Liga MX: The Best XI at the midway mark of the 2018 Apertura

We’re a little past the halfway mark of the 2018 Apertura. Let’s take a look at who would make the Best XI if the season ended today.

Liga MX is nine matches old. Some players have come and gone in those nine matches. Some, as in the case of Erik Gutierrez, have moved on to greener pastures. Players like Julio Furch and Victor Guzman have been steadily making their mark as top player in the league.

Some familiar faces, like Andre-Pierre Gignac, will actually not make my best XI, though. He is a victim of his own success in many ways, as his Apertura has been quiet. If you can call 6 goals in 8 games, quiet.

In any case, exclusions like his only speak to the rise of other players this season into the conversation of the league’s best. It might speak to some oversight as well. Who knows? I’ve been wrong once before.

Anyway, I tried to keep it to one player per team, meaning some worthies were left off. Some teams aren’t represented but…”thems the breaks”

Halftime Best XI

Vikonis
Sanchez – Ayala – Romo
Alvarado – Uribe – Guzman – Sambueza
Davila – Furch – Gonzalez

Goalkeeper: Nicolas Vikonis – Puebla

Making roughly 4 saves per match with 2 clean sheets, Vikonis has been consistently solid in net for a Puebla side that needs him to be. He’s even saved a penalty on the year. There are a lot of deserving goalkeepers in Liga MX this year, but Vikonis’ has had the best season thus far. To be fair, the more difficult stretch of their Apertura is coming, however. Time to see if he’s the real deal this season.

Defense: Nicolas Sanchez – Monterrey, Hugo Ayala – Tigres, Luis Romo – Queretaro

Ayala and Sanchez have been excellent in the back for their clubs. Ayala for his defense. Sanchez for his 4 goals. Luis Romo is the biggest surprise to this lineup, though. The 23-year-old Mexican centerback has backed Queretaro to a tie for league best nine goals conceded through nine matches. Rarely dispossessed and rarely making errors, Los Gallos Blancos may have a big-time player on their hands.

Midfield: Roberto Alvarado – Cruz Azul, Mateus Uribe – Club America – Victor Guzman – Pachuca, Ruebens Sambueza – Toluca

Again, there are a lot of ways a guy could go with this group. Elias Hernandez has been the best player for Cruz Azul on a number of occasions, but Roberto Alvarado has been consistently near the top of his game, for me.
Mateus Uribe has been the most consistent threat for Club America and is a top talent in the league. With 3 goals and 3 assists in 7 matches, he’s Las Aguilas’ top scorer.
Victor Guzman has been on fire all year, producing dangerous chances for Pachuca even while they were struggling earlier in the year. With Erik Gutierrez off to PSV Eindhoven, Guzman hasn’t slowed down.
Sambueza makes my XI because, although he’s only played 5 matches, he’s scored 4 goals and dished out 2 assists. Sambueza leads Toluca in scoring despite his absence earlier in the year. Toluca is 4th in the table in terms of goals scored, as a result.

Forwards: Victor Davila – Necaxa, Julio Furch – Santos Laguna, Carlos Gonzalez – Pumas

Now we come to the men that kept Andre-Pierre Gignac out of the best XI. Victor Davila has been phenomenal for Necaxa. While the club has fallen on hard times, the young Chilean’s 6 goals and 2 assists has kept them from falling into complete disarray.
Julio Furch is the player of the year thus far. In 8 matches, the Santos striker has 7 goals and 4 assists. Those numbers are good enough to lead the league in both categories. He averages 2 shots per game and a goal every 100 minutes. Now he heads into matches against some bottom of the table teams. Here’s to padding those stats.
Carlos Gonzalez makes the list because he’s been the top scorer for the top scoring team in Liga MX. He has 3 goals and 3 assists on the year and is a major reason Pumas UNAM is sitting 2nd in the table.

Conclusion

Keep in mind, I tried to have no more than one player per team, so add that factor into your calculus. No doubt, there is a lot to disagree with here. So let us know! Who do you think should be in the XI? Who shouldn’t be in it?

There’s still a way to go, but don’t be surprised if a few of these names stay the same by the end of the Apertura.