THE CANADIAN PRESS
TORONTO — Sanna Nyassi of the Montreal Impact was the top midfielder in Major League Soccer this season, according to the league’s official performance index.
The Castrol Index is said to track players’ every move on the field and assess whether they has a positive or negative impact on a team’s ability to score or concede a goal.
Nyassi’s success at midfield was credited to fine work on offence, particularly in shots on target, good passes and duels won.
Los Angeles Galaxy forward Robbie Keane topped the overall index with 854 points in 2,520 minutes on the field during the regular season.
Keane, whose salary is US$3.4 million this season, was credited with accurate shooting, and winning duels, as well as good passes.
San Jose forward Chris Wondolowski, the 2011 Castrol Index top player, was 18 points back in second. Three more forards were next: Alvaro Saborio of Real Salt Lake, followed by Thierry Henry of the New York Red Bulls and San Jose’s Steven Lenhart.
Wondolowski was the top goal-scorer in MLS with 27 to Keane’s 16. But the number-crunchers behind the index noted that 23 per cent of Wondolowski’s goals came from the penalty spot compared to seven per cent for Keane. Such spot kick goals are given less credit than goals scored during the run of play in compiling the index.
The top defender was Matt Besler of Sporting Kansas City (256th overall) while Michael Gspurning of the Seattle Sounders FC was the top-rated goalkeeper (12th overall).
Montreal ‘keeper Troy Perkins was 16th on the overall list, two places ahead of teammate Nyassi.
The top Toronto FC player was striker Danny Koevermans, in 26th spot. His season was cut short by an knee injury.
Goalie Joe Cannon led the Vancouver Whitecaps in 60th place.
Canadian attacking midfielder Dwayne De Rosario of D.C. United, whose season was interrupted by injury, placed 36th.
DeRo, the league’s MVP past season, was one spot behind Toronto forward Ryan Johnson.