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Mexico's Goofy Group System Always Leaves Deserving Teams Out of the Liguilla
Tags goofy group play, liguilla, mexico
With only 3 weeks left in the Mexican Apertura regular season, we can be certain of one thing: we still have no idea who is going to make the liguilla. Some call it parity, others call it mediocrity. I call it chaos.
Only one team is assured of a post season birth: Toluca. Mexican futbol’s cooky, crazy group system, though, offers no guarantees to the other teams that are in the top 8 slots of the table. That is because 5 of those slots are occupied by teams from Group 2. In Mexico, only the top 2 in a group are guaranteed a birth in the playoff, along with the 2 best 3rd place teams (out of 3 groups of 6). So that means that if the season ended today, the 9th place and 11th place teams would make the playoffs, but the 7th and 8th place teams would not.
Thus the danger of breaking the league down into groups. I have no issue with having groups, but it has to mean more than just having groups. For Instance, what if group games were worth 4 points for a win? What would the tables look like then?
Group 1
Toluca 29 (33 with 4 group wins)
San Luis 17 (18 with 1 group win)
Chivas 15 (16)
Atlas 15
Queretaro12 (13)
Indios 4
Group 2
Morelia 28 (30)
América 26
Monterrey 26 (28)
Puebla 23 (25)
Pachuca 23 (25)
Jaguares 16
Group3
Santos 26 (29)
Cruz Azul 24 (26)
Atlante 19 (21)
Tigres 18 (20)
Estudiantes15 (16)
Pumas 12
The team that makes a move would be Monterrey, who are currently in third in group 2, to second. Not to mention the fact that they still have both América and Morelia on the schedule. To be far, those games will be massive regardless, but it would be a little more fun if those games had the added value of a 4th point. It would really make for a compelling climax to the season, especially of the schedulers schedule group games for the last three fixtures of the tourney.
But alas, that is only a fantasy. Back in the real world, The only group that is in dispute is the Group 2. Before the Apretura, I jokingly that Morelia was my choice to win the whole thing because given the volatility of the league, anything could happen. Now that they sit in 1st place of the very competitive group 2, I look like a genius, at least until they crash out in the quarter finals. Coach Tomás Boy, 1986 Tri captain and overall terrific player, has done a great job blending Morelia’s youth with experienced players, both foreign and domestic. It also helps that Moises (Doritos) Muñoz is having an exemplary year in goal. Even with goal scorer Miguel Sabah out injured, Morelia keeps winning. Players to watch: Midfielder Elias Hernandez has played well enough to at appear on Javier Aguirre’s radar. Luis Gabriel Rey and Hugo Droguett are two of the better foreigners in the league and have not disappointed.
Club América has done better than expected under coach Jesús Ramirez, who some pundits were openly wondering if he could handle the pressures of coaching such a team (as if América is one the Titans of the sport... puhlease). Ramírez has proved himself worthy to challenge. The team took a different route this year: they signed serviceable utility players instead of trying to make the big splash with a sexy name. It has worked so far. But as tight as group 2 is, they cannot afford a slip. And a huge game vs. Monterrey looms this weekend, with a Derby against Pumas as a midweek appetizer. Players to watch: Aquivaldo Mosquera was brough in to shore up the back line. He did just that, and is great on set plays to boot. As Chivas fans can attest.
Speaking of Monterrey, it is usually time for their late-season nose dive. This year might be different, though. Humberto “el chupete” Suazo is as good a striker as there is in the world. Chile fans are hoping he can extend his good form into the summer in South Africa. And if he does, Monterrey will be able to name their price (which is usually crazy), and someone will pay it (which is crazier).
Puebla is really fun team to watch. La franja has a lot of heart, they hustle, they are a solid, tough, team. They have already been on the business end of an awful decision to deprive them of the Copa Sudamericana earlier in the year. And I’m afraid they’re going to be on the outside looking in because of the ridiculous group system. They might be in top 8 in the league table, but if they end up fourth in the Group, look out. Their coach, Jose Luis Sanchez Sola (el chelis) had an epic meltdown after the Sudamericana snub. If they are left out of the liguilla by a team that has 10 points less than they do, his next tirade might make Maradona’s look like Mack Borwn in comparison.
Unfortunately, one of these teams will not get a chance to extend their season, while teams like San Luis, Chivas, Atlante, or even Atlas will be rewarded for their mediocrity. And what makes it even worse is that these are the teams that usually get hot in the post-season, systematically knocking off all the favorites.
And somewhere Chelis' earwax will turn into molten lava.
Only one team is assured of a post season birth: Toluca. Mexican futbol’s cooky, crazy group system, though, offers no guarantees to the other teams that are in the top 8 slots of the table. That is because 5 of those slots are occupied by teams from Group 2. In Mexico, only the top 2 in a group are guaranteed a birth in the playoff, along with the 2 best 3rd place teams (out of 3 groups of 6). So that means that if the season ended today, the 9th place and 11th place teams would make the playoffs, but the 7th and 8th place teams would not.
Thus the danger of breaking the league down into groups. I have no issue with having groups, but it has to mean more than just having groups. For Instance, what if group games were worth 4 points for a win? What would the tables look like then?
Group 1
Toluca 29 (33 with 4 group wins)
San Luis 17 (18 with 1 group win)
Chivas 15 (16)
Atlas 15
Queretaro12 (13)
Indios 4
Group 2
Morelia 28 (30)
América 26
Monterrey 26 (28)
Puebla 23 (25)
Pachuca 23 (25)
Jaguares 16
Group3
Santos 26 (29)
Cruz Azul 24 (26)
Atlante 19 (21)
Tigres 18 (20)
Estudiantes15 (16)
Pumas 12
The team that makes a move would be Monterrey, who are currently in third in group 2, to second. Not to mention the fact that they still have both América and Morelia on the schedule. To be far, those games will be massive regardless, but it would be a little more fun if those games had the added value of a 4th point. It would really make for a compelling climax to the season, especially of the schedulers schedule group games for the last three fixtures of the tourney.
But alas, that is only a fantasy. Back in the real world, The only group that is in dispute is the Group 2. Before the Apretura, I jokingly that Morelia was my choice to win the whole thing because given the volatility of the league, anything could happen. Now that they sit in 1st place of the very competitive group 2, I look like a genius, at least until they crash out in the quarter finals. Coach Tomás Boy, 1986 Tri captain and overall terrific player, has done a great job blending Morelia’s youth with experienced players, both foreign and domestic. It also helps that Moises (Doritos) Muñoz is having an exemplary year in goal. Even with goal scorer Miguel Sabah out injured, Morelia keeps winning. Players to watch: Midfielder Elias Hernandez has played well enough to at appear on Javier Aguirre’s radar. Luis Gabriel Rey and Hugo Droguett are two of the better foreigners in the league and have not disappointed.
Club América has done better than expected under coach Jesús Ramirez, who some pundits were openly wondering if he could handle the pressures of coaching such a team (as if América is one the Titans of the sport... puhlease). Ramírez has proved himself worthy to challenge. The team took a different route this year: they signed serviceable utility players instead of trying to make the big splash with a sexy name. It has worked so far. But as tight as group 2 is, they cannot afford a slip. And a huge game vs. Monterrey looms this weekend, with a Derby against Pumas as a midweek appetizer. Players to watch: Aquivaldo Mosquera was brough in to shore up the back line. He did just that, and is great on set plays to boot. As Chivas fans can attest.
Speaking of Monterrey, it is usually time for their late-season nose dive. This year might be different, though. Humberto “el chupete” Suazo is as good a striker as there is in the world. Chile fans are hoping he can extend his good form into the summer in South Africa. And if he does, Monterrey will be able to name their price (which is usually crazy), and someone will pay it (which is crazier).
Puebla is really fun team to watch. La franja has a lot of heart, they hustle, they are a solid, tough, team. They have already been on the business end of an awful decision to deprive them of the Copa Sudamericana earlier in the year. And I’m afraid they’re going to be on the outside looking in because of the ridiculous group system. They might be in top 8 in the league table, but if they end up fourth in the Group, look out. Their coach, Jose Luis Sanchez Sola (el chelis) had an epic meltdown after the Sudamericana snub. If they are left out of the liguilla by a team that has 10 points less than they do, his next tirade might make Maradona’s look like Mack Borwn in comparison.
Unfortunately, one of these teams will not get a chance to extend their season, while teams like San Luis, Chivas, Atlante, or even Atlas will be rewarded for their mediocrity. And what makes it even worse is that these are the teams that usually get hot in the post-season, systematically knocking off all the favorites.
And somewhere Chelis' earwax will turn into molten lava.
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Comments
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It's a mess, and it just doesn't make any sense.
IMO, they need to do away with groups and just have the top 8 teams fight a playoff. The top 8 is earned through a round robin.Posted 03 Nov 2009 at 02:34 PM by GammaTec 
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Just a question: would you be happier if they just took the top 2 from each group and the next best 2 overall to get in the playoffs? I don't know how much better that would be (assuming that we're leaving the group system in place) but at least that would be fairer for whoever finishes in 4th in Group 2.
Posted 03 Nov 2009 at 02:40 PM by usafan12 
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Monterrey still has Monterrey on the schedule? That is pretty goofy.
Posted 03 Nov 2009 at 02:44 PM by AndyMead
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Why doesn't Mexico just have a normal all against all league table? I understand the reasons for MLS not adopting that format but in Mexico I think it is more than doable. You could split it up into Clausura and Apertura like they do in Argentina or have a single year long season like in Europe. For a country that insists it is among the big boys in world football this format seems kidn of hokey to me.
Posted 03 Nov 2009 at 03:31 PM by AAMM
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I wonder what Sepp thinks.Posted 03 Nov 2009 at 04:05 PM by Reignking
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Usually, how do I make money off of it...Quote:Originally Posted by Reignking
I wonder what Sepp thinks.
or is that Jack Warner... I forget...Posted 03 Nov 2009 at 04:42 PM by Silpheed
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he doesnt care because, he cannot insult america.Quote:Originally Posted by Silpheed
Usually, how do I make money off of it...
or is that Jack Warner... I forget...Posted 03 Nov 2009 at 05:25 PM by Nagadin
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Heh.Quote:Originally Posted by AndyMead
Monterrey still has Monterrey on the schedule? That is pretty goofy.
It's Monarcas, on the 14th.
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What I don't get about these groups is how totally random they are. Geographically-based groups would make sense, but here you have two Mexico City teams in one group and América in another; two Guadalajara teams in one group and UAG in another.Posted 03 Nov 2009 at 06:01 PM by LI Matt
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Quote:Originally Posted by LI Matt
Heh.
It's Monarcas, on the 14th.
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What I don't get about these groups is how totally random they are. Geographically-based groups would make sense, but here you have two Mexico City teams in one group and América in another; two Guadalajara teams in one group and UAG in another.
the groups are made of the best overall teams in the past year and are distributed as so...last year the big 4 were in one group and that is because of the "seed" if you will. they take the entire league table from one year and put #1 in group 1 then #2 in group 2 and #3 in group 3 and #4 in group 1 again and so on. so region doesnt matter at all.....Posted 04 Nov 2009 at 11:42 AM by Tano09Xsiempre
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i´M FROM MEXICO AND REALLY IT´S A MESS, I MEAN, THE ONLY REASON WE HAVE GROUPS IS FOR HAVIMEN A MORE "SPECTACULAR" TOURNAMET, BUT IS MOSTLY FOR BUSINESS PURPOSSES AND MEDIOCRITY OF THE BIG ONES I MEAN, 3 WEEKS BEFORE THE ENDING OF REGULAR SEASON, THERE ARE ONLY 3 TEAMS KNOCKED OUT, (UNAM, INDIOS, JAGUARES), THIS MAKE THAT VERY EXCITING FOR THE CLUB´S OWNERS WHO THINLK THEY COULD SAVE A POOR SEASON WITH TWO GOOD WINS AND LUCK MAKING TO LIGUILLE AND THEN, IN KNOCK OUT SISTEM WEL ANYTHING COULD HAPPEN, I MEAN JUST A CUESTION
WHAT IF CHIVAS WIN THE TOURNAMET, I MEANM THE AHD ALREADY FIRED 2 MANNAGERS IN 14 WEEKS, WHAT IF SAN LUIS LOSSES THE NEXT MATCHES AND THEY WIN 2, THEY WILL MAKE IT TO LIGUILLA, AND WITH A RUSH OF LUCK THEY COULD BE THE CHAMPIONS, BUT IS IT FAIR???
UNFOURTUNATLY THIS SISTEM LIKES A LOT TO THE MEXICAN FOOTBALL OWNERS AND STILL BEING LIKE THERE TILL SOMEBODY REALLY WANT TO CHANGE THE HISTORY BUT THAT FOR SURE WOULD MAKE THEM LOSE MONEY, SO IT WOULD NOT GONNA HAPPEN.
I LIKE LIGUILLAS, BUT I DONT KNOW, MAYBE THE FIRST 8 SHOUL QUALIFY, AND STILL BEING UNFAIR IF THEY BEAT THE, 1 FAIRLY IT WOULD BE IF WE CAME BACK TO THE LONG SEASONS, FROM AUGUST TO MAY, INSTEAD OF 2 BAD TOURNAMENTS PER YEARPosted 04 Nov 2009 at 07:30 PM by Paco Rodríguez
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