Ranking the 5 Best Midfielders from the 2014 MLS Season
After taking a look at the top forwards from the 2014 Major League Soccer season on Tuesday, we shift our attention to the league's best midfielders.
Most of the star midfielders this season turned in impressive attacking displays week after week, but there were a few players who turned games around with their defensive qualities as well.
Two of the midfielders ranked in the top five left the league on a high note after announcing they would not return to their respective clubs in 2015.
Here's a look at the five best midfielders from the 2014 MLS season.
5. Matias Laba
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Matias Laba was one of the most underrated players to take the field in MLS this season.
The Vancouver midfielder, who was on loan from Toronto in 2014, was the toughest midfield enforcer to play against in the league.
In his 32 games for the Whitecaps, Laba averaged a league-high in tackles per game at 4.9 and he had the highest amount of interceptions per game of any midfielder at 2.8.
Without Laba setting the tone in front of the back four, the Whitecaps would have been nowhere close to playoff contention this season.
4. Diego Valeri
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Diego Valeri was another player in Cascadia who flew under the radar a bit due to the success of the Seattle Sounders in that region of North America.
In his second season with the Portland Timbers, Valeri scored 11 goals and had 14 assists, both totals were one more than he recorded in each category in 2013.
It's safe to say the Timbers were one of the league's biggest disappointments in 2014 after they finished first in the Western Conference a year ago. Despite the struggles of the team in Portland, Valeri was able to help the club rally late in the year to have a chance at clinching a playoff position.
During the final two months of the season, Valeri contributed four goals and five assists for a Timbers side that missed out on the postseason by one point.
3. Thierry Henry
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While many consider Thierry Henry a forward, he made his biggest impact as a left-sided midfielder for the New York Red Bulls.
New York manager Mike Petke made the shift to a 4-2-3-1 formation in September, but Henry was employed on the wing on a few occasions before his permanent switch to the left.
When he was labeled as a forward in New York's starting 11, Henry was allowed to drift back into the midfield in an attempt to spring Lloyd Sam or Bradley Wright-Phillips moving forward.
Henry did score 10 goals in his final MLS season, but his biggest contribution to the Red Bulls came in the assist department, as he earned 14 in 30 games.
2. Lee Nguyen
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Even before he linked up with Jermaine Jones over the final three months of New England's season, Lee Nguyen was turning heads across the league with his play.
Thanks to his 18 goals and five assists in the regular season, Nguyen earned his first call-up to the United States men's national team since 2007.
Although his cameo against Colombia at Craven Cottage was a short one, Nguyen put in an impressive showing in front of Jurgen Klinsmann.
Nguyen continued to get better in the playoffs, as he scored twice and assisted on three additional Revolution goals.
The 28-year-old midfielder still has a few things to work on in his game, but there is no doubt he will be a key fixture in MLS once again next season.
1. Landon Donovan
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Placing Landon Donovan at the top of this list isn't just a sentimental choice.
The best player in league history had one of his best seasons with retirement looming, as he scored a total of 13 goals to go along with his 21 assists in 36 games.
The turning point in Donovan's season was his exclusion from the United States World Cup roster. In his first game back with the Galaxy, Donovan torched the Philadelphia defense for two goals on his way to breaking the all-time scoring record.
Donovan also removed Steve Ralston from the top of the all-time assist chart late in the regular season before he lifted his sixth MLS Cup on December 7.
While he may not have scored as many goals as Nguyen in 2014, Donovan was the midfielder who made the biggest impact on his team this season.
Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.
All statistics obtained from MLSSoccer.com and WhoScored.com.
