No Smoke Without Fire: Indy Eleven V North Carolina FC REVIEW (6/17/2017)

Goals, three points and a clean sheet - Indy Eleven secure first victory of 2017.

By: James Cormack

For the first time in 2017 Indy Eleven were able to field what could be claimed as their strongest starting eleven. The return of Justin Braun to the starting eleven was a welcome sight as well as Craig Henderson returning to give extra depth to the Indy bench.

Although it may not have been planned as such, after 12 games this year it looks as though Colin Falvey and Daniel Keller may be our most reliable and secure center back pairing. Keller always somehow seems out of place in midfield through no fault of his own, center back has been where we have seen his best and it was no different last night.

The Boys in Blue were aggressive yet patient and hard working. Defensively there was no fault and at times it seemed like Brad Ring was putting in two shifts in midfield and at the top of the 18 yard box with our back line. Indy were composed, alert and determined when not in possession and it paid off as they left North Carolina with very few clear chances in the game. 

New gloves worked a treat for Jon Busch, first clean sheet since 6th May.

After a goalless first half, a measured and clinical approach to the match saw them rewarded with their first goal in the game in the 60th minute. A low ball from Ben Speas into the front of goal from the left caught the Carolina defense and keeper napping and confusion between Silvestre and Connor Tobin saw the ball pop up and spin towards goal. 

An attempted goal line clearance from Carolina found the body of Justin Braun and the ball found the back of the net. It may not have been the prettiest goal Justin has ever scored, but you have to be in the right place at the right time.

Ben Speas was again involved as Indy Eleven doubled their lead in the 84th minute, this time with the finish from a David Goldsmith assist. Don Smart found Goldsmith advancing in a wide position on the right and the Indy forward played a perfect pass in behind the defense to the far post and Ben Speas was there to slam it home for Indy's second. Justin Braun was also available but would have been called offside had he made an attempt to connect with the ball.

It was a nervous last ten minutes for the faithful supporters as we have recently seen a two goal lead evaporate in San Francisco, but not this time. Indy Eleven tightened up and kept Carolina out, Jon Busch was the difference in stopping the opposing team pulling a goal straight back stopping a close range driving effort by Saeed Robinson.

Ben Speas was key in producing the goals required for Indy's first win in 2017

The Carolina effect.......

It's worth mentioning that again North Carolina FC formerly known as the Carolina Railhawks seem fated to be involved in multiple key moments in the history of Indy Eleven. Not only were they the first team we played in the NASL they were also the team we beat to achieve the first win in the clubs history at Wakemed Park in 2014.

The Spring Championship trophy of 2016 provided Indy with their first ever silverware in the club's short existence thanks to a required 4-1 win over the Railhawks in the final game thriller dubbed "Miracle At The Mike". Now North Carolina have aided and abeted in the Eleven's first win of 2017.

It's a strange quirk of fate, but I am not going to complain, we probably should be thankful for all the help they have given us over the years.

Defense, defense, defense.......

It goes without saying that Colin Falvey when fit and able is always going to be the first name on the team sheet, likewise Marco Franco and Nemanja Vukovic are equally as critical. It would however be amiss to not mention the efforts of Daniel Keller and Brad Ring when discussing our outfield defensive presence.

Brad Ring played deep a lot in last night's game and at times it looked like we had a five man defense. 100% of tackles were won, six clearances and three interceptions at the back added to 29 of 32 passes made were completed. Daniel Keller had nine defensive clearances and four interceptions. 

But the heat map for all four of the Indy Eleven back line and Brad Ring combined shows just how effective we were in nullifying any threat from North Carolina FC. In the 4-1 defeat against Jacksonville our overall defensive activity was more spread out and we were up field too much whereas in this match the back line and defensive midfield was more concentrated and covered every area of the final third for Carolina.

Full match activity of Franco, Falvey, Keller, Vukovic, and Ring.

With Brad Ring putting extra work in at the back with Keller covering the edge of the 18 yard area and the deep side of midfield it allowed Falvey to concentrate solely on the area in front of goal for most of the game and because of improved cohesion and communication between all five players it required less expenditure of energy. North Carolina played a pretty flat 4-4-2 and struggled to find gaps, and when they did Jon Busch was flawless.

When you have one of those days where everything required to shut a team out goes according to plan all that is left to do is make sure one of your attempts at goal hits the back of the net and you have three points, Indy Eleven did that twice from six shots on target. North Carolina had a total of 14 shots, the fact that 8 of those came from outside the box provides further evidence of how difficult Indy Eleven were to break down.

Brad Ring once again was literally everywhere.

What happens now.....?

We won, it's a great feeling. We moved from rock bottom and put teams below us but we still have a long way to go. When you realize that our current standings for 2017 are poorer than the team of 2014 for their first 12 league games, albeit only through goal differential, you know there is a lot to be done.

Indy Eleven need to show they are not a 'one hit wonder' and move forward with the belief they can achieve the same results against any other team regardless of where they play them. We now play the same team again in Carolina next week with a good understanding of how to defeat them.

We have had bad luck with injuries, bad luck in games but we have also had poor performances as well and at times we have beaten ourselves. One win can change a lot, it was no different in 2014 after our first win against Carolina it gave us a boost and within a short time we had also defeated FC Edmonton on the road as well. We need to make sure the confidence and relief we take from this win carries forward into each game.

Being able to field a strong lineup like this week after week will certainly help, but that is not something we can really control, just keep your fingers crossed that we can remain injury free. We have time on our side and twenty games left to prove why we should be worthy of a playoff position in 2017.

Timony Snicket's: A Series of Unfortunate Soccer Events

“I suppose I'll have to add the force of Miami to my list of enemies.” 

By Brian Cook

Speechless. I think that might be the closest way to describe how the 2017 season has gone for Indiana's team. Whether it be good or bad the results have not been what the club nor the fans had expected going into the season after a runner-up NASL title season in the year 2016.

Harder than watching the results of this season is trying to pin point where exactly the problem lie and on whose shoulders do they rest on. Clearly the on the field results rest squarely on the head coach, the leaders of the team (Falvey, Busch, etc) and on rest of the players in that order. On the field Indy Eleven are stuck in the shadow of last season's results. It seems that while Hankinson has stressed to both the players and fans that you have to earn what you get from this team that the club has failed to adapt and grow on their performance from last year.

I always recall seeing the massive change in the club when it moved from the very staggered 4-2-3-1 formation that clearly wasn't working to the 4-4-2 that this was the new Indy Eleven. A club that has been destined for greatness and more importantly has been able to see the issues and fix them 

The argument now rests on whether or not it's fair to hit the panic button on the season and the correct answer is yes and no

“Never trust anyone who has not brought a winger with them.”

It is fair to panic. Miami FC is clearly the strongest and most well built team in NASL for a number of reasons. But even against a Cosmos team that was built in a similar fashion of building a team outside the general scope of how NASL clubs are built Indy Eleven found a chance to win. The team this season remains largely intact from the 2016 campaign and fans are expecting better from a club that put up four goals on the last day of the Spring Season to win the Spring Championship.

It also isn't fair to panic. The general understanding (when looking at the table) is that with another win or two the club would literally be back into the pile at the top half of the table. With the restructuring of the schedule for the 2017 season the Spring season is far less than a sprint and much more of a jog unlike previous years. The injury bug also plays a huge part into the performance this year. Indy Eleven has been far from healthy and their strongest first eleven really hasn't gotten the chance to hit the field year.


There are also plenty of distractions and issues on and off the field outside of the general scope of how the season has gone.

On the field:

Eamon Zayed: 

One of the largest question marks since the beginning of the season has been the on again off again place of Eamon Zayed in the starting lineup of Indy Eleven. It's safe to say the biggest change seen in the team in 2017 was the first game of the season not having Eamon Zayed in the starting eleven. Nothing was ever officially confirmed about the reasoning behind this move though there was plenty of speculation. Nevertheless the holder of the team's scoring record hasn't gotten off to the best start so far and one only wonders if the beginning of the season plays into that. 

Ben Speas 

There is a moment in the movie MoneyBall (with Brad Pitt) where Billy Beane realizes you can't replace a player directly but rather replace their results they give you. What he was talking about was the struggle that the Oakland Athletics (on a much lower pay wage than most of MLB) would have in replacing the bats of Jason Giambi, Johnny Damon and the arm of pitcher Jason Isringhasen. The three of them had brought tremendous amounts of success for Oakland Athletics the season before the infamous Moneyball season and were huge losses for the A's. 

“It is one of life's bitterest truths that endtime so often arrives just when things are really getting interesting.” 

Cue the analogy, Ben Speas for all intents and purpose was dog eared to be the replacement for an outgoing Dylan Mares who moved onto the sunny beaches of Miami FC. Ben Speas, who last season averaged four goals and four assists against Mares five goals and seven assists as a member of the Boys in Blue was tailor made to come and fit the role Indy would be lacking which was a wing based playmaker and for the most part he truly hasn't failed at that.

He's just struggled to keep up the pace and I think Speas' performance shows more about how you wouldn't be able to play the same system as last season and use Speas the way you used Mares. Speas skill set allows you borderline more attacking presence than Mares did but Mares skillset was much more at hand with what Indy had on the field last season. 

Centerbacks 

When it was announced that Colin Falvey would be out for a portion of the beginning of the season due to surgery I think everyone gasped. . Colin Falvey and Jon Busch's work in the backline last season was all but key in the overall success of 2017. Losing Colin Falvey not only lost a great defender but a great leader and with no Cory Miller you were left with a versatile Daniel Keller and someone new to Indy Eleven, Kwame Watson-Siriboe.

In a previous blog, the positive impact of Colin Falvey's presence was discussed so it was no secret why it was vital he get back on the field as soon as possible. Early into the season with Falvey it was clear the defense needed another leader besides Jon Busch. Keller, who has been with the club for two years, has played nearly every position in the backline has the ability but not the leadership at least not what's been seen. 

Truthfully I'm still waiting for the moment where we understand what Hankinson saw in signing Kwame Watson-Siriboe because up until now he's been a loose cannon in the backline leaving huge gaps and causing more issues for the defense than preventing them. Even Falvey's return to his leadership role hasn't curbed Kwame from running up and playing a stopper role and leaving Falvey alone to stop an attack. 

While the return of Falvey clearly had a difference in how the backline work and rotated but even with Falvey's return the Indy Eleven defense is nothing compared to how strong the defense was in 2016. 

Coach Hankinson

It's pretty safe to say that the honeymoon phase is over. Last season was amazing but it's pretty clear that last season's successes rest right there. Last season. I'm not entirely sure what the plan was for this season but whatever it is it's not working. Between the roster building leaving huge holes in the structure of the team and decisions involving benching Eamon Zayed have left a lot of people, quietly, questioning what's going on in the mind of Indy Eleven's head coach. 

Some of this is on the field, some of this is general team cohesion but nevertheless it shouldn't a question. Speaking on the US Open Cup match against the Michigan Bucks, which removing the faces and names is an amatuer side that Indy Eleven should have at least beaten if not been comfortable in the victory even with squad rotation.

“Well-defended people are less likely to be evil.” 

It's not even to say that Hankinson is the problem. Clearly people need a direction to point and it's easier to point at the head coach than anyone else. There is a fair argument given last season's successes that Hankinson is definitely performing below expectations. His choices in the lineup, both at the beginning of the season to now, have left some questions out there.

Injuries have also played a huge part. Indy Eleven isn't the youngest team in the league by all means and as a result they have gotten ripped apart for lack of a better word by the injury bug and have struggled to maintain consistent performances. 

Off the field

The off the field troubles are pretty clear. A lack of a stadium, a lack of good results, losing good players, weather. All things that have impacted what every sport's team struggles with and lower division soccer in America is no different. 

The bottom line.

In an interview about the infamous Stadium for Indiana deal Ersal Ozdemir pulled no punches when he said:

“Without a new stadium, we have some serious decisions to make,” he said.

-Source

The stadium, which was reproposed for a fourth time, is an healthy 100 million dollar plus deal which would have Ersal and his 'ownership group' paying the fee for getting an expansion club and other expenses while resting the bill for the stadium on a 'public - private partnership' which would have the city and state pick up most of the tab. (At this moment we haven't reached out to the club on a comment for this quote)

The public movement of the bill (or lack there of) has weighed heavily on the shoulders of staff and players. What does it say when the owner of a team eludes to the possibility it could be the last year for his club and thus the last year for a lot of people to work for the club? Whether it was a tactic to help motivate those who have the ability to get financing for the stadium or just Ersal making his everyday stresses public the statement has hurt the club, players, staff, as well as the fans.

Whatever the case may be. This club is in the thick of it. Since the beginning of the season it's been like watching a roster collectively grab shovels and slowly dig a hole down. While they are working together in that regard it's hard for players to be motivated to win games, it's hard for staff to hear that the club is struggling financially and above all else it's difficult for casual fans who base their decision of attending games off of the performance of the team to feel inclined to come watch Indy struggle. We hope that this is just a rough patch on the road and things eventually turn around for a team that should clearly be performing better than it is. 

Indy Eleven is holding out for a hero in their backline

Falvey was available for last Saturday's match against Puerto Rico

By: Brian Cook

If you watched Saturday's draw with Puerto Rico FC you witnessed what can only be described as the best and worst portions of soccer. You saw a high scoring game but for Indy Eleven fans you also saw fixable defensive mistakes. Mistakes that were the difference between an early - season defining game and one that may play a bigger role later on in the season. 

Regardless of the circumstances Indy were found to be unlucky Saturday as they lost a two goal lead and barely escaped with a point to show for their efforts. While nothing should be taken away from starting lineups for both games as they were clearly the top performing players for Indy so far, the first goal given up by the Eleven put a light over the huge missing piece in Indy's defensive efforts:

Colin Falvey.

Falvey, recovering from a late off season sports hernia surgery, was on the bench Saturday. While the circumstances weren't deemed difficult enough to warrant bringing on Falvey who, as was mentioned by Hankinson during the week, fresh enough for 20 minutes or there about the defense had struggled and let Puerto Rico slam them with their attack.

The buildup to the play in question that opened the flood gates for Puerto Rico's attack involved simple almost uncontested passes and finished up with Conor Doyle putting the ball in the back of the net

The goal, while skilled, gives you a great observation of the issues presented with the current backline for the Eleven. The ball seemingly floats into the box and Watson Siriboe acts as if he is stuck in quick sand watching as Conor Doyle snaps a shot into the left corner of the net.

Again, while only two games into the 2017 season the goal is a clear sign of the issues still facing the starting eleven for Indy. Daniel Keller and Kwame Watson-Siriboe have started both game and while it's clear they had earned the start based off of the Deltas game the result last Saturday spells more about the lack of communication and skill beyond the midfield.

For comparison, 2016 saw Indy Eleven play Tampa Bay Rowdies in Florida. The game took place on September third and the backline had little depth (no real defensive substitutions were available for the game). With Keller and Falvey lining up side by side in the center it was almost like they were stretched to help out on both sides of the backline.

Heatmap from IndyEleven.com

For clarification purposes, Daniel Keller was on the left hand side of that heat map and Falvey was next to Palmer on the right center defender portion. The heatmap can give you a good idea of not only where the players are on the field but in this case how wide they were able to cover together.

This is the heat map from the Puerto Rico game with Daniel Keller and Kwame Watson-Siriboe which shows considerably less amount of distance shared between the two but also a considerable hole between them that both Doyle and Ramos exploited:

Heatmap from IndyEleven.com

From this comparison it's more or less that Keller and Watson feel stuck and either aren't able to move out to help out or are not sure what will happen if they do. A feature of the lack of your obvious best defender and confidence boosters for other members of your backline being sidelined. 

This isn't to say that Daniel Keller and the first year boy in blue Kwame Watson-Siriboe are bad players. Nor is it a fist to throw at the leadership between the sticks of Jon Busch who has had his fair share of leadership advances for Indy since joining last year but there is a difference in the eye both statistically and on the pitch when you don't have the person who ties everything together. 

Going back to the play in question, a clear lack of marking which featured an astounding eight players watching as Conor Doyle placed the ball in the back of the net. Let's say that play again carries on the same way and instead of Keller or Watson you have Falvey. You may still see a shot on goal but based off of previous games and heat maps you would more than likely see a more fluid swapping of positions and communication. 

You would see, perhaps, Doyle go to hit the kick and instead of Watson watching the ball fly by him he's a half a foot over closer to the center of the net and is able to stop. You might see that Keller was able to close down on Doyle before he gets the shot off. You may even see Falvey himself on the ball and able to clear it away. 

Let's compare another match from 2016 which featured the highest quality centerback pairing since Indy Eleven began play. Greg Janicki's 2015 season was less than stellar which left many people confused when Hankinson chose to keep Janicki with the club heading in 2016. No one truly saw the impact that Falvey's arrival would have on Janicki's game and the partnership they formed was a huge part of 2016. 

The October 22nd match between year one club Puerto Rico FC and Indy Eleven saw one of the strongest showings of Indy Eleven. Not to be outdone by the scoreline when you investigate the centerback position and the heatmap for both Janicki and Falvey you see the strength of their partnership and the depth they were able to achieve from the position. 

Heatmap from IndyEleven.com

The heat maps provide incredible insight into not only how the teams layout over the course of 90 minutes but also the difference in how a back line not led by Colin Falvey performs. His insight, voice, leadership and direction was a pivitol part of the club's success in 2016. It's also clear from the San Francesco game that both Watson Siriboe and Keller are good centerback options but aren't able to lead the defense and provide depth beyond the basic skills of a centerback like Falvey is. Both players will improve with Falvey on the field. At this point it's unclear when you will see Indy Eleven's captain take the pitch in 2017 but after the match against Puerto Rico it's clear that the timetable for his return should be moved up if it can be. 

Indy Eleven V Puerto Rico FC REVIEW (4/1/2017)

Justin Braun notches his first two goals of 2017

By: Jordan Kalt

It’s one of those games where you walk away fighting a bad feeling.

The scoreline eats at you. It didn’t feel like a 3-3 draw, but that’s what you got.

Indy Eleven’s 2017 home opener had excitement, confusion, drama and frustration. A good cocktail of a plot for one of those Gordon Ramsay cooking shows.

On the one hand, Hankinson has clearly helped Braun and Smart work into the best form we’ve ever seen from the two. Marco Franco is performing at a high level as well. These three have been important support players in the past but seriously stepped up in training camp this year and are carving out large roles in the team dynamic this year.

It was thrilling to see these and other players really clicking during different stretches yesterday afternoon. Smart was exemplary as the midfield led an impressive clinic on passing and possession, controlling the ball at the top of the box before setting up carefully timed crosses from the outside. Justin Braun opened with an early header and then picked up an assist on Ben Speas’ over-the-keeper chip, and all in the first ten minutes.

Emotions were running high throughout the stadium. Our championship-caliber team was clearly alive and well, if not even improved. And then, inexplicably, our veteran Indy Eleven squad started slowing down and sat back on that all-too-comfortable 2-0 lead.

Indy’s defensive shape began to get a bit, well... relaxed… and Puerto Rico set about retaking possession and methodically worked their way deep into Eleven territory.

Daniel Keller is stout-hearted but a bit short for a stormtrooper/centerback. Puerto Rico’s imposing forward, Hector Ramos, knowingly exploited the size mismatch, handled the ball in the box, and slid a pass to Conor Doyle for PRFC’s first easy goal in the 24'.

PRFC slip their first goal past Busch to open a scoring spree.

Then things got downright sloppy.

Just before halftime Kwame Watson-Siriboe committed an inexcusable foul in the box, setting up a penalty that was at first saved by Busch and then decisively buried off the rebound by Ramos. The second half didn’t promise much better at first. Jon Busch made a rare mistake getting off his line and into trouble one on one with a lone runner in the 57th minute. Clipping the runner’s legs set up a second PK for Puerto Rico and they took the lead, 3-2.

Eamon Zayed had, however, returned at the beginning of the second half from his brief bench hiatus and the positive juxtaposition of his playstyle with Braun’s began to show. The team seemed to wake up as time went on and Zayed drove the attack forward. A rebound fell to Justin Braun during the 75' mark and he put a powerful left-footed strike through for his second goal of the match.

Braun was poised for a happy birthday hat trick to take Indy up 4-3 for the win during stoppage time but the line judge ruled an onside Eamon Zayed off at the beginning of the play. A careful look at the replay reveals an admittedly close call, but still a wrong one.

Whistle. Draw. 3-3.

Leadership and Hunger

You know who we need? Colin Falvey.

The return of Falvey’s leadership should keep us from seeing a repeat of the amateurish malaise our players fell into after gaining the early lead. His penchant for leading by example and organizing the back line have been sorely missed. This roster has great defensive components. With the supremely skilled Vukovich as a returnee and with Marco Franco developing nicely, the wings look promising. At centerback Watson-Siriboe offers great physicality and seems like an intelligent player. This was a poor game for him but he will eventually be paired with Falvey and should perform better. Teammates and supporters alike will be glad to see Colin reclaim his role over the next game or two.

Leadership sidelined. Zayed and Falvey look to transition back onto the field.

All of these players must be hungry for better results. A carefully re-tuned midfield looks like it will bring much better possession and early scoring than has been typical of Indy’s style. When the attack was working well against Puerto Rico it was because the Eleven were building play much further up center midfield than they’d been accustomed to in the past.

Directing play from the top of the box like this is ideal for using fast runners like Speas and Smart down the wings to set up penetrating plays in the box. These components could work very well over the season, but coming off of last year’s championship run the danger will be in merely becoming complacent.

Many other NASL clubs have put in the money and effort over the offseason to raise the competitive bar. Puerto Rico is among those teams but will not be the stiffest competition Indy Eleven faces this year. We can't afford to buy the lie that this regular season year will be an easy walk into the playoffs.

Regardless of bad calls it was mid-match, lackadaisical and downright poor play sitting on a comfortable lead that first cost the Eleven a win.

And then, yes, poor officiating probably cost Indy a hard-fought redemption at the death. Aside from getting better referees, what can you say? What can you do?

You can own your lapse in maturity and get on with the next match.

I bet that’s what Hankinson will have them do.

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Post match reactions from Justin Braun, Tim Hankinson and Ben Speas