D.C. United is off to one of the best starts in the MLS this year, taking seven points from three games for the first time since 2009. The Black-and-Red are the only team in the league not to have conceded a goal, the first time in club history they’ve started the season with three clean sheets. This early-season form matches a lot of what United was able to do at the end of last season, when they played their final 10 games of the season without a loss. 

United is getting vital contributions all over the field. Luciano Acosta set the tone with a goal and an assist against Atlanta United in the opener, but United’s back seven were splendid in frustrating the Five Stripes for 90 minutes. Paul Arriola and Russell Canouse, in the meantime, were probably the best players of the game. Bill Hamid was the star in the scoreless draw against New York City FC, but the one-on-one defending of Leonardo Jara on Alexandru Mitrita was also a difference-maker.

And in the lopsided 5-0 win over Real Salt Lake, Wayne Rooney scored a hat trick, Junior Moreno played out of this world, and Lucas Rodriguez scored what should have been Goal of the Week. 

So many contributions from so many players. Our question for this week’s roundtable is this: Which D.C. United player has been most instrumental in the team’s early success? 

Hunter Sharpless: There’s probably no right answer to this, although a few individuals do immediately jump off the page: Junior Moreno has been a man on a mission in the midfield through three games, and his partner in crime Russell Canouse has been pretty darn good, too. Paul Arriola has been a menace slicing up and down the flanks. Steve Birnbaum has anchored an impenetrable defense.

But I’m gonna pull a hipster move here and point to Frederic Brillant, the man whose outstanding performance against Atlanta United in Week 1 earned him MLS team-of-the-week honors. In that matchup — against the reigning champions led by the reigning MVP — Brillant accrued one blocked shot, one interception, four tackles, and eight clearances. He won three balls in the air and completed 85 percent of his passes on 49 touches. 

And while his statistics haven’t been quite as notable in D.C.’s latest couple games, Brillant has thus far answered the question of who the best partner for Birnbaum should be. There was some fan clamor in the offseason about making a point to signing a new center back, but in his current form, Brillant is far exceeding expectations for that role. His play has helped key the only defense in the MLS that hasn’t conceded a goal to this point.

Wesley Davidson: As Mr. Sharpless noted, there are so many players you could point to and it truly has been a team effort in D.C.’s hot start. I’m a sucker for a midfield maestro, and you just can’t say enough about how brilliant Junior Moreno has been so far this year. 

Moreno’s strong play alongside Canouse has taken this team to another level. The back line is able to function better as a unit thanks to the ample cover provided in front of them. Furthermore, Moreno has demonstrated that he can get in on the fun going forward as well, which is an added bonus given the group of attacking players at Ben Olsen’s disposal. Two assists in the 5-0 demolition of Real Salt Lake were icing on the cake for a player whose hard work often does not show up on the stat sheet.

There is one stat that caught my eye. Yes, the season is still young, but Moreno trails only Rooney and Acosta in average key passes per game for the Black-And-Red. A call-up to the Venezuela national team and 90 minutes against Lionel Messi’s men was a deserved reward for what Moreno has produced through three matches in 2019.

Steven Streff: Notice any names missing here? United have seven points from three games, having scored seven goals, and there hasn’t been a mention yet of Wayne Rooney or Luciano Acosta. Of course United’s stars have showed up, with Rooney having three goals and two assists, and Lucho adding a goal and two assists.

At the same time, though, it’s been the performances around those two that has helped United maybe even take a step forward from where they were last year. And a big reason for that has been the contributions of United’s two main offseason additions: Leonardo Jara and Lucas Rodriguez. 

Whenever adding new players to the mix, there is always a question about how they will integrate into the team and how they will adapt to a new league. That’s the case with any player, with any skill level, no matter how much experience they have. With Jara and Rodriguez, United haven’t skipped a beat, and the two Argentines have made an immediate impact. Jara’s one-on-one defending has been excellent, and he aided in Rooney’s second goal against Real Salt Lake.

Rodriguez had to deal with an injury in preseason, but he had a bright debut against Atlanta United. He found it tougher at Yankee Stadium against New York City FC, but he was active against RSL, and that was even before his weak-footed volley to open up his MLS account. Jara and Rodriguez could have taken time to adapt to MLS, and no one would have batted an eye. Instead, both have acclimated quickly, and are a big reason why United is undefeated through three games.