Could Indy Eleven Attract Another Vancouver Connection?

Kenny Miller captained Vancouver under head coach Martin Rennie. (Photo: USA Today Sports)

By: James Cormack

Firstly, I will begin by saying everything written here is 'mostly' speculative. One or two things that I have observed in recent months across the world of Internet have caused me to connect a few dots, but this article at the end of the day is based on a "what if" scenario and those dots may have appeared before my eyes as a result of standing up too quickly.

When I first heard that Martin Rennie was going to be the new head coach of Indy Eleven the very first name that popped into my head was Kenny Miller and whether he could be a potential signing for Indy Eleven after his contract runs out at the end of the 2017/2018 Scottish Football season.

Kenny Miller is now 38 years old and at the center of a row at Rangers FC. Following a 4-0 defeat by rivals Celtic last weekend in the Scottish FA Cup semi-final. Miller who was an unused sub in the game along with injured defender Lee Wallace were involved in an off the field altercation within the stadium which ended with both players being suspended. It is unlikely now that Kenny will ever play for Rangers again competitively, and even if his contract is not terminated he will be available for free in the summer transfer window. 

(Kenny Miller scoring for Vancouver against former Eleven keeper Jon Busch)

In a recent Inverted Triangle Podcast with Neil Morris and Martin Rennie, the Indy Eleven coach had said that between jobs in South Korea and Indy he had spent time in Scotland and England visiting various clubs. Indy Eleven has a reasonably small roster compared to some clubs in the USL and has international spots open, there is still a possibility our roster could be expanded during the course of the season.

I have never hidden my allegiance to a particular club in Scotland but it would have no bearing on signing such a player. Kenny Miller is a true professional and is a player I respect. He is one of only five players in Scottish football history to have played for both Celtic FC and Rangers FC, a small list which also includes former New York Red Bulls and Toronto FC manager Mo Johnston. Miller and Johnston probably the two most publicized, for those interested the other three are Alfie Conn, Steven Pressley, and Mark Brown.

He is in a position as a player now where he has to consider his future options. A spell in the USA or any other country away from the sometimes rancid and highly intrusive Scottish Press may be a beneficial move for Miller. There is potential that Kenny Miller could come to the US for a reasonably low wage to continue being involved in the game around people he knows.

Indy Eleven has looked at other Scottish International players before and showed interest in signing James McFadden back in 2015 before he returned for a third and final spell at Motherwell. With McFadden I was not so sure, it was a big risk that would have paid off well but the potential for injury was high. McFadden is now 35 and playing with Queen Of The South but has only played 20 games in three years.

Scotland legend James McFadden was once on Indy Eleven's radar (Photo: Record Sport)

Considering that this is something that may never even happen, if signing Kenny Miller was an option available to Martin Rennie and Indy Eleven, what would the pros and cons of signing a veteran international striker be?

Pros...

The USL season is long and drawn out, it may not have as many games as some leagues in Europe, but considering lower division clubs in the USA generally have smaller rosters, it can be quite taxing on a squad if a few key long-term injuries pop up. Kenny Miller can play as the lone forward or behind a striker playing out of attacking midfield. To have such a player at your disposal is a luxury because even at his age when Kenny takes to the field, Kenny produces.

With a wealth of international and club experience, Miller would bring an added level of knowledge and professionalism to the training ground as well as to the field on match days. If he were to decide to hang up his boots right now he could pretty much walk into a junior coaching role anywhere. Kenny has a combined 77 caps for Scotland, 69 of which are at full senior international level. 

Miller celebrates scoring against England at Wembley in 2013 (Photo: Getty Images)

On the domestic front, Miller has made over 600 professional appearances the bulk of which were at Rangers FC and Wolverhampton but also Hibernian, Celtic, Derby County, Bursaspor, Cardiff City and Vancouver Whitecaps.

Martin Rennie knows Miller and he knows what he will get from him, just as he knows what he will get from Matt Watson. Rennie knows he does not have to train or develop Miller in any way, he knows where he can put him and reap the benefits. If the coach believes he really needs a Kenny Miller and can convince an already out of pocket owner he could increase his chances of winning a USL championship by adding this player it might happen.

I will touch on age in both sections. In Scotland people might say "he's no Spring Chicken!" well he is not, but he is a very fit player, some players play long some don't but Kenny Miller is someone who looks after himself very well. He could easily play out the rest of 2018 at a higher level than USL and possibly another season. From my experience of Kenny Miller and from having seen him play this year and last, age is far from being a concern.

Cons...

Do we need another striker? Kenny Miller is pretty much an out and out striker, but like other aging strikers in Scotland like Scott McDonald, he can slip back into a number 10 role and play behind the forwards as an attacking midfielder. Kenny's vision and distribution I would never question, he is a very technical player and combined with time served in the professional game most of his touches on the field are instinctive

Indy Eleven has numerous striking options including Jack McInerney, Justin Braun, Soony Saad, Eugene Starikov and Ben Speas. Adding another striker into the mix could be seen both as a luxury and a disruption. Indy Eleven is on three wins from four matches and three of our four goals have come from strikers so why bother?

Kléberson preseason 2015. Indy has had mixed success with marquee players. There is always a risk.

Then there is the financial side versus the risk. We all know Kleberson was a big risk, he likely sucked up a large portion of an inaugural team player budget and spent a lot of time injured. Since then Indy has signed Gerardo Torrado at age 36 and Jon Busch at age 39 who were both an important part of reaching a championship final in 2016. While Torrado and Busch paid off there is still the chance that could all have gone wrong as well.

Indy Eleven leaks money as most lower division US teams do, playing catch up in a new league and in a new stadium is probably not helping, it's not really a time for taking risks and if Kenny Miller expects to be paid well then its a no go area for me.

Kenny Miller is 38 years old and is still incredibly fit but it would only take one bad turn on field turf or one crunching lower division tackle to potentially turn him into a money pit for the rest of the year. I don't think that would happen but it always has to be considered as a possibility.

Is Kenny Miller a household name? Not in this country, probably not. He is not a Didier Drogba, nor is he as well known to the average Joe in the USA as Kleberson, Torrado, Busch or Joe Cole may be. Paying a large amount for him to come here is probably not going to see a huge rise in ticket sales. Followers of MLS will have heard of him, he played 43 games for Vancouver Whitecaps from 2012-2014 scoring 13 goals.

Note. Now that I have mentioned the Drogba, he is 40 years old and scored for Phoenix Rising last week in a 1-0 victory over LA Galaxy II... age shmage.

Would I sign Kenny Miller if I was given the green light?

Short answer, yes. It's a difficult one though, if it was financially viable then I definitely would, I don't see it as a huge risk as he is still playing at the top level in his country and still producing, he is physically fit and probably more fit than most players at his age. Miller is a well-disciplined professional, he looks after himself well and when you see him play now that is highly visible. The big question, as mentioned earlier, do we need such a player?

I am highly impressed with the squad of players we already have and there is ample competition for starting positions up front. I think I would not be against it provided it does not cause a disruption amongst the team, I don't think it would and honestly I don't think Kenny Miller would come here expecting to go straight on to the field, he would come here to help in whatever capacity he can for a former coach. Kenny Miller is very much from the old school of thought where you don't just get something for turning up, it has to be earned.

(Kenny Miller scoring on April 7th, 2018 against Dundee in the SPL)

Even though Indy Eleven may not need another striker right now, I do think it would benefit to add one or two players to this roster given the injury problems we have already seen and the amount of games left to play including potential postseason matches.

That will probably be the hardest part, convincing an owner and the general supporter that we need to bring in a player who is, without doubt, a huge player, but is not a name that is going to make everyone go "Woah, really?".

Also consider, given that I am a die hard Celtic fan and have taken the time to even write about a current Rangers player and even post a video of them playing fitba (yuck) speaks volumes about the respect Kenny Miller commands as a professional and a Scottish International. He is definitely not the type of player who sets out to be hated, and I certainly would not complain if he lands in Indianapolis.

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Indy Eleven are beginning to Spring into the Fall Season

Indy Eleven are prepared to take the Fall Season.

By Brian Cook

It seemed like the beginning of the season for Indy Eleven was a bad day wrapped up in a reboot of Groundhog's Day. No matter hard they tried they kept reliving the same play over and over again it just seemed to never change week to week. Part of that stemmed from how bad injuries were for Indy Eleven but no matter the case it seemed like Indy Eleven were in for a rough season.

And then, suddenly, everything clicked. The last five games of the Spring Season were the personification of Bill Murray's quote in Groundhog's day. Today is tomorrow, and Indy Eleven got healthy, got hungry, and determined to make good on the expectations put on them since the start of the season. Here are a few things that have changed over time during the Spring.

Team Chemistry:

The concept of team chemistry having a tangible difference on and off the field is a subject debated on blogs, groups, and generally throughout sports. No matter the sport the question "does it really matter?" revolves around the idea that the longer the same set of players play together the better they will play. For Indy Eleven early on in the Spring it clearly was a sticking point. A point where the injury bug that had it's teeth deep into the muscle of the team came to affect how players would play. 

A back three while risky has proven to be effective for Indy Eleven

You can have the best players on the field night in and night but the overwhelming need for cohesiveness and fluidity offensively is a concept that can often make or break victories in sports. Indy Eleven was no exception as they wrapped up the Spring Season winning four of their last five games with a starting eleven that was widely seen as their strongest eleven. 

While not a huge play the small detail of not taking the free kick ahead of the cross in the box by Vuko was clearly something that was worked on and planned and the boys eventually would earn a penalty kick which was eventually scored by Don Smart.

Knowing where players are has helped Indy Eleven build on a slow start to 2017

While Hankinson put his best foot forward and pushed Indy Eleven into the best position he could at the start of the season it was pretty clear that injuries were hurting the quality of player to see the field and damaging team chemistry as players were occasionally in positions and roles that weren't natural to them. 

Moves like Daniel Keller dancing around the backline or Lovel Palmer playing central midfield worked but it was easy to see this wasn't natural nor was it something that should occur past players who were out returning from injury.

Defensive upswing:

A glaring issue that faced Indy Eleven this season was where the defense would sit. While returning was club captain Colin Falvey, Nemanja Vukovich and Marco Franco there was still unanswered questions as to who would replace the roles left by the retiring Greg Janicki as well as the strength of the reliable Cory Miller. 

Both were key in different areas in 2016 and it seemed early on in 2017 with the tactical adjustments that Tim Hankinson instituted inside of the 4-4-2 he molded in 2016 it looked as if the club would struggle defensively and rely on the boots of Braun and Zayed for support.

And Indy Eleven didn't really give fans much in the way of disagreement early on. Players like Kwame Watson-Siriboe were just as close to mark someone as he was to be a bull on roller skates in a china shop. The defense lacked cohesiveness and the same awareness it garnered from the success earned a year ago. 

Marking seems to be a skill waiting to emerge

Indy Eleven were challenged. It was clear that 2016 did them no favors and that the North American Soccer League was prepared to be even more challenging in 2017. But as time has gone on and season has progressed we have seen that Indy Eleven are truly learning from theirs mistakes. 

This is mainly due to finally having the healthiest and strongest eleven this team can put on the field actually on the field. It almost feels like the last five games of the season were, in reality, the start of the season instead of the end of the Spring season.

Jon Busch: A Fine Wine:

Soccer/Football is one of the few professional sports where age can really be only a number. To a certain degree of course, but players like Alessandro Totti from Roma who just ended a career with the same club and retired at the age of 40. 

Enter Jon Busch. Both as a leader and a player Jon Busch has helped carry Indy Eleven since joining the club in 2016 and for all intense and purpose is the reason that the club hasn't dwindled down the table any farther. 

Busch, 40, is more than likely retiring baring some sort of change, his role with Indy Eleven has been with the club helping train goalkeepers and could send up sticking around after his playing career is over to help grow the likes of Keith Cardona and Christian Lomeli. Regardless of what next season holds it's clear that the success for Indy Eleven rests on the shoulders and gloves of Jon Busch.

Jon Busch's performances during the 2017 Spring Season has helped hold the club together

Busch's consistency, leadership, and awareness with stop the ball has led Indy Eleven to be in a position that early on seemed unreachable.

Where will they Fall?:

It shouldn't come as a shock but the NASL season break couldn't have come at a better time for Indy Eleven. While going on a break isn't helpful for consistency the injuries and subsequently draining aspect of the season has taken it's toll team. It took a majority of the Spring for the Boys in Blue to find their form and now that they have found it they can use this break to get healthy, get smarter, and get consistent with that form. 

Where will Indy Eleven finish the season at? It's hard to say. With the NASL it's sometimes a turn of the key on whether or not you have good or bad form. Indy has all the tools as well as the understanding of how to achieve success this season. It's really up to them what they want to do with it. For now, let's enjoy the season break and hope we get to see the quality of play the last five games gave us as we venture into the Fall season

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.

Indy Eleven Late-Spring Wallpaper

Jon Busch doin' work. (Desktop version)

Goalkeeper Jon Busch is our cover boy in blue for the late spring version of the Indy Eleven schedule wallpaper, courtesy of our friend @WurstEleven. While the wallpaper may not be safe for work, Busch, as the owner of the club record for shutouts, is totally safe for work.

(Mobile version)

Also, be sure to check out and consider donating to the veteran net-minder's "SAVES for SEALs" program benefitting the Navy Seal Foundation.

We have high-resolution versions of the wallpaper available for both mobile and desktop devices:

// Download the mobile version

// Download the desktop version

Also, in case you overlooked our previous warning, there are some subtle details in the wallpaper that may not be safe for work.

Picked Apart: Indy Eleven vs Miami FC REVIEW (5/20/2017)

Frustration was the theme of the night when Indy Eleven faced league leaders Miami FC.

By Brandon Cockrum

Entering Saturday’s match head coach Tim Hankinson described the Eleven’s meeting last weekend as "being ripped apart" by Miami. This week the Eleven lined up with three defensive midfielders in an attempt to stymy a Miami attack that Hankinson said goes right down the middle of the park. The result: rather than being torn apart, Miami cooly picked Indy apart, taking advantage of two defensive errors from the Eleven to claim a 2-0 victory. The loss humbly ends Indy’s NASL record 21-game unbeaten streak at home.

The Eleven lined up with a full-strength back four, however Kwame Watson-Siriboe paired with Colin Falvey at center back to allow Lovel Palmer to shift forward into a central defensive midfield role next to Brad Ring. Gerardo Torrado was deployed in front of them, creating a defensive cone in the center of the pitch to deflect Miami attacks away from Indy’s core.

Ben Speas and rookie Tanner Thompson were split wide of Torrado as attacking midfielders with Justin Braun as a lone striker. Clearly, with just three true offense-oriented players, defense would be a priority for Indy and the strategy would be to manufacture a goal through heart and hustle rather than a refined attack.

For 25 minutes Indy held on with just a few breaks in their defensive shield and seemed to be gaining their footing. Jon Busch was forced to make a nice save from a corner kick header in the 10th minute and a Miami attacker shanked a shot high from seven yards out in the 16th minute.

In the 27th minute Indy looked poised to manufacture the game’s first goal as Justin Braun, after tackling the ball from Miami defender Rhett Bernstein, went one-on-one against goalkeeper Daniel Vega. But, Vega was up to the challenge and stopped Braun’s attempted flick dribble around him.

A rapid Miami counter after Vega's stop of Braun was halted by an Indy foul near the top of the penalty box. While Indy dropped their heads or turned their attention to the referee Miami quickly restarted play. Robert Kcira made a simple pass to Vincenzo Rennella waiting on Busch’s doorstep and the experienced striker calmly finished the play.

In a matter of one minute, Indy went from looking like they had the game’s first goal to being down 1-0 and staring up a large mountain with inadequate climbing gear.

The first half concluded with Miami content and Indy unable to create and possibly the only highlight after the goal being an animated discussion during a stoppage in play between Ring, Falvey, Marco Franco and Hankinson.

Defender Marco Franco looks to spark an Indy attack.

The second half continued similarly with Miami probing and testing the Indy defensive but not causing much trouble and Indy struggling to build anything resembling a threatening offense. Possession was frequently lost by the boys in pinstripes in the midfield through poor passing or lack of control. Only once in the game did the Eleven manage a shot from their opponents penalty box.

In the 72nd minute another defensive error from Indy provided Miami with another clear opportunity on goal. Away from the play, a slow moving Watson-Siriboe kept Miami’s Kwame Poku onside and allowed Michael Lahoud to play a through ball that beat Poku’s defender and put the attacker in on goal where he calmly beat Busch with a shot.

2-0, with Miami in front and not looking over their shoulder,

The sport’s most dangerous lead was never threatened as Indy continued to struggle creating offense. Mild urgency at the end was easily dealt with by the visitors as they saw the game out and claimed their league leading 17th point of the season.

Four Takeaways

Mares eagerly waits to take the field in Indianapolis.

Mares Thriving in Miami

It's bittersweet to see, but Dylan Mares has been a key cog for the league's top team. The plucky attacking midfielder has 2 goals, 1 assist and is a league leader in chances created. The Eleven would have liked to have kept the homegrown product but higher wages, sandy beaches and youthful ambition drew him to Miami. While highly respected, it might have taken a move away for Mares' quality to be fully appreciated by everyone in Indy.

M.I.A.

The Eleven offense, currently missing in action, has now gone four matches without scoring a legitimate goal. Sure, they registered two goals last week in Miami but one was an own goal and one was due to a miscommunication between a defender and goalie on a ball that both had covered, a figurative gift from Miami for a clearly surprised goalscorer, Braun.

Among eight NASL teams, the Eleven are fifth in shots take and seventh in shot accuracy. So, they're not getting many shots off and those they do get are poorly taken.

A healthy Eamon Zayed and Don Smart should help the club find it’s lost attack but neither was even available for action on Saturday. It may be a few weeks (or more) before both return to full form and, even when they do, can we confidently say this team is poised for takeoff? More importantly, what do we do until then?

Roster Makeup

There has been pressure on coach Hankinson due to the poor results but he has lately been forced to put lipstick on a pig. A coach can only do so much with the ingredients he is given. Injuries should have been expected with a roster that is the league’s oldest club, however after the top 14 or so players there was a distinct drop-off in skill and experience. 

Now that injuries and poor form have hit the coach has few options to try. Two goalies are often part of our seven available subs on match day. Rookies David Goldsmith and Thompson have been required to play a lot of minutes, but this is a league that is very difficult for professional rookies to make an impact. Three in-season acquisitions have been feckless, to the point that none of them sniffed the pitch against Miami. On Saturday Daniel Keller was brought in late in the game with Indy needing to find goals. Last season, Nicki Paterson, Sinisa Ubiparipovic or other strong options were available off the bench for Hankinson. (Nothing against Keller but his skills are best utilized keeping the ball out of the net rather than putting it in.)

The club currently sits in sixth place (out of 8), well behind the top five. If club owner Ersal Ozdemir wants things to turn around it seems that he'll have to open up the checkbook for a key summer signing (or two).

Downward Spiral

The club’s poor results - six draws and three losses leave the club as the only pro team in the US without a victory - are now threatening the status of players and coaches. 

"If the downward spiral continues there will be changes, whether that’s coaching staff or players,” Hankinson told Greg Rakestraw on "Soccer Saturday" the morning of this match. 

With another poor result later that evening it seems that someone will be held accountable by the next match - the question is who and will it have a positive effect?

Indy Taste First Defeat in Miami: Miami FC v Indy Eleven REVIEW (5/13/2017)

Bizarre confusion surrounds the end of the game after only three of four stoppage minutes are played.

By: James Cormack

It wouldn't be a 2017 Indy Eleven game if we did not have some kind of new injury before the start. No sign of Eamon Zayed in the starting lineup or on the bench, contact in the previous match against Edmonton triggered a back injury, Craig Henderson also missing with possible hamstring. No immediate return to the starting lineup for Marco Franco either but he did make the bench along with the return of Don Smart and Ben Speas.

Indy's Starting XI

Indy Eleven lined up for the start with Jon Busch in goal, Lovel Palmer, Kwame Watson-Siriboe, Colin Falvey and Daniel Keller across the back, Brandon Poltronieri, Gerardo Torrado, Tanner Thompson and Jason Plumhoff in midfield and David Goldsmith partnered Justin Braun up front in the absence of Zayed.

Miami FC had an injury of their own with Stefano Pinho missing, replaced by Jaime Chávez. Michael Lahoud was also unavailable for the home side.

Miami FC lined up with Vega, Bernstein, Freeman, Kcira, Trafford, Mares, Rezende, Ryan, Chávez, Poku and Renella.

Three Indy Eleven players made their starting debut, David Goldsmith, Brandon Poltronieri and Jason Plumhoff. Unfamiliar lineups are nothing new for Indy Eleven this year but in this match probably only 5 of the players on the field when the whistle blew would be considered part of a preferred starting eleven.

Indy prove mildly successful at damage limitation.....

Okay maybe that's a bit harsh. It could pretty much be guaranteed from the onset of this game that Miami FC were going to throw everything and several kitchen sinks at Indy Eleven from the onset. 

Barely a minute had passed in the game when Jon Busch was called upon to make a great save when Enzo Rennella unleashed a shot from outside Indy Eleven's box. Moments later Miami FC worked into a position to pass the ball across the face of goal leaving Busch stranded but Miami's attack couldn't arrive fast enough to push the ball into goal.

This was a pattern that would ensue for almost the entire first half, Miami FC working themselves into great positions and creating opportunities but failing on the final ball. Indy Eleven had to play spoiler and weather the storm for as long as they could. The first good look for Indy came in the 24th minute when David Goldsmith made room for himself to shoot from the center of the box and forced a fine fingertip save from Daniel Vega.




Miami FC continued to miss clear cut chances in the final third and as the half wore on and Miami appeared to be slowing down it looked like Indy Eleven would be able to go into half time still level. At this point in the game it is fair to say has Miami been more clinical in front of goal it could easily be 3-0 already.

Then a hammer blow was dealt in stoppage time of the first half. In the 46th minute of the game Enzo Rennella who had threatened the Indy goal multiple times already picked up on a ball from Poku and struck with his left foot at the top of the box and curled the ball past Jon Busch to give Miami a lead going into the break.

It can be demoralizing to let a goal in right at the half, when players and coaches are already preparing themselves to get to the break and plan for the second half, but Indy Eleven were not ready to roll over just yet.

Coach Hankinson appeared to use this game as an opportunity to bring players in his depleted roster up to match fitness. Brandon Poltronieri and Jason Plumhoff who had seen some good touches in the first half were replaced for the second 45 by Ben Speas and Anthony Manning, no doubt in an effort to gain fitness for the upcoming games against Michigan Bucks and Miami FC at home.

With only 10 minutes of the second half played and despite a considerable reshuffle in the Indy lineup, the Eleven found themselves level in the game again. Ben Speas delivered a corner from Miami's left and in an attempt to head clear Miami defender Hunter Freeman redirected the ball into the far side of his own net. The game was tied at 1-1 and I am sure many Indy Eleven fans watching would have loved the game to end at that point.

Indy Eleven's hopes faded in a flurry of activity from 60-65 minutes in the game, after spurning many chances in the game up until this point Miami FC found the net twice in the space of a few minutes. Dylan Mares broke some hearts by putting his team 2-1 ahead in the 61st minute. Setting up a one two with team mate Enzo Rennella, Lovel Palmer closed the pass down but it came back off the heel of Rennella and into the path of Mares who slammed the ball low past Jon Busch.

Only four minutes later Hunter Freeman the guilty party in Indy Eleven's equalizing goal played a cross that found Robert Kcira and his right footed shot from outside the box found the back of the net to give Miami a two goal lead in the game, it was a superb goal. It was also a crushing goal and at this point in the game you had to wonder just how bad it might get from this point.

Don Smart was another welcome sight returning to the field after several weeks out, he entered in the 72nd minute to replace David Goldsmith. Indy looked for more width to try and press Miami, there was little point in trying to be defensive in a game that looked already lost.

Smart was instrumental in helping the Boys in Blue pull another goal back in the game. In the 83rd minute the usual trickery from Don deep in the corner allowed hi to split two defenders and send a low pass in front of goal, one that looked a little too easy to gather. A complete breakdown in communication between keeper Vega and his defense allowed the ball to roll on past everyone and Justin Braun slotted home to reduce the deficit to only one goal.



The second goal offered a glimmer of hope for Indy and they never gave up on finding the equalizer right until the final whistle when Tanner Thompson worked well inside the Miami box but his final shot on goal was blocked and the game was over. Indy Eleven received their first taste of defeat in 2017 at the hands of league leaders Miami FC.

Well we thought it was finished, in one of the most bizarre moments I have seen in a game, both sides complained to the referee that he had stopped the game one minute before the allocated four minutes of stoppage time and after some back and forth the game was restarted for one minute. The score remained the same, credit to Alessandro Nesta, his team had already won but he seemed hell bent on getting that minute played and he pulled it off.

Where do we go from here?

There is an old saying that until you can never really be a winner until you have tasted defeat. The season to date has been a struggle for Indy Eleven that goes without saying, they have fought well to earn every point they have, but there is a breaking point. I think it was Éamon Zayed who was quoted last year as saying "it is how you react to defeat that defines you as a player and as a team".

The best way to remove that bitter taste is to move on and win. Indy despite their injury issues have had opportunities to give new players and returning players game time with the aim of bringing all players up to match fitness and this will pay off in the long run. In the coming weeks with a little luck we may be in an enviable position of having too many players to choose from. It still is very difficult to be disappointed with this team.

It may seem puzzling to some to see two substitutes being used at half time in the game, all games are important, but as I mentioned in a preview for this match, it is probably the least critical of the three we have to play this week. Hankinson has used this game to give Plumhoff, Poltronieri, Goldsmith, Manning, Speas and Don Smart valuable game time.

The midweek game against Michigan Bucks in the US Open Cup I am sure will not be taken lightly, but again it offers us further opportunity to bring fitness back to multiple players within the roster. By the time May 20th and the home tie against Miami FC rolls around, our opposition will no doubt see a much changed side from the one they have just defeated. Indy Eleven need a first home win, and also have an unbeaten home record to protect. If you want to answer critics, you may as well do it against the toughest opponent you can find.

Purgatory: Indy Eleven vs. FC Edmonton Review (5/6/2017)

Exactly how it feels. Photo: James Cormack

By: Jordan Kalt

Three games in eight days. Thousands of miles of international travel.

Such was the weight of exhausted repetition on FC Edmonton’s shoulders. And yet, somehow, the Eddies came out and looked much like the defensive squad of yesteryear.

Indy Eleven’s perpetual challenges took a different but familiar shape. With what felt like nearly half the roster once again sidelined due to injury, Indy's starters didn’t have to begin the match fighting physical exhaustion in the same way as Edmonton. It was more a question of going full-90' with a will to win and break out of this drawn out agony.

At the end, I believe they were found having rightly given all they had. Pulled up and clutching their knees alongside the weary Canadian travelers, the Eleven exhausted their options and their energy, but without a win to show for it.

How many times must we repeat this?

Turn! Turn! Turn!

To everything a season. Exhaustion is a complicated season. It’s both physical and mental. Though they've never sprinted along the pitch for a single minute outside of the club's first home win, you can still tell supporters are in a state of exhaustion. Endless draws.

Six in a row.

The players are there, too. As much as the fans may want a win, nobody is as sick and tired of drawing these games as individuals on the Eleven's squad.

Then There Were Positives

Edmonton came out with strength and conviction but Indy Eleven absorbed the pressure until they were able to begin bending it back on their opponents near the end of the first half.

Keeper, Jon Busch, and center back, Colin Falvey, seem comfortably inside their old groove again. Our defensive shape and organization was at a season best. This is directly attributable to Busch and Falvey’s leadership and communication, though Daniel Keller deserves a very special mention of his own for a remarkably good night filling in for the injured Vukovich.



Likewise, Indy’s midfield worked themselves into good shape after a slow start. Aerial duels began falling consecutively to the home side near the middle of the match as Edmonton’s fatigue started to show and experienced stalwarts such as Torrado and Ring tightened the screws.

In this area of the pitch Ubiparipovic has really come into his own. The long injuries and uncertainty of last season are behind him and he appears to have that number ten role all to himself again. His masterful feeds have been key in seeing the team build play from the center midfield and the top of the box, dynamics which were decidedly on display Saturday evening. May the nights of forty hopeful crosses into the box never be seen again.

And it must be said that on the front lines, Justin Braun and Eamon Zayed have never looked better. Their link-ups have become multifaceted and much more reciprocal. In this match, Braun developed a particularly titanic struggle with Edmonton center back, Pape Diakite, which every Eleven supporter was dying to see end in a self-satisfied goal.

The Wise and Dissatisfied

With a significantly shortened deck of players, Hankinson pushed the starting eleven as far as he possibly could and their conditioning held up well under the pressure. It was just before the 80th minute when the coach put in his first sub, newcomer, Jason Plumhoff, who made a notable impact.

Hopefully Plumhoff will be yet another in a stellar series of player acquisitions by Tim Hankinson this year. The player budget has been notably reduced for 2017, but Hankinson has made the best of it. Yes, there have been many injuries which have certainly cost us early on and roster depth has been a constant struggle. But I never would have thought the team’s record would survive so many big-name injuries as it has and that is all thanks to Hankinson’s eye for talent and congruent pieces.

A retention like Daniel Keller may have seemed a small thing in the offseason but could become a linchpin with Vukovich out now. Similarly, inconspicuous additions like Tanner Thompson and Jason Plumhoff promise to keep the club hungry and in the hunt through the rest of this injury stretch.

Tanner wants more. Eddies say, "no." Photo: James Cormack

You Already Know How This Will End

Following a well-earned yellow card early in the match, Brad Ring got tangled with a flailing opponent in the 90th and was shown his second card and a path off the field. What hopes the Eleven may have had of a last second victory seemed to dissipate with the shift to a ten man lineup.

The final attempt of the match fell inside the box to Justin Braun and as he lowered himself for the hopeful, traffic-jammed guess at a bicycle kick, the play at once became a fitting analogy for the overall feelings of these first six games.

We are doing so much right. We are so often in the right place and at the right time.

And we're still stuck in this cycle.

The win still hasn't come.

But I will say this... as healthy players begin returning over the next few weeks, some unlucky club is going to find themselves on the receiving end of a very angsty and talented Indy Eleven team. It will come.

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Post match reactions from Colin Falvey, Tim Hankinson and Justin Braun. Also available on iTunes and Stitcher, search for "Bloody Shambles Soccer"