Liga MX: VLMX Power Rankings

After a brief drop in the ranks, Cruz Azul impressed the panel enough to move them back into the top slot.

Three of the top four teams in the Liga MX table are from Mexico City after Club America and Cruz Azul, in particular, took out the two Monterrey sides. Cruz Azul got back to the top ranking with their win. Was America’s win over Tigres enough to move Las Aguilas from the 3rd spot in the rankings?

The Rankings

1. Cruz Azul (+1)
Tom Buckley (TB): A perfect 7-0-0 at home makes the Cementeros a dangerous top seed.
Garett Kerber (GK): Maybe I’m letting bias get in the way, but Cruz Azul simply doesn’t impress me and now enter a fairly difficult stretch of matches
Tom Freeman-Eves (TFE): Albeit they slipped up last week but this Cruz Azul team looks like it’s showing no signs of slowing down as we approach La Liguilla.

2. Santos Laguna (-1)
GK: Santos stays top for me simply because they have been the most consistently impressive club all Apertura long
TFE: All the off the pitch issues at the start of the season seem like a distant memory now as Santos set their sights on taking home the prize for a second consecutive season.
TB: The champs seem perfectly capable of a repeat.

3. Club America (+0)
TFE: Narrowly beaten by Santos for me; a very impressive win but their still yet to play the two teams above them.
TB: A huge road win at Tigres, but I still don’t like that the Aguilas forwards aren’t scoring.
GK: The victory over Tigres was impressive and super entertaining. Guido Rodriguez is a defensive stud and Bruno Valdez looks like he’s picking up steam. The forwards need to start generating some offense, though.

4. Pumas (+1)
GK: Pumas keep finding a way
TB: They just don’t seem convincing, but No. 2 offense and third-fewest goals allowed … it’s time to give them their due.

5. Tigres (-1)
TB: A home loss to América hurts a lot, but I look at them and I see so much potential.
GK: Finally started to look like the Tigres we expected, but America just had it going Saturday night.
TFE: It’s hard to place Tigres too low considering their unbelievable talent. Something’s just not quite working how it should though.

6. Toluca ( +0)
TB: The Diablos just seem too inconsistent and too undisciplined to count on a long playoff run.
GK: Good win for Toluca to go down a man and still end up coming away with 3 points against Pachuca. Hard to trust, though.

7. Monterrey (+1)
GK: Monterrey still struggling against the top teams and it’s getting late
TFE: With five games left, Monterrey need to start working out how to win and they need to do it now.
TB: Another game, another key injury. This time defender César Montes limped off after scoring in minute 16.

8. Pachuca (-1)
TB: Terrible loss at Toluca with a man advantage, but I still have faith the Tuzos can sneak into the playoffs.
GK: Rough loss, but on talent, this is a Liguilla team.
TFE: They should never have lost to 10-men Toluca. They’re just too inconsistent to make a playoff run

9. Chivas (+0)
TFE: Despite the loss, there is something I like about this Chivas side and I wouldn’t be surprised to see them make a last-minute assault on the top 8
TB: Midfielder Michael Pérez finall y back from injury. If Orbelín Pineda and Javier López get back soon … they can make the playoffs.

10. Queretaro (+0)
TB: Gallos Blancos doing it with mirrors. Even Lobos have as many goals as they do, and only three teams do not.
GK: They have to stay near the top 8 because they’ve remained in that range most of the season, but, good grief, they are frustrating to watch sometimes.

11. Club Tijuana (+0)
TFE: Home form is the only thing keeping Xolos in with a sniff of the playoffs but, they need to start scoring!
TB: Lots of flash but no substance. Xolos have scored 1 goal or less in 6 straight games.

12. Monarcas (+3)
TFE: A brief pause this week on Morelia’s freefall. With Chivas, Cruz Azul and Tigres on the horizon I can’t see much hope for a comeback.
TB: Morelia finally ended a 6-game winless streak that same them drop from 4th to 14th.
GK: Only mostly dead.

13. Leon (+0)
TB: Esmeraldas not so consistent but they still have the Copa to play for and that should keep them sharp down the stretch.
TFE: They just can’t string a run of good games together. So inconsistent it’s infuriating.

14. Puebla (-2)
TB: Looked like they might claim the Puebla derby but they couldn’t hold off Lobos at home.
GK: Not an exciting team, but they do have some pieces that make you wonder if they might be able to make something someday. Clawed back and looked like they might be able to stop the suddenly hot Lobos BUAP, but allowed that late goal to only come away with 3 points. Disappointing.

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15. Necaxa (-1)
GK: Playing the worst defense in Liga MX, they couldn’t muster a goal.
TB: The Rayos look like they are playing out the string and that is not a good look for coach Michel.

16. Lobos (+0)
TB: Three straight games without a loss, but there are no breathers remaining on their schedule.
GK: A 3 match unbeaten run for Lobos, and so late in the season, has to be a morale booster
TFE: Seven points in three games is a nice little run for Lobos. Keep this up and they’ll see themselves shoot up the ratings.

17. Veracruz (+0)
GK: Who even are Veracruz? Shutout this week, bad loss last week, impressive draw the week before. I do know they are bad overall though. Four players on international duty this week though, figure that one out.
TB: Only the second time all season the league’s worst defense pitched a shutout.

18. Atlas (+0)
TFE: No shame in losing to Santos but Atlas are still rock bottom in the ratings.
TB: Zorros have now scored in 2 straight games. Not much else positive to discuss.