Move over Landon Donovan, there’s a new face at the top of the Castrol Index.
Real Salt Lake defender Jámison Olave becomes the first defender this season to take the top spot in the index after a stellar August gave him a score of 9.28. The 2010 MLS Defender of the Year surged five spots thanks to consistent defending, making key interceptions during his time on the pitch, and spending a good amount attacking.
Donovan, who’s second in MLS in goals scored with 11, didn't tally at all last month for the LA Galaxy. He dropped down four spots to fifth place.
New York’s Thierry Henry, meanwhile, remained in second place for the second month in a row. He scored just once in two games in August and still leads the league in scoring with 12.
Sporting Kansas City defender Chance Myers came in at third, while fellow defenders George John (FC Dallas) and Carlos Valdés (Philadelphia) fell to sixth and eight, respectively. LA’s Omar Gonzalez snuck in between them at seventh, while teammate Mike Magee, who scored twice in August, blasted up 17 spots to crack the top 10 at No. 9.
Seattle’s Álvaro Fernández is in at No. 4 – up seven spots – with a score of 9.11, just a hundredth of a point behind Myers. San Jose’s Chris Wondolowski rounds out the top 10.
The biggest gainer of the month was Real Salt Lake striker Álvaro Saborío, who rose 148 spots to No. 38.
WATCH: Castrol Index for August
