We’ve been on this topic for a while now, trying to figure out which teams on the bottom end of the playoffs could be the Cinderella or the dark horse of the tournament. By this point we’re going to be able to do a lot less guessing since we already know for sure which 12 teams are headed into the tournament. With the way that the Liga MX playoff system works teams on the bottom end from 5th through 12th have to go through an extra round to get into what we could consider the actual playoffs. What we want to do here is see which teams in that 5 through 12 range can really make an impact in the playoffs.
Tigres Could Make An Impact, And Not Surprise Anyone
The surprise when it comes to Tigres is that they actually have to play the wild card round. Tigres is one of the most expensive squads in Liga Mx, but they’ve also gotten old, and they don’t have a ton of talent outside of their starting 11. Still, if the old guys get hot in the playoffs it wouldn’t be a surprise to many people if they end up lifting the trophy at the end of it all.
If he had to pick out what the keys were for this team to be able to advance in the playoffs we’d say they need to find a consistent back line combo. Neither Reyes, nor Lichnovsky or Samir have been overly consistent in the back. Cordova is coming on strong at just the right time in the offensive midfield spot. However, their center midfielders are old, they need to be able to play back to back games on a consistent basis, which they haven’t proven they can do. If that happens all they need is for Gignac to be Gignac, and they could win it all!
Cruz Azul Is The Team In The Bottom Half That’s In The Best Shape
Cruz Azul is a team that can sneak up on a lot of people. Out of the bottom 8 teams to make the playoffs they are the hottest team, at least when it comes to results. The reason why they may sneak up on people is because their play hasn’t necessarily been spectacular, but they’ve found a way to win games. When you’re headed towards a winner take all format there’s a ton of value in being a squad that’s figured out a way to pull out games even if you don’t play your best.
They start out with a matchup against Leon who are very shaky in the back line, and thanks to the latest results they won’t have to face Club America until at least the semi-finals. Historically, that matchup gives them a lot of fits so being able to avoid it until later in the tournament certainly seems like good news for Cruz Azul.
Chivas Can Save The Season With A Decent Playoff Run
Chivas ended the season on a 3 game losing streak, but they had done enough in the previous weeks to be able to make the playoffs. On paper, they look like a demoralized team that’s going to be one and done in the tournament. However, even though they’ve lost their last few games they played well throughout large stretches of those games. That’s true about El Clasico, their game against Cruz Azul, and even when they got embarrassed by Tigres. If Chivas can find a consistent offensive contributor they may be able to turn this ship around. It may be time to just sit Zaldivar, and Ormeño and trust Alexis Vega to play in that striker spot. If the flood gates open, and they start finding the back of the net consistently, watch out! This team already plays well across the board.
