Indy Ends Heavy Schedule With Home Draw - Indy Eleven V Tampa Bay Rowdies REVIEW (9/3/2016)

Omar Gordon scores the equalizer for Indy Eleven.

By: James Cormack

Indy Eleven finally returned to action at Carroll Stadium on Saturday night to face the Tampa Bay Rowdies after a bust away schedule. With only one point gained in their previous three games the home side needed a win to get back on track. Playing their third game in a week with players missing and tired legs it was never going to be an easy game.

With Greg Janicki and Marco Franco still unavailable for selection and Cory Miller suspended, Daniel Keller came in at center back alongside Falvey, allowing Palmer and Vukovic to continue in their normal full back positions. Neil Shaffer came into the squad as the only defender on the bench.

Duke Lacroix got a rare start allowing Dylan Mares to be rested to the bench. Ring, Paterson and Smart made up the rest of the midfield and Omar Gordon slotted in alongside Zayed up front, with Jon Busch in goal. Justin Braun returned to the bench for Indy alongside Cardona, Youla, Shaffer, Torrado, Mares and Ubiparipović.
  

That look when you are standing next to the legendary Lovel Palmer!

As mentioned in the preview, a win for Indy would have brought them back to second place in the combined standings and would erase some of the gap between themselves and Edmonton. Tampa are scrambling for points to keep up with the top four in combined standings and are struggling to stay away from the bottom in the fall championship run.

Indy Eleven played probably their best game in the last four, despite missing players and being weary from back to back games, they took the game to Tampa. It was important not to lose this game, to remain undefeated at home and look forward to a well earned break.

Unfortunately Indy Eleven once again went behind first. Tampa's PC drew a foul from Daniel Keller some thirty yards fromm the Indy goal in the center of the park. Joe Cole floated the free kick in towards Indy's right post, Falvey and the towering Antonijevic jumped for the ball but somehow wrestled each other out of contact and it fell to the boot of Justin Chavez to put the visitors in the lead in the 27th minute.

Lacroix gave a solid 90

As is often scripted Indy Eleven play some of their best football when behind and it only took around seven minutes for the boys in blue to make the score level again. A series of errors from the Tampa back line culminated in a deft flick from Zayed to Omar Gordon at close range, Omar showed great close control to retain the ball facing two defenders in the middle of the box and poked home from close range past Matt Pickens right.

Despite a goalless second half Indy Eleven at no time looked like the lesser team and continued to take the game to Tampa. In the 61st minute some great tenacity from Nicki Paterson saw him win back a lost ball deep on the left side which he floated into the head of Zayed, unfortunately Éamon's header went agonizingly wide.

As the clock wound down Indy continued to knock on Tampa's door with determination. Brad Ring lashed two shots in the remaining minutes but could not find the net. You could see it in the faces of the players just how much they wanted to win this game, and given the heavy schedule without rest you have to respect that, they never gave up.

There have been many games this season both home and away where Indy have drawn and it felt like two points dropped, but in this instance to me considering our circumstances it was a point won. Despite the scoreline it was a very good determined performance and no player can be faulted for lack of effort.
   

There were many positives to take from the game. With still two months to go in the season it was to our advantage to see Lacroix getting a start and Keller getting 90 minutes, these players need time and it's important to keep them sharp. Nicki Paterson came in from the beginning and put in a superb shift. Justin Braun returned and we saw glimpses of the attacking threat and presence he provides along side Zayed in attack.

Other results also fell in our favor, both New York Cosmos and FC Edmonton drew their games which allows us to keep in touch with the top, however Minnesota and Miami FC both won pulling the top five in the fall standings much closer together.

Current top five in the fall standings (NASL.COM)

Hopefully our boys get two days of much deserved rest and some light training this week, recovery is important and there should be no need for intensity over the coming week. We have another road game coming up in Fort Lauderdale this weekend before facing a rising and in form Miami FC at home in two weeks time. 

Both of these games we know we are capable of winning if we are sufficiently rested and play our best game. Neither game will be easy, no game will be easy from now until the end of the season, the stakes will always be higher for our opposing teams, Indy Eleven need to strike a balance between remaining competitive and also making sure we have a fit and healthy squad when the playoffs come around.

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Thanks to all who helped us raise a further $59.00 at the BYB Tailgate on Saturday for Playworks Indiana. 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.

Win Before You Forget How to - Indy Eleven V Tampa Bay Rowdies PREVIEW (9/3/2016)

Will Falvey and Vukovic play in the middle of the back line, or will Janicki return?

By: James Cormack

It's been a tough couple of weeks for Indy, playing three away games in 11 days against Carolina, Ottawa and New York, and gaining only 1 point in three along the way.

There is never really an easy time to play the Cosmos in New York, but this was possibly the worst timing for Indy considering time and travel and facing a Cosmos side in blistering form currently.

Indy started brightly but before long in the game the Cosmos had managed to make their mark, first with a goal through Ruben Bover on 8 minutes and then doubled their lead through an Arango penalty on 17 after a fould on Daniel Szetela by Nemanja Vukovic.

Indy managed to do enough to limit the score line for the rest of the first half. Things went from bad to worse in the 53' minute when Indy Eleven again conceded a penalty, this time Cory Miller fouling David Diosa, fortunately for Indy Arango missed the kick, but as a result of the foul Cory Miller was shown red and will be suspended for this Saturday's game.

Arango would later make up for his penalty miss by scoring again for New York in the 73rd minute with a bullet header inside the box, that would be the last goal of the game and Indy Eleven went down 3-0 on the night. It was a poor goal to give up by a very tired defense.


Arango also no adds pressure to the race for the Golden boot as his two goals helped him to creep up on Zayed and Ramirez, Juan Arango now has 11 goals, one behind Éamon Zayed and two behind Cristian Ramirez.

Tampa comes to Indianapolis...

With very little rest Indy will now face the Tampa Bay Rowdies at Carroll Stadium. Indy Eleven opened their 2016 NASL campaign in Tampa, the two teams were deadlocked in a 0-0 draw in the opening weekend.

Tampa are currently the worst form team in terms of road games, with five played and five straight defeats away to Carolina, Rayo OKC, Ottawa, New York and Minnesota United. Despite not yet having a road win in fall they did manage to put up 2 goals against the Cosmos in a 3-2 defeat which for a spell they led 2-0. They need to improve, and Indy need to get back to winning.

The Rowdies are not in a good situation as far as fall standings god, with only 11 pts so far they find themselves already 14 pts back from the leaders New York. The combined standings may be there bet for a play off position and they are currently in fifth place, six points back from Minnesota.

Despite having a full week of preparation for their trip to Indianapolis, Tampa's training schedule was disrupted by Hurricane Hermine enough to make Thursday an off day for the team. They will still be much more rested and this will be a tough game for Indy Eleven.

The importance of a win for both sides could put quite an edge on this game. Tampa run the risk of being bottom of the fall table should they lose and other results do not work in their favor. For Indy Eleven they run the risk of adding a home defeat or draw to an already poor run of games.

With FC Edmonton drawing in Ottawa on Friday night Indy can move back to second in the combined standings on goal difference and also close the gap to a point behind the Eddies in the fall standings.

Indy will have to deal with the attacking threat of Joe Cole, the English attacking midfielder has now scored 6 of his teams last 11 goals. Indy have looked sluggish in defense lately and with the potential of injury as well our back line is going to have to be tough in this game, and very much switched on.

Indy may have to juggle at the back...

Duke still not being played, does coach not like him?

Indy Eleven will be without Cory Miller through suspension. Greg Janicki who sat out the Cosmos game after playing through injury against Ottawa is recovering from plantar fasciitis and remains a question mark for Saturday. Marco Franco and Justin Braun were in training on Friday but it is still unknown if they are ready to start, it is likely they will be included.

If Greg Janicki is not available for selection it poses problems for Indy with Colin Falvey the only regular center back available. There are options if Franco can start we may see either Franco and Palmer in the full back positions with Vukovic and Falvey at center back or we could move Palmer in to right center alongside Falvey with Franco on the right and Vuko remaining at left back.

Otherwise Indy will have all other players available for selection. In the last two games against Ottawa and New York, the Eleven have only scored one goal from five shots on target in 180 minutes, four of which came in New York but could not produce a goal. Indy need to start finding the net again and it will be interesting to see if Braun is brought back in on Saturday or whether Hankinson tries a different combination up top.

In the game against New York some of the substitutions really made no sense, we need to be more logical with our team selection this week. I was correct in calling for Reinoso to be in the squad for NYC but both Lacroix and Reinoso should have got time. Omar Gordon has not shown enough evidence for me that should have got preference in coming on the field first.

The team is tired and some of these players that Hankinson has not been giving time to need to get on the field in this game and allow a few to get some rest at least from the start of the match.

Starting XI without Janicki: Busch, Franco, Palmer, Falvey, Vukovic, Smart, Paterson, Ring, Lacroix, Reinoso, Zayed.

Starting XI with Janicki: Busch, Franco, Falvey, Janicki, Vukovic, Smart, Paterson, Ring, Lacroix, Reinoso, Zayed.

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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.