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Odds and Ends: Liga MX lowlights at the interval

By Thomas Buckley

Monterrey is winless through the first 10 games of the Clausura 2020. The defending champs have only 5 points, equaling the worst start to a Liga MX title defense. (Photo by Andrea Jimenez/Jam Media/Getty Images)
Monterrey is winless through the first 10 games of the Clausura 2020. The defending champs have only 5 points, equaling the worst start to a Liga MX title defense. (Photo by Andrea Jimenez/Jam Media/Getty Images) /
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José Manuel de la Torre, Toluca
José Manuel de la Torre, Toluca. Photo by Refugio Ruiz/Getty Images) /

Toluca’s sluggish Liga MX season has coach facing scrutiny

After a disastrous Apertura 2019, Toluca management turned to a familiar face – José Manuel de la Torre. El “Chepo” led the Diablos to their two most recent Liga MX titles – Apertura 2008 and Bicentenario 2010.

De la Torre led Toluca to the playoffs four times in his five seasons on the bench, but he left Toluca after that second championship to take the reins of El Tri. His last coaching gig – with Santos Laguna – ended in the middle of the Apertura 2017 season.

The Diablos are a veteran-laden team, but their defense proved unreliable during a six-game winless streak during which the club gave up 14 goals. Even worse, they failed to protect their renowned home-field dominance, going 1-1-3 and giving up 12 goals in those five matches.

When Liga MX officials suspended the Clausura season, Toluca found itself in 15th place with a 2-4-4 record. Its final game was a disappointing 3-2 home loss to Atlas, a team below the Diablos in the standings.

The performance thus far is wholly unacceptable to ownership, especially as preseason odds had Toluca as a title contender, trailing only América, Monterrey, the Tigres, León and Santos as favorites to hoist the trophy.

In late February, el “Chepo” insisted he did not feel his job was at stake. “I’m not desperate,” he told “Esto,” a sports daily, “but I am frustrated.” The embattled coach said he was satisfied with the team’s effort, but little mistakes were cropping up – especially on defense – that were proving costly.

Next. A tale of two Liga MX defenses. dark

Whatever the case, Toluca’s Clausura season can accurately be termed a disappointment.

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