Robbie Rogers is this year’s Juan Toja, says Steve Davis, writing for MLSNet — which is to say the Columbus Crew winger is off to a fast start in 2008, scoring five goals in his first seven games. It remains to be seen whether he can keep up the momentum (Toja in the second half of last season could not), but there’s no question Rogers has been one of the outstanding performers in the season’s opening seven weeks. Used mainly as a sub in his first MLS season in 2007, Rogers, 21, has been “a barnstorming revelation” for Sigi Schmid’s league-leading Crew along with midfielder Adam Moffat, says Davis. Moffat provides the likes of Rogers and Guillermo Barros Schelotto with something they didn’t have last season: a steadying defensive presence in the center that allows them to move forward more freely.
Chicago’s John Thorrington, another early season revelation, performs a similar function for Chicago, even though he plays on the outside. Guys like Thorrington (only 12 games in his first three Fire seasons) and Chris Rolfe provide defensive cover so Cuauhtemoc Blanco doesn’t have to worry himself with tracking back to defend.
Other players who have impressed in the early going are Kansas City defender Tyson Wahl, Red Bulls midfielder Danleigh Borman, who filled in on the left while Dane Richards was on the injury list, and of course, New England’s Gambian duo Kenny Mansally and Sainey Nyassi, who started the season strong but tapered off a bit in recent weeks. With Taylor Twellman and Steve Ralston now back, we’ll have to see how much playing time they can find.