Indy Eleven Announce first Nine Players for 2017 (1/12/2017)

Justin Braun was the first to be announced as returning for 2017

January 12th 2017 - Indy Eleven Roster Announcements.

As the NASL prepares to kickoff in 2017 Indy Eleven made their first roster announcements today bringing news of nine players returning.

1. Forward Justin Braun -  Former Sacramento Republic star signed in 2016 by Tim Hankinson scored nine goals and gave five assists in all competitions.

2. Goalkeeper Jon Busch - The veteran goalkeeper pulled out eleven shoutouts in 29 games for Indy Eleven in 2016

3. Goalkeeper Keith Cardona - Cardona made three appearances for the Eleven in 2016 against Miami, Tampa, and Rayo OKC as well as a clean sheet against Liga MX opponents CF Pachuca in our summer friendly match.

Captain Colin Falvey returns to lead Eleven's charge into 2017.

4. Defender Colin Falvey - 2016 Captain of the team signed by Hankinson from Ottawa Fury, despite missing a few games through injury Colin led the team from the first game to the final in New York in November.

5. Defender Lovel Palmer - Jamaican Palmer came to Indy from MLS side Chicago Fire along with Jon Busch. Lovel appeared 25 times for the Eleven in 2016.

6.  Midfielder Don Smart - Don has been a part of the Indy Eleven family since the beginning signed in 2013, pending further announcements he becomes for now the longest serving player at the club.

Don Smart currently Indy Eleven's longest serving player.

7. Midfielder Siniša Ubiparipović - Though limited in time through injury in 2016 Ubi made a great late push for contention scoring one of the most important goals of the season against FC Edmonton in the Championship semi final.

8. Defender Nemanja Vukovic - One of the biggest surprises of 2016 the towering Montenegran proved himself to be a critical dynamic to the Indy Eleven style with his box to box work on the left side.

9. Forward Éamon Zayed - Indy Eleven's leading score remained in contention for the golden boot throughout 2016 and became the teams all time leading scorer with 16 goals in league and cup play.

Indy's leading scorer Éamon Zayed returns alongside Braun in attack.

Negotiations will be continuing with other players so don't worry too much yet if you don't see your favorite player on the roster, it's just the beginning. Overall, Indy has returned a solid core of first team players in Busch, Falvey, Palmer, Smart, Ubiparipović, Braun, Vukovic and Zayed.

The Takeover - We're Not Going There Just To Take Part!

Éamon Zayed is planning a takeover on Long Island

By: Brandon Cockrum

A power vacuum has opened up in the 2nd division of American soccer with the departure of Minnesota United and Tampa Bay Rowdies from the NASL. 

An impressive season culminating with a date in the NASL championship final has the Indy Eleven poised to step into the limelight as one of the league’s most prestigious clubs. 

Standing in their path to the title are the New York Cosmos. Now in their fourth season the Cosmos have won a lot of games but not much else, having failed thus far to translate their reputation as America’s first super club into similar success in the modern era. At this point in time they’ve been passed in worldwide reputation by the Los Angeles Galaxy, possibly the New York City Football Club, and maybe even others. Fans of the sport have a wide array of feelings for the Cosmos of the ‘70s but are largely indifferent and often hateful toward the modern version. 

If the Eleven defeat Cosmos on Sunday night and raise the Soccer Bowl Trophy is there any chance that the young midwestern club becomes America’s most prestigious 2nd division franchise?

One more game ... New York .. ARE YOU READY!!!! We're not going there just to take part,we're going to takeover #TheTakeover #NASL #Believe pic.twitter.com/mxjxEj1wLS

— Eamon Zayed (@EamonZayed) November 6, 2016

For an attempt at an objective analysis I’ve identified five areas that we can use to evaluate the two clubs: Youth Development, Stadium, Playing Style & Results, Star Power, and Championships.

Player Development: Indy Eleven have no reserve side or youth clubs to develop players but they do run a NPSL team with an amateur roster of college players and recent college grads that primarily serve as practice bodies for the senior club. 

The New York Cosmos have an academy featuring boys' teams and more than 15 affiliate clubs, as well as a NPSL side (Cosmos B) with young professional players that have transitioned into impactful players for the senior side. 

Edge: Cosmos

Michael A Carroll Stadium on Indiana University's IUPUI Campus.

Stadium: Both clubs have less-than-ideal stadiums on university campuses and are currently waiting on governing bodies to approve plans for them to build soccer specific stadiums. The Eleven have maxed out the ability of Carroll Stadium, with a good size, setup, and location, and incredible fan support. 

The Cosmos' Shuart Stadium, which is not convenient to get to and is also a visual mess, with lines for multiple sports as well as large “Hofstra" logos on the pitch. To make matters worse, the Cosmos could not secure a venue for the NASL championship and their home for 2017 is up in the air. While the Cosmos win a lot of games at home they are now attracting crowds that rate among the league’s lowest. 

Edge: Eleven

You don't have to like it, but you can't argue with the Cosmos' star power.

Star Power: Pele, Giorgio Chinaglia, Carlos Alberto, Franz Beckenbauer and Raul have all donned the Cosmos green and white jersey at one time or another. 

The Eleven’s boys in blue include have included Kléberson, Jon Busch, Éamon Zayed, and Brad Ring. 

Edge: Cosmos.

Playing Style and Results: It took the Eleven three seasons to begin getting positive results on the pitch and they have, generally, over that time played a counter attacking, direct style of football that has been much more exciting, attacking, and successful at home than on the road. However, not until this year has Indy had the personnel to play the style they would prefer. Give Coach Tim Hankinson another season and the club should establish a playing identity with more longevity. 

New York on the other hand, thanks to their deep pockets and player pedigree, came out of the gate in 2013 playing a confident, high-tempo, possession-oriented game under Coach Giovanni Savarese. The club has bagged many wins along the way and won three of the seven split seasons they’ve participated in. 

Edge: Cosmos

Justin Braun one of many additions to the roster by Tim Hankinson

Championships: Only three clubs in the second and third divisions of US soccer have won a championship in the league they will be playing in 2017, one of them being the Cosmos. Indy can enter that illustrious club on Sunday night and join the USL’s Sacramento Republic as the only clubs to be bonafide success' both on the field and at the ticket window. 

The Cosmos have won two Soccer Bowl trophies in the modern era; a third would make them entirely insufferable. 

Edge: Cosmos
Using our criteria, it becomes evident that with a victory on Sunday evening the Eleven has not and will not takeover the Cosmos throne as the most prestigious club in America’s lower divisions. However, raising the Soccer Bowl Trophy will cement Indy’s takeover of the NASL in 2016 and place them firmly alongside the Cosmos as the league’s only flagship clubs. 

An Eleven squad that takes over New York on Sunday evening are the club that both the NASL and the Cosmos ultimately need. 

Indy Wins! New York, Miami and Edmonton Fall - Indy Eleven V New York Cosmos REVIEW (9/24/2016)

Dylan Mares scored Indy's third in a controlled demolition display over the Cosmos.

By: James Cormack

Indy Eleven have cannon balled themselves back into contention for the fall championship with a rout over the league leaders New York Cosmos. Elsewhere in the top four Miami FC lost to Puerto Rico on Friday night and FC Edmonton suffered defeat in Carolina meaning Indy Eleven went back to second place and now are only four points behind New York.

It was the New York Cosmos first defeat in 10 games and puts Indy Eleven back on top in the match up with these two with Indy having won two and lost one in the the three game encounter of 2016, as we know all games between the two before this year had been draws.

After a disappointing run of games in August, Indy Eleven have now re asserted their authority as a Soccer Bowl favorite after back to back wins over arguably the two strongest form teams in the league, in what should have been a very tough three game stretch against or neighbors in the top four Miami, FC Edmonton and New York, the Eleven have now taken 6 points from the first two and head to Edmonton next week with huge confidence.

Indy Eleven started the match with almost the same lineup as they did in the win over Miami FC, the only change being Marco Franco coming back into the starting lineup at the expense of Lovel Palmer. Ubiparipović made his second consecutive start alongside Gerardo Torrado with Mares and Smart completing the midfield. Zayed and Braun paired up front again and Vukovic, Falvey, Miller and Busch completed the Eleven.

New York drew their last game at home to fall contenders Edmonton 0-0. Defender Roversio was injured in that game and replaced by Ochieng who also started against Indy Eleven. Other changes for New York were Arietta to the bench, Mkosana playing a forward role rather than wide, Adam Moffat dropped to the bench in favor of Daniel Szetela and Ruben Bover started over Andrés Flores. With Mkosana in a different role David Diosa also came into the starting lineup. Considerable rotation for New York this week.

Justin Braun opened the scoring for Indy Eleven with help from Don Smart and Éamon Zayed

Similar to our previous game against Miami, our opposition surprisingly did not bring much to the table to worry Indy Eleven, despite their current form. it was a quiet night for Jon Busch who only had to make two saves both from Juan Arango, both in the second half.

Indy Eleven had most of the chances in the opening exchanges in the first half, New York barely able to find a shot at goal. It took Indy Eleven 32 minutes to take the first advantage in the game. The play started with some great vision by Cory Miller who picked out Don Smart with a long diagonal pass from the back. Smart lofted the ball across the eighteen and found the head of Éamon Zayed who headed down in front of goal, Justin Braun was there to collect the bounce and headed into the net from close range.

Indy continued to press New York and tried to increase their lead before half time but the teams headed into the break with the score remaining 1-0. It was a half controlled by Indy Eleven with great passing play throughout, the Cosmos tried to press Indy Eleven taking the balls into the corners throughout the game but were continually pushed back through cool defending and pressing of the ball. Indy created continually thanks to steady build up play and some intelligent passing in particular from Torrado and Ubiparipović.

Éamon Zayed went from provider to scorer for Indy Eleven's second goal.

Siniša Ubiparipović showed several times during the game why he has been a standout player in the NASL in recent years. He played an integral part in Indy's second goal. In the 48th minute of the game, after an Eleven corner was cleared to the outside of the box Ubiparipović showed composure and vision to pick out Mares wide on the right, Mares low pass through the box picked out Éamon Zayed who poked home for his 13th NASL goal of 2016.

If that wasn't enough to prove Indy Eleven's domination of the game, Dylan Mares wrote win all over it three minutes later. With barely 50 minutes on the clock the home team had put up three goals over the current league leaders and ultimately reduced the gap in fall the only three points.

The scorer of Indy's first Justin Braun and the provider for the second Dylan Mares teamed up in the 51st minute. Dylan Mares picked up a giveaway near the halfway line after a mistake and a slip by the Cosmos, he swept it wide left to Braun and continued his run. Justin Braun played a perfect pass back into Dylan Mares at the top of the 18 and Dylan showed incredibly quick control to settle the ball and slam it home past Maurer.

Indy's job was done, the Cosmos were demolished. Indy had the luxury of being able to bring on Brad Ring who has been a staple this season to help settle the game, they had no need to press the game too hard and there was little point in wearing players out. Ubiparipović took a rest, later in the game Nicki Paterson and Duke Lacroix would also come on to replace Don Smart and Éamon Zayed.

As mentioned earlier the Cosmos created a couple of chances in the second half mainly through Arango forcing saves from Jon Busch, but no matter what they tried they just could not unlock Indy Eleven and our back line and Jon Busch were very deserving of a clean sheet. It was payback for a 3-0 defeat in New York in a game that saw a tired Indy Eleven struggle to keep the score line down.



Indy Eleven have come through in the big games this year time after time, it was a critical win. Where winning the fall championship can be as much of a distraction as an advantage, Indy have put themselves right back into a position to win it. We have now defeated an in form Miami when they were in second place and the league leaders in consecutive games.

Indy now face third place team FC Edmonton away from home. Next week would be a perfect time for our boys to improve on their road record as FC Edmonton have failed to win in their last six games and face a Wednesday away trip to Jacksonville Armada, a defeat in that match could be disastrous for the Eddies if they also fall to Indy a few days later. Should be another exciting encounter!

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Éamon Zayed scored his thirteenth NASL goal and fourteenth competitive goal for Indy Eleven, don't forget Bloody Shambles and Permanent Relegation are supporting Playworks Indiana children's charity with our #EamonZayedRule initiative. We are donating money for every goal Éamon Zayed scores this year and you can choose to play along or just make a one off donation to help us reach our target of $2000. Click Here for More Information.

Start Smart and Stay Clever - Indy Eleven V Ottawa Fury PREVIEW (8/6/2016)

Former 'Fury' Nicki Paterson gets second chance to defeat former club.

By: James Cormack

A lot of water has gone under the bridge since Indy Eleven's first home league game of 2016. And a lot of focus was put on that game, Indy Eleven signed three players from Ottawa Fury in the off season, Colin Falvey, Siniša Ubiparipovicć and Nicki Paterson. It was a game they wanted to win, it was a game some said we would win and it ended in a 1-1 draw.

Indy Eleven's home opener was much anticipated, a lot of changes had been made and to most our team did not look ready at the time of their first round game against Tampa Bay Rowdies, but like we have seen countless times this year Indy dug it out and came away unscathed from a potential Soccer Bowl favorite.

Hankinson's team was in it's infancy as far as competitive play was concerned and much had been made about the "fire sale" at Ottawa Fury, most of their Soccer Bowl final team of 2015 were gone and a new coach Paul Dalglish had taken over. Most people looked forward to opening the season at Carroll Season with a bang, but the game itself ended up somewhat anticlimactic.

Things have changed for both teams, more so for Indy but Ottawa Fury have also ran into a purple patch. The much talked about 4-2-3-1 formation was not working for Hankinson and Indy needed change. After draws against Tampa and Ottawa the Eleven had the unenviable task of entertaining 2015 champions the New York Cosmos, a team who started their season by defeating Ottawa Fury 3-0.

Coach Tim Hankinson proved during the match against Ottawa he could change plans in game and grind out a result, having gone a goal down he changed the formation twice during the game to a 4-4-2 and then to a back three allowing Vukovic to advance his position and score the equalizing goal.

The following week Indy Eleven moved to a 4-4-2 formation in an effort to find a better solution and it worked, despite going behind to the Cosmos once again through a penalty, we came from behind to defeat the New York Cosmos and claim first blood in a match up that had produced only draws until that point.

From this point both teams proceeded in different directions, Ottawa mostly struggled to stay off the bottom of the table during Spring and as we know Indy Eleven went on to remain undefeated and win the Spring Championship. That was then, this is now, Indy are still the team to beat but Ottawa Fury are on the back of three straight 2-0 victories. Should we be worried.... of course not, but we also cannot afford to be complacent.

So what about Ottawa Fury, what's changed...?

The Fury have won their last three games, and without wishing to lessen the glory of that, one was against the forever slipping backwards Jacksonville Armada and the other two were at home against Carolina and Tampa Bay, two teams scratching their heads over indifferent results and inconsistency. All three wins have been 2-0 victories, the Fury are still leaking players since the beginning of the season, but something appears to be going right.

In all three of those wins Ottawa have used a 3-5-2 formation with a back three of Malan Roberts, Rafael Alves and Lance Rozeboom. Eddie Edward and Maxim Tissot have played the wide midfield roles, with the exception of Edward not starting the last game but coming on in the second half. No doubt they will be expected to be box to box and support their defense as well as whoever is assigned the defensive role in central midfield, most likely Oliviera or De Guzman or both. Add to that Peiser, one of the best goalkeepers in the league is now behind a defense he can trust as opposed to their edgy situation the last time we met.

Of course talk of formations is completely boring and when you play with personnel like Eddie Edward who can adapt from defense to midfield or vice versa at the drop of a hat then so can the formation. I highly doubt Indy Eleven will be concentrating on it too much. What we can gather from Ottawa and their last three games is we cannot approach them lightly, both teams are used to playing on a similar surface and Ottawa will settle quickly, I highly doubt we will see us scoring 4 or 5 goals in this game, don't expect it.

Despite losing players like De Jong and Steele during the season, Ottawa have found a comfort zone and a recent consistency with the players they have, they have found something that works and they know a win or even a draw against Indy can help bring about a fall surge similar to the one they had in 2015.

Service, Service, Service.....

Cool as you like, Don Smart will set it on a dime for you!

As intimated by Éamon Zayed post match on Wednesday we don;t always score 4 or 5 goals in a game because our service is not always as good as it should be. For Indy Eleven to win this game they have to exploit the corners. In the last two games, despite losing one to Miami, Don Smart has been pivotal in providing the forwards with what they need. For me Don Smart is a given as a starter and if he plays the same way as he has done in recent weeks we will have plenty of goal scoring opportunities.

Don Smart and Éamon Zayed have been connecting well, Zayed likes to peel to the left and Don Smart provides mostly from the right. Service from the left will be important as well, who will provide that is a good question. It likely will be Mares again, it could be Gordon or Lacroix if fit or we may try something like Ubiparopović as we did earlier in the season. The reason we can be more adaptable on the left side regardless of who plays is of course because of the overlapping gazelle known as Nemanja Vukovic, our left wing can afford to be less mobile and cut inside allowing Vukovic to move up and share in providing service from the wing.

The other obvious thing that will change this week is something I am interested to see, with the unfortunate suspension of Greg Janicki we'll see Colin Falvey and Cory Miller play at central defense. Cory is up to speed and confident, thanks to the absence of the aforementioned Falvey he has plenty of game time under his belt, so I have no real concerns about our back line going into this match. Miller and Janicki are similar style players and also play better with a leader along side them, my instinct tells me that Falvey will get the best out of Miller and I honestly feel Indy will not concede a goal in this game.

The performance of the back line and our defensive midfield whether Brad Ring or Torrado will be key to allowing our wings, forwards and other midfielder (most likely Paterson) to quick counter and expose Ottawa in the corners. It will be a tough shift for the back line and if they can turn that defense into attack quickly it may be a very difficult night for the Fury.

Rather than try and predict a line up this week I will predict an outcome. Indy will win this game without conceding a goal but it may take time for us to gain the upper hand in the game, we will have to wear Ottawa down, we may not even see the first goal until the second half of the game but I feel we will end up at 2-0 with goals from Zayed and possibly Ring or Paterson.

The main thing is, regardless of the score line, that we win. As I mentioned earlier this year each opponent in this league is a three game series, some we play twice at home, some twice away. If Indy can gain the upper hand as far as points goes in all of their battles then you can pretty much be sure of finishing top of everything before post season.

We don't need to assume anything of Ottawa Fury this time around, and we don't need to underestimate them, we just need to play to our strengths, use the corners, improve our service to the forwards and we will win!

Cheeky Captain Colin is back and smiling, the timing could not be more perfect with Janicki suspended.

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As ever we are continuing to raise money for Playworks Indiana along with Permanent Relegation and the goal scoring exploits of Éamon Zayed. So far we have been pledged $33.50 for every goal Éamon scores in 2016, so far he has notched 12 across the NASL and Open Cup for a total of $402. Thanks to generous donations at tailgates and watch parties we raised a further $554. Permanent Relegation's Game of Kings tournament also raised a whopping $912 bring us to a total of $1868 so far, but we have not met our target yet and we want to smash it, if you would like to help us with this great cause CLICK HERE for more information on how you can donate!!! Please share our effort and use the hashtag #EamonZayedRule on social media.

#EamonZayedRule - Helping Children Have More Fun - Summer Update (8/2/16)

Éamon Zayed on track to be NASL's leading scorer in 2016

Earlier this year the crew at Bloody Shambles came up with the idea of giving back to our local community by way of a charitable endeavor. After an interview with Éamon Zayed before the season began we decided to encourage people to donate money for every goal that Zayed scores for Indy Eleven for the 2016 season.

The #EamonZayedRule was originally created by a foreign government to control and restrict Zayed's eligibility status for soccer clubs within that country. 

"The rule was initially brought out to wrongfully prevent me from playing the game I love and nobody , especially kids should ever be prevented from playing and enjoying themselves!" -Éamon Zayed

We are taking back the #EamonZayedRule and making Indiana a better place in the process by partnering with Playworks Indiana and donating. Bloody Shambles and Permanent Relegation Podcast have joined forces to try and raise $2000 for Playworks Indiana by the end of the 2016 season.

Éamon has scored twelve goals in competitive play at the time of writing (8/4/2016), eleven goals in the NASL and one goal in the US Open Cup. At the moment we have $33.50 in pledges per goal so Éamon has earned the cause about $402 so far.

Playworks - Bringing the Power of Play to local Schools.

We have been collecting donations online through our DONATION PAGE and also at BYB tailgates and watch parties at Chatham Tap in Fishers and Union Jack Pub in Broad Ripple. The total raised in donations so far is $544.

Permanent Relegation's Game of Kings II Euchre Tournament raised a staggering $912 for the cause putting our total for the moment outside of pledges at $1436! If all pledges are honored we will have raised $1858 to date!

How can you help... ?

If you see them feed them, $1 helps, 50c helps, bring your penny collection that's gathering dust!

• Watch out for donation buckets at BYB tailgates and watch parties at Union Jack Pub or Chatham Tap in Fishers
• Sign up and pledge an amount per Éamon Zayed goal for 2016 and pay at the end of the season (see form posted below)
• Make a donation online at our safe and secure custom Playworks fundraising page, all donations go directly to Playworks Indiana. CLICK HERE TO DONATE
• Encourage a collection of your own, in your workplace, in a social group or even at an Indy Eleven watch party of your own
• Spread The Word, share this cause on social media and use the hashtag #EamonZayedRule

If you would like to make a pledge per goal, use this form to sign up, we will send periodic emails with updates on Éamons goalscoring progress and our fundraising progress.

Indy's Late Push Not Enough in Miami - Miami FC v Indy Eleven REVIEW (7/30/2016)

A rare start for Keith Cardona, seen here against CF Pachuca

By: James Cormack

Indy Eleven lost only their second game of 2016 and their second game of the fall season. Miami FC bagged a goal in each half to secure the three points with a 2-1 win over the Boys in Blue. Éamon Zayed's eighth NASL goal of 2016 not enough to avoid defeat.

With three games to be played over the upcoming week one may have expected a little player rotation in the outfield, not to begrudge Keith Cardona a rare start but considering Jon Busch's consistency throughout 2016 the decision was a bit of a head-scratcher. Cardona is a worthy keeper, but when you remove Jon Busch from a game you take a large amount of communication at the back away from the field, something I think that is much needed in the absence of Colin Falvey.

Indy started with the same outfield lineup as started against FC Edmonton only the bench had some shake up with Colin Falvey and Jair Reinoso returning to the roster. As happy as I was to get three points in that game it was far from a convincing performance and I felt for sure we would see one or two different players get a start in this game.

It took only four minutes in the game for Miami FC to score the first goal. After a corner was was floated in from Miami and deflected out from the box Miami defender Rhett Bernstein put a header straight back in towards goal, Poku managed to get his body in front of Janicki and divert the ball into the path of Cvitanich who knocked the it home from close range. 




It was a scrappy confusing goal but can't really apportion blame to anyone, had Janicki been more physical with Poku in that position the attacker may have taken advantage and gone down in the box, and for Cardona it is never easy to judge the path of the ball with a ruck of bodies directly in front of you.

After the goal it didn't take long for Miami FC to bunker in a bit and protect their lead, Indy Eleven dominated the first half possession and as the game wore on they settled into a much more comfortable passing style and created plenty of chances to level the game before half time, for most of the game in fact they looked like a team that could turn the game around and not only level it but perhaps win.

Indy had the larger part of possession in this game over the 90 minutes around 53/47 but in the first half it was more like 60/40 and the heat map clearly shows most of the play from both teams in and around the final third in Miami's half. Had Indy Eleven been able to capitalize on that and scored before half time it probably would have been a much different game in the second period.

Indy continued to bring the game to Miami in the second half looking for the leveler and it looked like it would only be a matter of time before we would score the next goal in the game.

As the second half wore on and no goal was coming, Tim Hankinson used his substitutions to provide a more attacking element and sacrificing the more defensive pieces of our midfield. between the 60th and 80th minute Hankinson replaced Omar Gordon, Brad Ring and Gerardo Torrado with Don Smart, Siniša Ubiparipović and Jair Reinoso in an effort to find the equalizing goal.

Don Smart proved, as he did in our last game, that he provides a dynamic that at times Indy Eleven are sadly lacking. His first instinct every time he receives the ball is how to service his forwards or at least get the ball into dangerous areas in front of goal. He did the same this week and our crosses and passes into the box almost double in the period when he was on the field. I felt he should have started this game, perhaps coach doesn't feel he can get 60 minutes or more out of him yet, I think he has done enough now to earn a start on Wednesday against Jacksonville.

Try as they did however Indy could not find the goal we needed, even late in the game you never write them off, but it was Miami again that would find the net first and deliver the killer blow in this game, and also exposing our lack of defensive midfield at this point in the game.




In the 85th minute, some great awareness by Miami's No.23 and former Indy Eleven player Blake Smith picked out a cross field pass that switched the play from left to right and found Ariel Martinez in acres of space as Indy's defense was trying to back track. Martinez picked the ball up with Vukovic still behind him, Vuko managed to get in front but Martinez stepped inside and managed to rifle a shot between Nemanja and Janicki that found the bottom right of Indy's net. Keith Cardona was well placed to see the shot and in good position on that side of the goal to stop it but couldn't get a glove on it.

It was a killer blow but with around four minutes remaining and time to be added Indy continued to try and find goals. In the 89th minute they did pull one back, Don Smart providing the assist from the right side of Miami's 18 putting the ball over the Miami defense he found Éamon Zayed at the far side of goal who volleyed in over the line to reduce the deficit to one goal again and bring his tally to 8 for the season, but only after some confusion thanks to Miami FC having two end lines an inch apart on their field.

Despite seven minutes being added to the game and Indy Eleven having several more chances to level the game they could not find the net and time ran out. Indy Eleven had suffered their second defeat of the year to a Miami team who now had achieved only their third win of 2016.

On the whole, despite losing the game, I felt our performance as a team was better than that of last weeks win over FC Edmonton, we looked more cohesive and creative in the middle of the field and we were more fluid in attack, but as has been the case in many games this year we lack that killer punch in the final third. 

It was a tough one to lose but credit where it's due, Miami FC deserved to win, they may not have controlled as much of the game as Indy but when their chances came they pounced on them. Excluding blocked shots and despite having much fewer attempts than Indy, Miami FC's shot accuracy was 100% compared to Indy's 29.4%. Controlling possession doesn't necessarily win games, picking your spot and scoring goals when the opportunities arise does.




Indy Eleven have already made the post season, we know that, but we need to continue to show that every performance we give can be worthy of a post season semi final, we will only have one shot at it and I am confident we have what it takes to make the final, but we need to learn from every game and figure out how to dominate in games by scoring more goals and scoring first. We need more service from the width into the opposition box and when we have it we need to capitalize on it. We'll have another opportunity to work on that this Wednesday when Jacksonville Armada comes to Carroll Stadium.

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As always Bloody Shambles and Permanent Relegation are supporting Playworks Indiana children's charity with our #EamonZayedRule initiative. We are donating money for every goal Éamon Zayed scores this year and you can choose to play along or just make a one off donation to help us reach our target of $2000. Click Here for More Information.

Also if you enjoy our #NASLMap catch up with @SoccerBits latest update of the standings across North America - CLICK HERE TO READ

The Indy Eleven Wagon Train Heads West! - Rayo OKC v Indy Eleven Preview (4/30/16)

Soccer team land rush in Oklahoma!

By: James Cormack

The NASL turned a few heads, and a few more were scratched when they announced expansion into Oklahoma City with Rayo OKC.

In 2015 the USL's Energy OKC made their debut and did very well, and were one of the leagues leaders in attendance and season ticket holders.

In November of 2015 the league announced that Rayo OKC would be the next franchise in the league and would begin play in spring of 2016, giving the new club only around six months to build a team and a fan base.

There were many skeptics about this expansion and whether there was room for two clubs in Oklahoma City, myself included. Does this make Energy OKC the Sooners and Rayo the Boomers?

Rayo OKC signed former Scorpions coach Alen Marcina who has since then assembled a pretty impressive roster. The owners have sunk a lot of money into the team and local publicity so it remains to be seen which team will survive the soccer land rush in OKC. Hopefully for the sake of supporters both thrive.

Rayo have already had their bye week and so far in their first three games sit one point behind Indy Eleven. Last weekend Rayo won the class of 2016 battle, defeating Miami FC by three goals to two in Florida on their first road trip. They had previously drawn Edmonton at home 0-0 and lost 3-2 to league leaders Carolina Railhawks.

Indy Eleven have hit their bye week at a good time, when you can defeat the Cosmos and get a couple weeks off it's always a good time. The off weak gives Indy a chance to get all of their players back in shape.

All players are training and available for selection. It will be interesting to see how coach Hankinson picks the bench for this game, with Ubiparipović and Larrea fit enough to play, Reinoso returned and a match fit Omar Gordon in town.

After the success against the Cosmos it is probable that we will see the same starting lineup again. If Indy Eleven can play with the same aggression and determination as they did in their last game, a result here is very achievable.

Rayo OKC are thin on defenders and have conceded five goals in their last two games. Indy Eleven have conceded two goals for the season, one penalty and one goal in open play. Former Indy Eleven stopper Erick Norales has not been available for Rayo at all this season.

Futty Danso, Rauwshan McKenzie and Kosuke Kimura have been regulars in the back line with either Michel or Jarad Van Schaik at left back (both listed as midfielders but it's as clear as mud), #4 Juanan appears to be the only available back up. I would imagine Marcina will be addressing the issue of goals conceded, hopefully they won't find the answer to their leak before Saturday night.

Rayo's new turf surface may look similar to Indy's but it won't be entirely the same. The new turf surface was laid on top of an older turf surface so it probably will be a little softer and more forgiving and probably take some of the bounce out of the ball, passing on the surface should be of a similar pace to home... fast and furious!

A win for Indy is certainly there for the taking if we show patience, provide enough scoring opportunities and stay strong to the final minutes as we have done in all games so far. Coming away from Oklahoma City without being defeated is highly likely but Indy should not settle for a point in any game now. Each gained point helps in the grander scheme of things.

Good luck to the traveling support from the Brickyard Battalion and Slaughterhouse-19, the weather forecast for game day is very good, 73 sunny and clear with a chance of weak beer in the Stadium. Have fun and be loud!

Caleb Ramp's Thoughts:

Through the first three games, Indy's defense has lived up to even our heightened preseason expectations. Rayo OKC, however -- boasting tremendous attacking talent and a potential matchup nightmare -- will be the biggest test for the defense to date.

The Eleven looked their most vulnerable (and conceded their only open play goal) against the 4-3-3 of Ottawa Fury (a goal which remains the Canadian side's only of the season). Ottawa repeatedly found success behind the Indy fullbacks with early balls over the top and longer passes played into space.  Expect Marcina to instruct his men to exploit this weakness, and Rayo's forward trio -- Robbie Findley, Billy Forbes, and Richard Menjivar -- is as lethal in space as any in the league.

It will take excellent spatial discipline and coordination between the back four and defensive midfield for Hankinson's squad to keep a clean sheet on Saturday. The good news? They may not need to.

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For the whole of NASL 2016 Bloody Shambles and Permanent Relegation have teamed up along with Indy Eleven striker Éamon Zayed to raise money for Playworks Indiana. We will be donating money for every single goal Éamon scores this year, including the two he has already. Please join us and support this cause. For full details and how to either sign up and pledge or just make a one time donation - please read the following blog! Please share this for us and use the hashtag #EamonZayedRule

Help Bloody Shambles and Permanent Relegation raise money for Playworks Indiana with the #EamonZayedRule

The Bloody Shambles Soccer Show and Permanent Relegation Podcast have combined forces to raise money for Playworks Indiana over the course of the 2016 North American Soccer League season. We want you to help us!

We are going to donate a cash amount to Playworks Indiana for every goal that Indy Eleven Striker Éamon Zayed scores this year, we encourage you to join in the fun and do the same. You can pledge any amount you want from $1 or you can just choose to make a one time donation to this cause.

Together we want to raise $2000 for this cause, and if we hit that before the end of the season we will raise the bar!

Why donate to Playworks?

Playworks is the leading national nonprofit leveraging the power of play to transform children's physical and emotional health. They create a place for every kid on the playground to feel included, be active, and build valuable social and emotional skills.

Playworks partners with schools, districts and after school programs to provide a service or mix of services including on-site coaches, professional training for school staff who support recess, and consultative partnerships.

Playworks Mission: To improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.

Playworks vision: One day every child in America will get to play - every day.

Who is Éamon Zayed and why does he get his own rule?

Éamon Zayed is a very highly rated striker who is now playing for our local professional soccer club Indy Eleven. He has been around the world as a pro and everywhere he goes he scores goals.

The #EamonZayedRule was originally created by a foreign government to control and restrict Zayed's ability to 'play' and his eligibility status for soccer teams within that country.

Fear no Foe! - Indy Eleven V New York Cosmos Review (4/16/16)

"We are a close-knit team. We don't give up. We just wanted to win. We are sick and tired of draws." - Éamon Zayed

By: James Cormack

Last weekend after Indy managed to fight back and take a point in the game against Ottawa, when asked about the upcoming game against the Cosmos, Tim Hankinson said "You have to beat the best to be the best."

Indy Eleven did exactly that last night and once again pulled out a miraculous second half comeback to become the first team of these two to ever defeat the other after a run of six draws in as many games since Indy first kicked a ball in 2014.

Many of us wondered how Hankinson would line up his team this week after two games without a win and Siniša Ubiparipović unavailable for selection. Would Mares be a straight swap? Would Braun get a more central role? Would we stick with the same formation?

Coach may have surprised everyone including Cosmos coach Savarese by playing a flat 4-4-2 and pairing Justin Braun in front with Zayed, pulling Paterson and Ring up into the center and starting Dylan Mares in the wide right position.

Not a lot of surprises in the Cosmos lineup other than a slight re-jig of formation and starting goalkeeper Jimmy Maurer being out on compassionate leave for the birth of a child. Kyle Zobeck deputized in goal.

The change in approach from Indy Eleven worked well. We were more aggressive and direct, we pressed we hustled and we gave our opposition less time on the ball than we have in any other game so far. We made it harder for them to come out of their own half.

The first half was goalless and either side only really had one shot on target, but the biggest thing I noted while re-watching the game we had more crosses from wide right and left in the first half than we did in the entire Ottawa game last week, add four corners to that and you have a good indication of how the change this week was being effective.

It was the second half that would cause the most excitement. Indy Eleven supporter's hearts were broken first. New York's Sebastián Guenzatti was taken down by Greg Janicki in front of goal in an attempt to clear, Niko Kranjcar slotted home for his first Cosmos goal.

Indy Eleven never gave up at any moment in the half, they continued to press the Cosmos and in the 89th minute it would be Janicki involved in the thick of things at the other end of the field, who drew Indy a penalty after he was pushed inside the box during a corner kick.

Éamon Zayed stepped up and scored his first Indy Eleven goal from the spot. I am sure at this point, after the wild celebrations had subsided, many were thinking the same as me, her comes another Indy V Cosmos draw.

Our team had other ideas and in the last minute of stoppage time a flick from the edge of the area to Dylan Mares led to a shot which was spilled by Kyle Zobeck and Zayed was there again to score his second goal of the season and send the Brickyard Battalion into orbit, and they probably are still trying to come back down to earth?

"I've been coaching at a pretty high level for 36 years now. This was the best night of my soccer life, beating the Cosmos in front of these fans! It was fantastic." - Tim Hankinson.

On review of not just this game, but the three we have played so far in NASL, the most important thoughts I come away with are

• We have a coach that is studious and knowledgeable, he is not afraid to change things for any particular game 'or' during any particular game to not only make sure we don't lose but also to achieve a win.
• We have a group of players who are never going to give up at any point in any game, something I also noticed during preseason even in matches with bad results. They believe in each other and what they are trying to do and is becoming more evident.
• We defeated a team who just won the Soccer Bowl and have started the 2016 campaign with two straight wins and without conceding a goal. This is huge, and a huge lift for everyone. Cosmos went undefeated last spring, they can't this year.

"People tell us the Cosmos are the best team in the League. But I believe we are equal to them....I think we can win the spring season, I think we can go unbeaten in the first ten games....that's the aim." - Éamon Zayed

The team and the supporters can bask in their glory for a couple of weeks. Indy have their bye week next weekend and return to action against Rayo OKC on the 30th of April, our next chance to cheer them on at Carroll Stadium will be against FC Edmonton on May 7th.

Keep an eye on the big tie next weekend as the two teams directly above us in the table, Minnesota United and New York Cosmos play off against each other. Hopefully it's a draw!

"I try to keep defenders guessing. Move around
a lot...Obviously playing up top is the position
I've played most in my career. I'm kind of a
little more comfortable there." - Justin Braun

Caleb Ramp's Key Points:

Justin Braun: I’ve been one of Justin Braun’s bigger critics through preseason and the first two games. He impressed me on Saturday. Hankinson’s switch to the 4-4-2 revealed a player with much more confidence, a player much more comfortable in his role, and a player with an endless motor who will contribute all over the pitch. Braun beat the Cosmos back line on several occasions, including a disallowed goal, and a 92nd minute header from a quick counter attack which sailed just wide. His hold-up play throughout the match was tremendous, and Zayed’s ultimate game-winning rebound tap-in would not have been possible without an absolutely superb flick which played Dylan Mares in on goal. He and Zayed can be a deadly pairing in the future.

Resilience: A buzzword we used after the Ottawa game, but it’s worth repeating here. In a span of less than thirty seconds, Indy went from having a go-ahead goal disallowed on a debatable offside call, to conceding a penalty at the other end. A goal ahead to a goal behind in a blink of an eye. Frustration only grew when a second controversial offside call stopped Braun in his tracks, after what appeared to be a beautifully-timed pass from Zayed played him through the Cosmos back line.

Most teams collapse in that scenario, especially against a team of the Cosmos’ quality. If we’re honest, few of us would have blamed them if they had.

Instead, this squad once again showcased the experience and quality which was so highly touted heading into 2016. They were the better side from the opening whistle, and they didn’t allow a few moments of adversity to change that. They maintained pressure until it was the Cosmos—the reigning NASL champions—who cracked.

Cohesion: This team plays for the badge. They play for the fans. They play for each other. Holding up Jair Reinoso’s jersey after the equalizing goal—Jair having missed this game due to health concerns within his family—was an extremely classy move. Before the season started, Hankinson discussed the importance of instilling a warrior culture: an environment where the players all act as a single family unit and always have each other’s backs. It appears as if Tim is well on his way to accomplishing that here in Indy.

Leadership among the players is also an important part of building and maintaining this type philosophy in the locker room. Hankinson on captain Colin Falvey’s pregame talk to the team: “[Falvey] stood there and really got into the guys, and let them know that the Cosmos may have a great history, but it’s just another team. Don’t be in awe, and let’s just get after them and stay after them, and just outwork them and outplay them in every part of the game. It was very inspiring.”

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For the 2016 NASL Season we have teamed up with Éamon Zayed and Playworks Indiana to raise money for children's charity. For every goal that Éamon scores this year in all competitions we will be donating a cash amount to Playworks. We encourage you to help with this initiative even if just a dollar per goal.

Please CLICK HERE for more details,if you would like to take part and pledge an amount per goal, please send an email to info@bloodyshambles.net with your $ amount per goal and name, we will inform you closer to the end of the season how you can make your donation. For more information on Playworks you can visit their website here. Please share details of this using hashtag #EamonZayedRule.

Reviewing Indy's Preseason

Éamon Zayed

We care because we love this team and I have asked James and Caleb to put down some thoughts on Indy Eleven and their beloved team's current state. This will be free flowing and conversational so try not to be alarmed by the Shambolitry or the haphazard style of this post.

James Cormack will be posting in Red.
Caleb Ramp will be in Blue.
Aaron Gunyon will be green.

How is the team looking so far? 

[JC] Overall looking at all the players, I would say they look very rusty. We didn't start as early as some teams do and it is showing a bit. Each preseason game is a different lineup so not easy to gauge. From who I would expect to start a game I have seen enough to see the makings of decent side, but they look a bit further away from being ready than I expected.

On the whole I have only seen a couple of players on the roster who have not really played as well as I might have expected but I have not seen all the games. Most of them even when losing have not given me the impression they were giving up.

My biggest concern every year has been the defense, obviously losing Deroux is a problem. I think short term we can work around this, but I'd be happier if we would sign someone so we are picking the defense from 8 rather than 7 players.

[CR] Preseason means different things to different people.  Some see it solely as an opportunity for experimentation, and the necessary catalyst to build match fitness. Others feel—and rightfully so—that in a squad where every position is supposed to be hotly contested, the natural competition for playing time should lead to positive game results – especially when playing primarily lower-level sides.

Injuries have set us back significantly. Losing DeRoux is something we can overcome (Franco is looking increasingly comfortable on that side, and would be my current choice as starter given the current roster), but it puts us at a disadvantage relative to the rest of the league. This roster has undoubtedly improved from last season, but the relative improvement compared to the NASL as a whole is yet to be seen. Losing a talented and experienced defender—both in the NASL and with Coach Hankinson—who was expected to be a plug-and-play starter is not something that can be instantly recovered from.

So far in 2016, our overall quality fluctuates wildly when certain players are or aren’t present. While this can be encouraging for the regular season when our first team is seeing a full workload, it also leads me to believe that the squad isn’t as deep as we had originally thought. Dylan Mares was tremendous last season before his injury, but we haven’t seen the same player in 2016. We’ve also yet to see anything at all from newcomer Justin Braun.

[AG] I will be brutally honest when I say that I don't think this team is where they wanted to be at this time. They are not ready for the season to start due to several factors. The most important one being fitness and injuries which have held player development up in favor of healthier bodies. 

This team is not ready to go 90 minutes in a meaningful game and that is not going to be the case tomorrow either. The away game to Tampa will come far to quickly for this squad.

What are your impressions of Head Coach Tim Hankinson?

[JC] He has impressed me a lot in his openness to explain his intentions and ideas to people, he is not one to keep secrets about what he is doing or what he wants. I think although preseason results have not been great you can see a methodology in what he is doing, the time he is giving players and how he is deploying them.

He strikes me as someone who begins by sitting back and watching, allowing players to express themselves while he observes. Early preseason he is asking them to show him what they have. As things moves on and he changes lineups and minutes for different players then he is looking more closely and expects more and probably talks back more.

I get the impression he is not someone who is going to have his time wasted by players. In the past many of us as fans look at our team selections and subs and scratch our heads. With Tim Hankinson I don’t think we will see that, we won't see as much tinkering.

[CR] My favorite thing about Coach Hankinson is his honesty. It would be far too easy for him to bring out the tired “it’s only preseason” rhetoric, blame injuries, insist the only focus is fitness, and downplay any negatives. Instead, he’s repeatedly stated that this team should be putting in better performances and better results. He’s lamented the spells of non-existent possession, and has vowed we will do better. Listening to him for even a few moments will increase your Soccer IQ and give you an itch to lace up and run some drills.

I’ll admit I was among those underwhelmed when his signing was first announced. In a few short months—and even before a meaningful ball has been kicked—I’ve completely bought in. Regardless of how this season goes, we can say with certainty that inexperience or apathy on the part of our coaching staff will not be the cause. He won’t accept anything but the best from our players, teaching or admonishing as appropriate. He also won’t mince words with the public. All of this is refreshing change from what we’ve endured in previous seasons.

[AG] I really like talking to him. He is honest about his team and his expectations and he shows tremendous desire to communicate and to teach the game. I want to play for him, however I am not a professional and I don't know how he is getting along with the actual players. It is far too soon to tell that.

My one concern is that he is running things exactly how he has for the last 30 plus years. He is a great soccer mind and he knows it. How adaptable is he during the course of a game or during the wacky split season in the NASL?  

He does have a great head of hair though.

Has anyone impressed you?

Colin Falvey

[JC] Colin Falvey has been a rock at the back, he is a no nonsense defender and does not accept sloppiness. He is comfortable on the ball and also doesn’t panic, but if in doubt he is not going to waste any time in the getting that ball as far away from his goalkeeper when he has to. We really need that kind of player who can bring stability in the back.

Erick Norales was a good tough defender, it was tough to see him go but I think with Falvey we have found that same aggression and toughness but he adds a leadership element and is a great communicator. Combine him with Jon Busch at the back and I don't want to be that player that upsets them.

[CR] Duke is progressing into the player that we all hoped he would. He’s electric. A nightmare combination of speed, intelligence, and endless determination. He’s quick enough to force an errant pass when pressing defensively; smart enough to know when to take the shot himself and when to lay it off. He’s played a crucial role in the bulk of our chances and goals this year, this is a trend we should expect to continue into meaningful play.

It’s also important to note that a few of our key cogs in the midfield (namely Ubiparipovic and Paterson) haven’t seen many minutes due to injury concerns and rehabilitation. When they’ve been on the pitch, they've shown flashes of brilliance. Sinisa has tremendous vision and operates very well in tight spaces, pinging passes to dangerous areas or playing the triangles to maintain possession as appropriate. Nicki has already showcased his uncanny ability to switch play on a dime with pinpoint accuracy (almost regardless of distance), playing a winger into space and kick-starting the attack.

[AG] Éamon Zayed-But I knew he would.  He is a pro and a goalscorer.  He wants the ball and he wants to finish and he is upset by anything less.  Put him down as an automatic starter week in and week out.  

He looks fairly fit right now and he has already had a game where he went the full 90 and put away an equalizer with a diving header in the 85th minute.  Concerns about playing on turf and older knees may pop up in the future but the only question right now is where to deploy him most effectively.  

Hankinson has used him in a variety of attacking roles to see what he can tolerate and to see where he performs best.  For me, I want to see him as close to the goal as possible and I think Zayed would agree.

Pick your starting lineup right now!

[JC] Busch, Palmer, Falvey, Vukovic, Franco, Ring, Paterson, Stojkov, Ubiparipović, Lacroix, Zayed.

[CR] Busch, Palmer, Falvey, Vukovic, Franco, Paterson, Larrea, Stojkov, Ubiparipović, Lacroix, Zayed.

[AG] Busch, Palmer, Falvey, Vukovic, Franco, Ring, Paterson, Stojkov, Ubiparipović, Lacroix, Zayed.

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And don't forget to support your Boys in Blue as they take on Butler University on March 23rd at 7:00 PM in Westfield. Admission is free.