CARSON, Calif. – Robbie Rogers has been the LA Galaxy’s man on the move. Not that he’s complaining.
Rogers, in his ninth MLS season, had earned a name for himself in midfield, where he was named to the league’s Best XI with the Columbus Crew in 2008. In 2014, however, the Galaxy asked him to move to left back to take over for the injured and now-retired Todd Dunivant and he quickly developed into one of the league’s best at that position.
But now, with the addition of English international Ashley Cole on the left side of the Galaxy’s back line, Rogers was asked to move again, this time to right back. The 28-year-old called it a work in progress as the Galaxy prepared to take on the San Jose Earthquakes in this season’s first edition of the California Clasico on Saturday at StubHub Center (7:30 p.m., Time Warner Cable SportsNet, Time Warner Cable Deportes).
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“I think I’m learning right back,” said Rogers, who ironically moved back to the left last weekend when Cole was held out as a precautionary measure. Cole’s status for Saturday is uncertain. “I think left back is more natural for me. I think I’ve played three or four games, two or three real games, and it’s going to take time.”
The move has not come without its share of bumps and bruises. There was last weekend’s 1-0 loss to the Colorado, for example, in which the Rapids’ Marco Pappa slipped behind him while Rogers was watching an ill-fated clearance by the Galaxy’s Daniel Steres and scored the game-winning goal with seconds left in stoppage time.
Rogers said he has watched the play “15 or 20 times” despite the frustration in the repeated viewings.
“There are so many things that broke down on that play,” he said. “From how far back we were, who was stepping into him, Nigel (De Jong) and I maybe closing him down in the middle. The ball goes up in the air, Dan has a free header and we’re kind of watching that and it lands perfectly to Pappa.
“We worked extremely hard that whole game and defended really well, we didn’t let them create too much. Just that last play was really a heartbreaker.
“There’s a lot of areas in that play we can learn from,” he continued, “but definitely for me staying with that guy knowing where Daniel is going to head the ball. It’s something to remember.”
Rogers said the biggest adjustment playing on the right has been timing.
“You see the field from a different view,” he pointed out. “After you’ve played on the left so long you have your cues to go forward and when to stay. I’m just more comfortable going down with my right or pushing with my left.
“There are little, subtle things, but there is a big difference.”
Rogers admitted the position switch may not be as seamless as his transition from midfield to left back a year ago. But he is confident it will work out in the long run.
“It’s going to take time for me,” he said. “I don’t worry about finding that rhythm or that comfort on the right side. It’s just going to take a few games.”
