The Indian Super League has just passed the first quarter mark in its inaugural season. Teams are beginning to gel and we have witnessed a relative improvement in the standard of football played in India.The games are picking up the pace and central midfielders have to cope up with that. We take a look at the five most influential engines among the eight franchises based on initial impressions.The midfielders listed here are not ranked in any particular order.Disclaimer: The views expressed here are those of the author and do not reflect those of the website.
#1 Borja Fernandez - Atletico de Kolkata
The first foreign signing of the ISL has been central to Atletico de Kolkata's table-topping and unbeaten opening form. With Spanish ownership, Kolkata’s directors spotted the Real Madrid youth academy graduate as their primary fixture for the position of a central midfielder.
Borja scored a screamer in the opening game against Mumbai City FC on the half volley and also has an assist to his name. The 33-year-old has been a top reader of the game and has broken down a sizeable number of attacks in the four games played till now.
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The former Getafe player was unluckily sent off in the 2-0 away win against NorthEast United. But scrutinizing his initial performances would lead one to believe that he could be one of the best performers in the tournament this year.
#2 Hans Mulder - Delhi Dynamos
The 27-year-old has cut a tireless figure in the middle of the park for Delhi Dynamos.
Mulder, just like Borja, has been signed using the network and the knowledge of their European partners – Feyenoord Rotterdam. The Dutch-Spanish midfielder has had a commanding presence to dictate the tempo of the game for the northern side.
It is a well known fact that two points from the first two games was not the best return for Delhi. But Mulder's composure and an innate prowess to intercept vital passes only meant that his team had a better chance of winning those two games than their opponents.
The attackers finally put their chances to bed in the third game against Marco Materazzi's Chennaiyin FC for their first win of the season.
Although the former Real Zaragoza youth team player might have conceded the foul which led to Chennayin's goal, Delhi wouldn't have been in a position to enjoy a comfortable 4-1 win had he been absent.
#3 Kondwani Mtonga - NorthEast United
NorthEast United FC has been one of the most interesting stories of the ISL so far. With the lowest average age in the league, the Highlanders have relied on the 30-year-old Mtonga for leadership and cohesion.
The Zambian international has been a handful for every opponent he has faced. He was instrumental in both defence and attack against a highly rated Mumbai City FC and scored a crucial goal to seal the victory.
The 2012 African Cup of Nations winner has been an undaunted tackler and this has been one of the major factors contributing to NEUFC's third place position in the league table at the moment.
But tougher tests await Mtonga in the upcoming string of away games.
#4 Ofentse Nato - Atletico de Kolkata
At the age of 25, Nato provides Atletico de Kolkata a powerful engine to partner the more famous Borja Fernandez.
Kolkata’s coach Antonio Habas has a prior experience of working with the player during his time in South Africa. He has been a bulwark in all five games so far.
When Kolkata faced Delhi at home in the absence of Borja and Luis Garcia, Nato stepped up on his own against the might of Alessandro Del Piero and Hans Mulder. He provided enough cover for the unbeaten run to go on.
The Botswana international was officially signed by Atletico Madrid on a two-year loan deal earlier this year from Bidvest Wits. 12 weeks out of that period are being used here in their Indian franchise and the quality displayed by Nato is only a testament to the fact that after the ISL, he will either play in Atletico Madrid's B team or another club in Spain.
#5 Bruno Herrero Arrias - Delhi Dynamos
The Sevilla youth academy graduate has formed a formidable partnership in the midfield for Delhi Dynamos with Hans Mulder.
Even though the Spaniard might not be the most high profile foreigner, he has definitely made an instant impact on the pitch with his neat touches and excellent ball distribution. Especially when he exploited the channels against Chennayin FC.
Bruno has plied his trade in Thailand for the past one year which seems to be a major advantage, as he has had a headstart to acclimatize to Asian conditions. His contribution in all the three games has been phenomenal, more noticeably in the third match against Chennayin FC, where he topped his excellent defensive work with a goal from a calmly slotted penalty.
The two midfielders have combined well and successfully avoided any cracks up until now to concede from open play.
