Nestor Araujo

Throughout the course of a season the level of play a team exhibits can vary greatly. Swings of momentum can take fans on a rollercoaster of emotions featuring wide-ranging hopes for the season. The fluctuation in the form of individual players can be even more severe. Great players have solid games with the occasional masterful ninety. While the average players have their standard games, but a few times a season break out to have a ‘man of the match’ level performance. When a few players have this stellar performance, it’s usually enough to propel the team to victory.

At the beginning of the season, I had a sneaking suspicion. There was a faint whiff of something foul. I couldn't say for sure that the funk was there, but it was a definite possibility. Now through the tenth match of the season, I could say with confidence ... this Cruz Azul team is deeply flawed and just a bit awful.

The casual wear of Cruz Azul's Olympians and what it says about them on and off the field:

From the left to right:

Six reasons why you should watch this Saturday:
1. Relevance

 
Cruz Azul’s season came to an abrupt conclusion on Sunday. Their season ended with a disappointing draw at Estadio Azteca to Club America. Their failure to get the needed three points was emblematic of their season as a whole. Dropping points early followed by a late charge that comes up short.

After a particularly depressing Cruz Azul performance a few weeks ago, I officially wrote off this team's chances. They put out pitiful performances that made clear their intention of ineptitude. Even past the effort displayed on the pitch, they simply were not talented enough to compete with the best teams in Mexico. Cruz Azul's play on Sunday tested my resolve.

Every coach approaches training sessions in a different manner. Some prefer to simulate game situations to recreate the feel of the game. Some coaches really focus on the physical component and building endurance. It's also common for some coaches to spend much of their training time in front of the 'chalkboard' focusing on tactics. Enrique Meza and Cruz Azul take a different approach. They spend a good part of training focusing on head butting.

Watching Wednesday's Copa Libertadores match I couldn't help having the feeling that I was witnessing evidence. Not evidence in the sense of proving or disproving any of my theories of this Cruz Azul squad, but in the sense that this game was evidence in some match fixing scandal. So poor was the play of the majority of Cruz Azul's players that there seemed to be no other explanation. This is a team with many flaws, yet Wednesday revealed some gaping wounds. No, I don't actually think there was anything afoot in this match.

Article on FMF State of Mind: Three Points in Three Minutes

Wakened from a deep sorrowful sleep and launched back into relevance, those who were low have again risen. They rise again to join the playoff hunt with the hopes of losing in gut-wrenching fashion in said playoffs. But nonetheless, after the pitiful performances prior to Saturday, even fulfilling the stereotypical Cruz Azul season seemed out of reach. With the 2-0 home win over Chiapas, Cruz Azul gained three valuable points in the standings. However, the real win for Cruz Azul this weekend came from their level play throughout the ninety minutes.