy to budge a stubborn front office who went out on a limb to bring M'bohli into the picture. Overall, it's a sad situation for Philadelphia Union faithful, as the Algerian's prowess feels closer to the Paleozoic era than the present.
Giles Barnes
All in all, 2015 has treated Barnes fairly well. The Jamaican earned his first call up to the national team a few weeks ago, and he secured Houston's first match against Columbus with a beautiful goal.
Aside from that first match, though, he has been noticeably ineffective for the Dynamo. Without a dangerous forward on the roster, Barnes and fellow attacking midfielder Boniek Garcia have been tasked with leading the forward line. Neither have made it work. Most noticeable with Barnes is that he has been a liability in keeping possession for a Dynamo team that needs all the help they can get in that matter. In fairness, it is difficult to gauge his true value to the team when he is playing out of position and without much support from the midfield. Barometer alumnus Brad Davis could prove to be the spark that ignites Houston, but he shows little sign of turning things around. Better yet, Cubo Torres' arrival on the horizon is exciting, but it could push Barnes back into an outside midfield role. Regardless of the causes or excuses, Barnes and the Dynamo just aren't paying the bills, and their stock takes a tumble as a result.
Lamar Neagle
Neagle benefits from the group surrounding him as much as anybody in the league. Playing with Clint Dempsey and Obafemi Martins has its perks, and Neagle's nine goals and nine assists last year are convincing evidence. But teammates can only carry you so far. Thus far this season, Neagle's passing has been sloppy and his defending inconsistent. He isn't creating chances, nor finding any of his own, with a whopping two key passes and zero shots after four starts. Ozzie Alonso's return this past weekend could allow Neagle to get forward more often, but even last year when the chances were coming fast and furious, he didn't convert at an impressive rate. A nod should be given to the part he played in Martins' great goal this weekend, but the highlight reel is not enough to save Neagle this week.
Ultimately, a more workmanlike role appears to be in store for Neagle this season, no matter how well he performs. Look for him to see some increased opportunities during Dempsey's international forays, but another 18-point season appears unlikely after a timid first month of play.
