CARSON, Calif. – Robbie Rogers understood that his transition into a left back wasn't always going to come easy, that there would be hiccups along the way.
He's enduring those now.
Rogers has taken the blame, or at least a portion of it, on three of the four goals the LA Galaxy (1-1-2) have conceded, including Chris Pontius' stoppage-time header that gave D.C. United a 1-0 triumph on Saturday.
“It's just been a little weird,” Rogers said following LA's training session Tuesday at StubHub Center. “There's like little moments where I think my decision making hasn't been as good as I want it. ... It's been a little frustrating because it's just little mistakes that make a big difference, and I'm not used to that many in a row like that. It's a little disheartening.”
Rogers, 27, made his debut at left back last July and has mostly impressed in his 27 competitive starts there, demonstrating better-than-expected defensive acumen while, as in his days as a left-sided midfielder, aggressively attacking on the flanks. He's still very much a pupil, and he's erred at critical moments.
Rogers held Fanendo Adi onside when the Portland Timbers scored their first goal in a 2-2 draw in Week 2, was caught ball-watching as Nathan Sturgis netted an equalizer off a corner kick in a 1-1 tie with the visiting Houston Dynamo a week later, then last weekend failed to deal with Nick DeLeon as he served Pontius for the victory at RFK Stadium.
“He's been inconsistent,” head coach Bruce Arena said. “He's got to be steadier than he's shown. ... I think you've still got to accept the fact that he's played this position for a little over a year, if that. There's still a learning curve to it.”
What can be tough for novices, associate head coach Dave Sarachan said, is “when those moments come that you have to rely on certain instincts and experience.” Rogers is still gaining those instincts, that experience.
“I think I just need to kind of take a step back and see and learn from these and learn and progress going forward,” Rogers said. “I want to be a good defender, and that's my position now, so I need to learn from these. It's almost a full year I've been a defender – coming up this summer – so I want at that point not to make those kind of mistakes.”
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Rogers, who started at left back in the Galaxy's MLS Cup final victory last season, added every game has been a learning experience.
“I need to work on the offside thing, and I was better with that the next game,” Rogers said. “Next thing is set pieces, so work on that. This one [against D.C. United] was tough because this was a great play [by DeLeon], and it's a really fast decision you have to make. I thought he'd try and cross it, I went for a block, he lifted over me, but I'll still watch that video and make a different decision next time now. He could make a totally different play, but we'll see what works and what doesn't work.”
Rogers said he continues to focus on getting better at “working as a unit defensively and the spacing between guys, staying the [holding] line and covering for guys, and then picking my times to go forward, as well.”
“Sometimes I feel like I'm going forward too much, and sometimes not going forward enough,” he added. “I still need to get better at that.”
The coaching staff has no doubts he'll be better.
“Robbie has great qualities in that position. We've seen that already this season ...,” Sarachan said. “We still have confidence that he's a bright guy and will learn from [the mistakes]. If those mistakes continue, now we have a discussion, but [these struggles are] working through the newness of a job like that.”
