Midfielders of the Month: March 2013

In a month of European football action punctuated by an international break, a host of midfielders throughout the continent found themselves grabbing headlines on the back pages of newspapers all over the world. Here the nominees for Midfielders of the Month for March 2013.

1.) Etienne Capoue, Toulouse and France

Toulouse’s French midfielder Etienne Capoue (Getty Images)

Although Capoue did miss out on a call-up for France’s World Cup qualifiers against Georgia and Spain, he was still a very integral part of Toulouse’s efforts to consolidate in the middle of the Ligue 1 table.

The defensive midfielder helped keep three consecutive clean sheets in his side’s two goalless draws against Bordeaux and Evian Thonon-Gaillard (both at home), before helping his team to a 1-0 win on the road at Stade Brestois, a game in which he received a 71st minute booking.

But the Frenchman saved the best for last, finding the back of the net twice and assisting once in Toulouse’s away win at Ajaccio. Capoue equalised for the visitors after Adrian Mutu had opened the scoring, and then assisted Franck Tabanou to put his team in the lead. After the Corsicans had equalised for a second time when Jonathan Zebina put through his own net, Capoue netted the winner when he fired home his team’s third from the penalty spot eleven minutes from time.

2.) Franck Ribery, Bayern Munich and France

Bayern Munich’s French midfielder Franck Ribery (L). (Getty Images)

The second Frenchman on the list narrowly pips Wolfsburg man Diego and team mate Arjen Robben for his contributions to both club and country over the last month.

Although he didn’t find the back of the net in his team’s 1-0 win away at Hoffenheim, Ribery was a model of German efficiency as he demonstrated his slick passing ability, completing 58 attempted passes, the highest in his team for that particular game. Thomas Muller was a distant second with 37 to his name.

Ribery then put in an excellent shift in a game against Dusseldorf that required the league leaders to dig deep. After Andreas Lambertz had helped the visitors retake the lead at the Allianz Arena, Ribery equalised in the 73rd minutes to draw his team level before Jerome Boateng headed home the winner.

After being rested for the Munich side’s game away at Leverkusen, a game the visitors struggled to win and needed an own goal from Philip Wollscheid to grab all three points, Ribery was restored to the starting XI against Hamburg. The rest seemed to do him a world of good. He was a livewire on the pitch, playing an integral part in the visitors’ 9-2 walloping after coming on in the 65th minute to add to an already humiliating scoreline.

For his country, he found the back of the net as France beat Georgia 3-1 in Paris and was one of his team’s best players, despite Les Bleus losing 1-0 to reigning World Champions Spain.

3.) Stewart Downing, Liverpool and England

Stewart Downing of Liverpool. (Getty Images)

In a month where Manchester United continued their steady march to their 20th league title, Liverpool continued being quietly efficient by matching the league leaders in going through the month unbeaten.

While it might surprise some to see Downing on this list of nominees, the winger’s performances for the Anfield side merit his inclusion. It encapsulates just how far the former Middlesbrough man has come since starting his Liverpool career in woeful fashion, recording neither goals nor assists in his first season at Liverpool.

Under Brendan Rodgers, however, Downing is a changed player and his peformances in March seem to reflect that. After opening the scoring against Wigan Athletic in a 4-0 rout at the DW Stadium, the left-footer was again influential against Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield, showing great presence of mind to pounce on Kyle Walker’s poor back pass to nip in past Hugo Lloris and slot home his side’s equaliser.

Showcasing those qualities even after the international break, Downing may not have gotten a goal at Aston Villa, but he once again displayed the willingness to get himself involved in link-up play and find pockets of space that has seen him hit form recently.

4.) Innocent Emeghara, Siena and Nigeria

Innocent Emeghara of AC Siena (Getty Images)

While Juventus have been making waves atop the Serie A table, it is another side in black and white stripes who have been putting gritty shifts of their own as they try to avoid relegation.

Currently placed 18th in the table, Siena occupy the final relegation spot and are a point away from potential safety. However, had their results in the month of March not gone the way they had, they could have found themselves in even greater peril. Key to their performances was Nigerian international Innocent Emeghara.

After suffering a damaging 2-0 loss at the hands of fellow relegation strugglers Atalanta, Siena put that loss behind them as they overcame 19th-placed Palermo 2-1 at the Renzo Barbera. Emeghara equalised for the visitors after Anselmo Moraes had put the hosts ahead. Alessandro Rosina secured three points for the visitors from the penalty spot.

The Tuscan outfit then grabbed a point in a dominant display away at Genoa, who themselves are struggling against relegation. Emeghara once again equalised after Marco Borriello opened the scoring, before Rosina put his team in the lead, only for Genoa’s Bosko Jancovic to allow his team to share the spoils. The Sienese wrapped up March with a clean sheet and another vital point at the Stadio Artemio Franchi as they drew goalless with Cagliari, gaining five invaluable points as they attempt to win the battle against relegation.

5.) Xabi Prieto, Real Sociedad

Xabi Prieto of Real Sociedad (Getty Images)

Real Madrid and Barcelona are expected to qualify for the Champions League, and the presence of teams like Malaga, Sevilla, Valencia and Atletico Madrid make qualification for Europe’s elite very hard for the proverbial als0-rans of the Spanish Primera Liga.

Real Sociedad have proved that this is not always the case. Currently sitting in fourth behind the two Madrid teams and leaders Barcelona, the Amoeta outfit currently occupy that fourth Champions League spot, ahead of more favoured opposition such as Malaga and Valencia.

Key to their performances this season has been Xabi Prieto. The 29-year-old converted a penalty in a a come-from behind draw that saw Real Betis take a 2-0 lead. Prieto’s goal gave his team the lead, but Dorlan Pabon’s second of the game gave both sides a share of the spoils in a 3-3 draw.

Prieto then struck gold for his team when he scored the only goal at the Vicente Calderon, snapping Atletico Madrid’s perfect home record as they attempted to consolidate their top four finish. They then took that form into their next game, thrashing Rayo Vallecano 4-1. Prieto was once again on the scoresheet, along with Antoine Griezmann (2) and Imanol Agirretxe.

The Erreala then needed some fortune to come away with a point at Espanyol, Javi Lopez’s own goal gave the visitors a share of the spoils in a 2-2 draw at the Cornella el Prat to ensure the San Sebastian outfit ended March unbeaten.