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Liga MX: Champs Monterrey, northern mates off to slow start

By Thomas Buckley

Monterrey coach Antonio Mohamed led the Rayados to the Apertura 2019 title but his team appears to be suffering a championship hangover and is winless through four games of the Clausura. (Photo by Alfredo Lopez/Jam Media/Getty Images)
Monterrey coach Antonio Mohamed led the Rayados to the Apertura 2019 title but his team appears to be suffering a championship hangover and is winless through four games of the Clausura. (Photo by Alfredo Lopez/Jam Media/Getty Images) /
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Monterrey, Santos, Tigres
The Tigres and Santos suffered early exits in last season’s playoffs. The Clausura has not been kind to either team and both find themselves in the bottom half of the standings through four weeks. (Photo by Azael Rodriguez/Getty Images) /

Will Apertura disappointment linger deep into Clausura?

Santos Laguna topped the Liga MX table last season and led the league in scoring with 40 goals in 18 games.

Coach Guillermo Almada installed a potent fast-break attack led by MVP candidate Brian Lozano and striker Julio Furch. Midfielder Fernando Gorriarán enjoyed a brilliant debut season, proving to be the linchpin in the transition offense.

In the quarterfinals, Santos ran into the Monterrey buzzsaw, bowing out meekly after conceding six goals in the two-game series.

The Guerreros front office was not very active during the winter transfer window, releasing three non-starters and bringing in two new faces – midfielder Alan Cervantes and right back José Carlos van Rankin. The team is a disappointing 1-1-2 after four matches.

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Almada has tweaked his tactics this season, opting for a two-man attack with academy product Eduardo Aguirre, 21, pairing with Furch up front in a 4-4-1-1 alignment. But it is the defense that has been the problem. If the Guerreros don’t tighten up at the back, Almada might consider returning to last season’s 4-2-3-1 formation.

Results were no better in Puebla Friday night as Santos forged a 2-1 second-half lead, but squandered a number of opportunities to put the match away. Instead, the Guerreros allowed a late goal and should have lost but for an errant Osvaldo Martínez penalty kick just before time expired.

In Monterrey, the Tigres must face the possibility that their dynasty is coming to an end. Ricardo Ferretti’s boys won five league titles and hoisted four cup trophies during the past decade.

The sad fact is the Tigres have failed to rejuvenate their roster and they have looked stale through four games this season. Two new faces were added in January – midfielders Nico López and Jordan Sierra – but Ferretti still lacks scoring punch up front, and striker André-Pierre Gignac has limited space top operate as a result.

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Ferretti’s reluctance to develop youngsters has produced an ageing team that appears to be relying on veteran savvy rather than aggressive tactics. If wingers such as Javier Aquino and Juergen Damm continue to be unproductive, the Tigres could be in for a long season. The defense has slowed and the team’s deliberate attacking style does not function well when the club is playing from behind. It is quite possible that the Tigres’ title window has closed and an overhaul could be necessary over the summer.

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