Bad goal, good goal - Indy Eleven V Bethlehem Steel REVIEW

Magnificent goalkeeping from Owain Fôn Williams kept Indy Eleven alive under heavy pressure from Bethlehem Steel. Photo - Trevor Ruzkowski

By REBECCA TOWNSEND (aka The Pitch Bitch)

The tragedy happened in slow motion. The salvation happened in a heartbeat.

Host team Indy Eleven and visiting opponents Bethlehem Steel, both with playoff spots on the line, engaged in a physical match in which raw emotion between the players often surfaced as they scrapped for an advantage.

Indy had some bright moments. Captain Matt Watson managed a solid shot on goal. Reiner Ferreira sucked the life out of a virile Bethlehem counterattack with a solid block. And then there was brilliant work from Indy goalie Owain Fôn Williams after Steel midfielder and captain James Chambers and forward Faris Moumbunga unstitched Indy's entire field and looked to have an all-but-certain goal on tap. Not one to cave in the face of unkind odds, Fôn Williams not only deflected Moumbunga's point-blank shot, he also scrambled successfully to reject a second attempt made off the rebound.

Then, in the 39th minute, an ugly scene. Moumbugna streaked down the right flank as Carlyle Mitchell, the last Indy defender back, sprinted in to shut down the attack. Just as Mitchell closed the space, he crumpled to the turf clutching at what appeared to be a seized or pulled hamstring. Moumbugna paid no heed, seizing the 1-on-1 situation that had just unfolded between him and Fôn Williams. The keeper, caught off guard by the sudden lack of defensive pressure, could not shut down Moumbugna's angle and the visitors went up by one.

With so much on the line, one can hardly blame the man for capitalizing on the unexpected advantage. But still, watching the Steel celebrate, one couldn't help but think, "You feel proud of yourselves for that, do you? Shame on you."

Heading to the locker room at halftime, Indy trailed.

The setup for the Oct. 6 match could have hardly be more dramatic. The teams stood back-to-back on the United Soccer League's Eastern Conference standings table, both scrambling to secure a spot in the playoffs for the USL championship. Each team had earned a victory and suffered a loss in the two games they played against each other earlier in the season. Three points would secure that spot for Indy. A loss would make the situation much dicier.

Then tension was high the entire second half. Within the first few minutes, Steel midfielder Michee Ngalina tried to provoke a fight on a dead ball by aggressively pushing Indy's Ayoze in the chest. But cooler heads prevailed among the host side and Indy kept working.

Defensive midfielder Nico Matern had a solid attempt on goal rebuffed. But Indy continued pressing.

But then, in the infancy of the 61rst minute, the tension was broken by a play of unquestionable beauty. Whereas the tragedy unfolded in slow motion, Indy's salvation occurred with two strokes so swift and decisive, Bethlehem had no idea what hit them until they watched the replay.

Seconds after Indy's defensive disarmed a Steel attack, Ayoze took possession of the ball at the top his defensive third on the left flank and, after quickly zeroing in on his target, sent a 55-yard aerial ball across the field to the top right corner of the Steel's 18. Indy striker Eugene Starikov read the play as it unfolded and sprinted to connect. With a defender at his left shoulder and keeper Tomas Romero still in front of him, Starikov took one touch on the volley to chip Romero and send the ball into Bethlehem's goal for the equalizer.

Brillance.

Few things are more fun in soccer than watching the opposing keeper flying back into his own net, desperately clutching for a ball that is already past saving. The scene was the perfect remedy to the heartache endured in the first half.

The play also provided a positive end note for the conclusion of Indy Eleven's first season at Lucas Oil Stadium.

The Boys in Blue have one final road match to play in the regular season. They will face Lousiville City FC next Saturday, Oct. 13, at 7:30 p.m.

Goals flow for Indy in revenge match - Indy Eleven V New York Red Bulls II REVIEW

Striker Eugene Starikov checks in with fans in the Brickyard Battalion after scoring two goals in the first 20 minutes of Indy Eleven's 3-0 shutout of the New York Red Bulls II. (Photo by Rebecca Townsend)

By REBECCA TOWNSEND (aka The Pitch Bitch)

Indy Eleven stepped to the field on Wednesday night with a straightforward message to visiting New York: We're going to win this game in a major way! With a 3-0 scoreline by halftime (Eugene Starikov, a former member of the New York Cosmos, scored once within the game's first two minutes and again within the game's first 20 minutes), the message remained undiluted.

New York kept pressing throughout the second half — and opened up what appeared to be several decent chances — but nothing they brought to the field could unsettle the hosts.

The final score remained 3-0.

Excellent assists came from Mares and Watson, respectively, on Starikov's brace. The third goal was ultimately settled by a decisive strike from Brazilian defender Reiner Ferreira, but defensive midfielder Nico Matern deserves credit for making an excellent penetrating run that served to put New York's defence on its heels. It was a rebound off Matern's initial shot that his teammate Dylan Mares was able to control and pass off to Seth Moses, who laid it into Ferreira's path for the kill shot.

Wednesday's match represented a refreshing taste of revenge for Indy Eleven. When the squad visited New York earlier this season, the junior Red Bulls beat the visiting Midwestern squad 4-1, the Eleven's worst defeat of the season. Though New York can console themselves with the fact that the 59 goals they've tallied this season have placed them ahead of every other team in the league in the "goals scored" category, they could not shake their winless road status. (They've lost five road games and tied eight this season.)

The victory drives Indy Eleven up two places in the USL Eastern Conference standings table to fourth place.

Standings as of September 6, 2018.

"Today was fun!" midfielder Seth Moses said, reflecting on the victory postgame. The team's performance demonstrates its "determination and ambition to reach the next level," Moses said. "I believe we have a championship-winning team." 

But even with an eye on the ultimate prize, Moses added that he and his teammates are committed to taking "one step at a time" as they move toward the playoffs. It is "vital that the pieces come together" as each player provides leadership in different ways, he said. When questioned on where he sees his greatest contribution over the remaining few weeks,  Moses said he is known as a team fitness leader and he plans to remain accountable on that score.

"I feed off their energy," Moses said.

The New York match marked the final stage of a particularly brutal portion of Indy's 2018 schedule: seven matches in 22 days. The Eleven managed to complete the gauntlet of games undefeated. They have not suffered a loss since their July 21 game road game against the Tampa Bay Rowdies, so the team rides a nine-game undefeated streak heading into their final six regular-season matches of the season.

"We played one game in 19 days, then seven games in 22 days," Indy Eleven's head coach Martin Rennie said after the game. "I've never seen anything like that in any schedule. We came through that — and that is a great confidence booster."

Making it through such a trial of endurance demonstrates the team's considerable depth and its ability to make adjustments, stay fresh, and even grow stronger over time, Rennie said.

Two home games remain ahead of the playoffs, but fans must wait three weeks to see their team take the field at Lucas Oil Stadium. 

Indy will host its final WEDNESDAY NIGHT GAME against the Tampa Bay Rowdies on Wed., Sept. 26. The final regular-season home game is set for Sat., Oct. 6 against Bethlehem Steel FC. (These games will be broadcast on MyIndy 23 TV. Tell your local bartender to tune in!) Kickoff time for all these matches is 7 p.m.

Fans may also consider a road trip to lovely southwestern Ohio on Sept. 29, when Indy will visit Cincinnati FC, the most dominant team in the USL's Eastern Conference. 

Fee-free tickets are available for purchase through the Brickyard Battalion supporters club at BYBtix.com. The team has plenty of good deals, as well, at IndyEleven.com. 

Indy Wrecks Hard During 500 - NYRB II V Indy Eleven REVIEW

Indy Eleven crashes 4-1 to vastly superior MLS Academy side NYRBII

By: James Cormack

New York Red Bulls II kicked off the first half of this game and Indy Eleven quickly pressed to win possession. Having done so the ball was played back to left defense and passed across to Brad Rusin. With time enough to make oneself a sandwich, within 25 seconds after kick off we played a long high ball into the middle of the park. Why? You have to really ask yourself now is this what our team is being encouraged or asked to do?

Color commentator and former Red Bull defender Heath Pearce made a comment within the first five minutes of the match that stood out to me above all the commentary during the game relating to Indy Eleven's style of play...

"I don't think Indy is a team that is focused on being possession-oriented,  they can be very direct, they are not looking to outplay or play through you, even though they have the quality of players to do so."

Worth repeating... "They have the quality of players to do so."

Thank you Mr. Pearce. 

So why is Indy Eleven playing like this? You can't blame it on needing a rest this week, and you can't blame it on the roster as we know we have quality. So after ten games, it has to be said that our coaching staff is setting our team up and asking them to play in a way that is simply not working in this league, it doesn't even work against D4 teams. If they believe it should then maybe they are not communicating their intentions clearly enough to the squad.

Do the basic things correctly, and don't concede possession right after gaining it, not in the first 30 seconds or at any time during a game.

If we have no plan B and are unable to change direction in the way we play or are too stubborn to do so, then it's going to be a long hard season.

Soony Saad scored his third for the season and Indy's only goal of the day.

NYRBII is an Academy team, and from what I could see they play the game the way it should be played. They kept the ball down, played a great passing game, looked for the channels, slotted the passes and used the corners as well as the middle of the park and were very dangerous in front of goal even before they scored their first goal. They were able to use every inch of the field and engage their whole team in attacking build-ups.

A great pass from McInerney into the box that came off the heel of Nathan Lewis was swept home convincingly by Soony Saad to give us the lead in the 21st minute, it was against the run of play really, but you take those. Red Bulls overall play in the half and especially the last 10 minutes would have made a scoreline of 2 or 3-1 to the home side at halftime unsurprising.

To be fair, the mistake that cost us the lead was a mistake any player can make in any league in the world at any given time. The backpass header to Owain from Venegas was badly weighted and it allowed our opponents to seize the moment and pull level. How you react to a mistake like this as a team can define you, we did the same thing again within a few short minutes and it resulted in a penalty decision and we're 2-1 down.

As in the previous match against Bethlehem Steel players are by this time becoming visibly frustrated. Brad Ring was taken out of the game on a yellow for Juan Guerra which is a reasonable decision, I had hoped this would give us a little bit of creativity in midfield, but before long frustration caught up with us and Nico Matern had to leave the field by way of a red card for a second yellow. Indy Eleven's defensive quality thus far has not been just because of a steadfast back line and a great keeper, it has also been because of our great work in defensive midfield, and now our both of our DM's were gone.

We have missed Matern's defensive influence, due to a red we will miss him again midweek.

Eleven down to ten.

Red Bulls continued to play the way they had the whole game, patiently and technically and it was only a matter of time before the scoreline increased. And it did. By the end of the game and into stoppage time, an academy team was able to showboat and tease us. The home team could have easily scored eight goals if it were not for some great stops by Owain Fôn Williams. We fell by a scoreline of 4-1, the most crippling defeat we have suffered in 2018 and for the first time by more than one goal.

We completely folded and crashed like a poorly constructed paper dart into concrete! I hate to have to keep making analogies to our 2016 team, but that team played every minute of every game and they had the courage and the character to come back from behind and eke out results. This team does not, and I am being perfectly honest when I say I do not blame the players (not all of them at least). Martin Rennie has to take this on the chin and face his demons, what you think might have worked in this league, is not working at all.

The only shining light we have up to this point is our away record, unbeaten and having not conceded a goal away from home we were wrecked, shamed, teased and embarrassed on the field of play. It is simply unacceptable and I don't think I am being unkind in saying so. If for some strange reason a coach or a player actually reads this, prove to me I am wrong. I want that to happen more than anything in the world right now!

I will end on a note from last week, there were no excuses for the result at home against Bethlehem, and I for one was not buying any of the reasons given for that loss after the match, we saw no difference in the way we approached a game a week later, same style, same setup and same antiquated form of route one football. We got some much-needed rest and did the exact same thing again. If a color commentator and former player can read us and like an open book and describe us perfectly in such a simple manner, then so can every coach in this league.

It's simply not good enough.

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Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and our website BloodyShambles.com  and show some love to The Pitch Bitch and Wurst Eleven. The Bloody Shambles Soccer Show podcast has returned and is available on iTunes, Stitcher, or directly from Soundcloud. Plans are to have at least one show per month.

Indy Survive Battle Of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Riverhounds V Indy Eleven REVIEW

Carlyle Mitchell never likes leaving the field, unfortunately for Indy he left early in this match.

By: James Cormack

Indy Eleven hit the road for a Friday night match this week against the only remaining undefeated team in USL, Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC. The Boys in Blue entered the game undefeated away from home. At the end of the night, the song remains the same, Pittsburgh is still the only undefeated team in the USL and Indy have still not been beaten on the road nor have they conceded a goal.

Indy Eleven notched their fifth clean sheet of 2018 and picked up one point in a very hard fought 0-0 draw at Highmark Stadium. All respect should be given to the home team for making this match a very difficult one for Indy Eleven, they will be sore for not finding the net after their efforts. They attacked well and defended even better but also failed in scoring.

The first 20-25 minutes of the first half was somewhat cagey, both sides probing but not able to find a way to unlock their opposition, there were purple patches and scary moments for either side. From about halfway through the first half the tempo picked up and it did not cease for the entirety of the game.

Pittsburgh pressed Indy Eleven very well and as the second half wore on Indy found it harder and harder to settle into any kind of rhythm, Riverhounds controlled the pace of the game and they made it very hard work. It was an incredible feat of survival really for Indy's normally calm and collected defense, at times they looked shell-shocked and confused but still managed to hold down the clean sheet.

Nico Matern (left) in action against Lou City was the second casualty of the night, replaced by Juan Guerra.

Martin Rennie again made slight changes to the starting lineup going with what looked like a 4-1-4-1 with Matern holding down the defensive midfield and Jack McInerney the lone striker. Kevin Venegas, who left the Louisville game late through injury was rested and Brad Ring again stepped in at right back. Justin Braun started to give us another attacking option and Watson was again rested.

Starting Lineup: Fôn Williams, Ring, Mitchell, Ouimette, Ayoze, Matern, Lewis, Braun, Steinberger, Saad, and McInerney. Subs: Farr, Rusin, Watson, Amankona, Speas, Guerra and Moses.

It was enough of a shuffle to expect Indy to require a little time in this game to find themselves in a new formation. At a point in the game where Indy looked like they were settling, they were dealt a hammer blow when Carlyle Mitchell had to leave the field in the 35th minute. The pack was shuffled again and Brad Rusin stepped in alongside Ouimette.

As we know Indy has that luxury of roster depth and Rusin is a more than capable replacement and played a large part in Indy not conceding a goal. Indy was dealt another injury blow in the 62nd minute when Nico Matern also had to leave, replaced by Juan Guerra. Mitchell and Matern are a critical part of Indy's defensive steel, credit to our team for still keeping the Riverhounds shut out for the remainder of the match.

For the second consecutive away game, Martin Rennie chose not to use all three subs, the same happened in Charlotte, I am sure there is a good reason but I am not sure what it is. In both matches, Indy has a following Wednesday game.

A lonely night for Jack at times, but he made the most of tough situations.

I guess one could be forgiven for expecting a 0-0 draw, as mentioned Indy has not given up a goal on the road this year and Pittsburgh arguably have the best defense in the league having only conceded 3 goals in 8 matches. Neither side can be described as prolific in front of goal, although the Riverhounds have notched up 10 goals compared to Indy's 7 for the season so far.

A goalless draw it was though, not much in the way of highlights but over the course of 99 or so minutes, Pittsburgh definitely looked like the team most likely to break the deadlock. Most of Indy's attacks were opportunistic at best in the times between having to defend against a determined Pittsburgh attack. The Riverhounds back line has been touted as the best in the league, and on the evidence of this game, you can see why.

Positives: Indy again showed they are a difficult team to break down, they came under intense periods of pressure in this game and still did not concede a goal. We know we are defensively strong and in this game probably more than most they really had to endure and after losing two critical players who make up that defensive mettle Carlyle Mitchell and Nico Matern. Indy was pressed very hard and had to think on the fly, at times it was not pretty but they survived and denied Pittsburgh a win.

Jack McInerney can probably be given the man of the match award, despite Indy being determined to throw 50/50 balls up front, McInerney despite not being the tallest player on the field won a lot of them and also created great scoring opportunities with clever distribution for Braun and Saad among others but they couldn't be finished. He was trying to make things happen.

Denied. Several opportunities but nothing in the net for Soony Saad.

Negatives: Unfortunately for Indy again, thinking on the fly was not a strong point in their attack building, they can be forgiven for losing the ball or being thwarted when Pittsburgh put them under pressure, but there were plenty of moments with space and time in the game where the Eleven wasted it. Indy has more than enough ability to play a great passing game, but again poor decision making in possession stopped them from creating enough clear-cut scoring opportunities. 

Examples of this, in the second half Brad Ring playing out of a tight spot and passes up the line to Lewis who back heels to set himself up but spins and loses the ball, rather than try a fancy trick control the ball, pass back and move, maintain possession. Soony Saad hammering a ball goalward from distance when he had space and time and players in front of him. Many moments in this game we took the hardest road or the least sensible decision to try and force a scoring opportunity instead of using the easiest pass. Decision making, thinking on your feet.

The guys on the left and right width in our attack need to produce more and we still are failing many times and we won't improve as an attack until we get this figured out.

It's okay to go back in order to go forwards but it seemed the intensive pace of the game set by Pittsburgh caused Indy to feel they had to do the same thing and too much of our play was rushed instead of trying to shift the tempo, slow it down and create good chances. Trying to quick counter an extremely solid defensive team at home with long balls did not work.



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Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and our website BloodyShambles.com  and show some love to The Pitch Bitch and Wurst Eleven. The Bloody Shambles Soccer Show podcast has returned and is available on iTunes, Stitcher, or directly from Soundcloud. Plans are to have at least one show per month.

When The Going Gets Tough - Indy Eleven V Nashville SC PREVIEW (4/14/2018)

Could Watson (left) or Matern (right) help solve Indy's defensive puzzle this week?

By: James Cormack

Indy Eleven will take to the field at noon on Saturday for their second home game of the season. With two wins on the road and a defeat in their home opener to FC Cincinnati, Indy will be looking to give the home support something to celebrate in Lucas Oil Stadium when the final whistle comes around.

There a lot of big question marks surrounding the availability of players for Indy's back line, and I am sure while Nashville and former Atlanta Silverbacks coach Gary Smith won't be taking anything for granted, the Nashville supporters may feel this is a good opportunity to take three points on their first visit to Indianapolis.

The one thing we know for certain is that Karl Ouimette will not play, after a red card last week in North Carolina, Karl was served with a three-match suspension which was subsequently reduced to one match. This adds to Martin Rennie's already depleted crop of defenders. Reiner Ferreira was injured in the match against FC Cincinnati and Carlyle Mitchell was removed from play late in the match against North Carolina FC.

If none of these center backs are available that leaves Indy Eleven with only one available, Brad Rusin. As a result of the Ferreira injury, Brad Ring has been filling in at right back so that Karl Ouimette could slide in to partner Mitchell. The question now is what options can Rennie look at to provide a starting four (or three) at the back that can be comfortable together and will we need to form up in such a way to limit the chances of the opposition running at our defense?

Karl Ouimette (far left) saw a three-match suspension reduced to one. Will miss Nashville match.

What-iffery...

Here follows a lot of what-iffery, in the event Indy Eleven does only have one center back available.

Start a back three with Rusin in the center? My only reservation about this would not be the ability of Rusin to command that position, but the lack of game time he has with the rest of the team, and that we would be trying something for the first time. Indy could play this formation with Ayoze and Ring and pack the midfield with five and limit the amount of work the defensive line has to do. This would be very high risk but could also be very productive if Braun and McInerney are paired in front of a five-man midfield.

Play the 4-2-3-1 again? Who lines up alongside Rusin if no other center backs are available? I think my first choice would be Nico Matern, at six foot tall it seems obvious and he also likes to play deep against the back line. This would then leave us with a selection problem at defensive midfield with Brad Ring already positioned at right back. 

I am only speculating here but one option would be to replace Brad and move him to a more natural position. Seth Moses is comfortable at right back and has played there before, if Matern is dropped back into central defense with Rusin and Moses started at right back this can allow Ring and Watson to make up the central midfield pairing. Zach Steinberger in front with possibly Lewis or Saad and Pasher on the outside behind Justin Braun or Jack McInerney.

Could Matt Watson play at center back and captain the team from there? This is another option similar to above, Matt is 6ft or thereabouts and if Rennie wishes to leave Brad Ring at right back he could play Matern and Steinberger together and bring in Juan Guerra into attacking midfield. There are many options that can be played in front of the back line, but the options for defense are limited.

Put me in coach! Carlyle Mitchell may well turn out to spoil Nashville's afternoon.

All pure speculation and at the end of the day, I don't think any of these scenarios are going to happen. I am also not the coach so don't listen to me anyway.

Having watched the previous game against North Carolina twice now I have a feeling that Carlyle Mitchell will line up in the back alongside Brad Rusin. Mitchell did take a reasonably severe knock to his knee in the first half last week, but he's a big lad. Considering the weather was deteriorating and the temperature dropping during the game it is highly possible he developed cramp while slightly favoring one leg for about fifty minutes.

Carlyle is in training and I think come kick-off time we will see him in the starting lineup. Even if I am wrong, and Martin Rennie has to come up with a completely new back line, I don't think any perceived weaknesses our defensive injuries or suspension may cause will be a major factor in the game.

Besides that, Nashville still has to get past Owain Fôn Williams. So there.

Where is Kevin Venegas...

A quality player we still have not seen yet, he appears to be in full training and as we saw last week with Ayoze coming straight into a starting lineup, we may also see Venegas for the first time this weekend. Considering that Ouimette is out and Ferreira is not ready to return we need defenders on the bench. The former Loon may even start and displace Brad Ring, but he at least should make the game roster.

A starting back four of Venegas, Rusin, Mitchell, and Ayoze is pretty formidable for any team, and if Ring continues at right back there'll be no complaints from me.

The Form...

Nashville is a new team to everyone and the USL is a new league for us, very difficult to try and formulate an opinion of the outcome of this game with very little knowledge of the opposition or previous matches.

Nashville has played four games this year so far. They began their season away to Louisville and lost 2-0 before drawing 0-0 in their home opener against Pittsburgh. They come into the game against Indy on the back of two wins against Bethlehem Steel (1-0 A) and Charlotte Independence (2-0 H).

Ooh Statistics! Worthless at this early stage but I needed an image in here.

Louisville is a tough place to start but Indy Eleven is probably going to be Nashville's toughest opponent since that game. With no disrespect to Charlotte, they got off to a bright start against lesser opposition and I would not be expecting them to set the league on fire this year.

Likewise Indy have lost their only game against what could be considered a playoff contender, FC Cincinnati. Away wins at Richmond and last week against North Carolina who are now 0-3 in games gives very little indication of how Indy will fare against those teams expected to be in the postseason.

Indy Eleven has been as I expected, very difficult to play against and are conceding few goals. Two clean sheets in three games and only one goal conceded in their single defeat. FC Cincinnati was a real test for Indy and they were unlucky not to leave the field with a point. Indy does not have a scoring issue, we are only three games in and we have any number of players in our bag of tricks that can and will find the back of the net.

It's probably best described as a finely balanced matchup that is hard to predict. I don't see Indy Eleven's selection worries as being a major factor in this game, I have previewed matches in the past where our opposition has been in a similar predicament or worse and we've failed to win those games.

Prediction - Probably not a good idea for me to jinx things but I actually think Indy Eleven can win at home for the first time this year, but not by any great margin, 1-0 or 2-1. 

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If you are interested in being involved in supporter media with Bloody Shambles Soccer, possibly you have an idea for a supporter related article about your experiences or the team or you have an idea for a podcast please email james@bloodyshambles.com or contact us through Twitter. 


Indy Eleven needs more supporter driven content and we are more than happy to give fans a platform to express their opinion on the team or just relate their experiences from match days, road trips, community events etc.

Bloody Shambles HOT TAKES! - Richmond Kickers V Indy Eleven Thoughts And Predictions

Coach Rennie assembles his troops. Photo: Trey Higdon/Indy Eleven

The Bloody Shambles team gives their final thoughts going into the first USL Easter Conference match against Richmond Kickers...

Brandon Cockrum:

I’m looking forward to seeing the formation and strategy that Coach Rennie uses in a game where the Eleven should feel like strong favorites. Richmond was unimpressive, maybe even the exact opposite of impressive, in their week one match. I’m not too concerned with who starts this match - at this point in the season, the head coach might prefer players that he’s worked with in previous seasons and who best understand how he wants his team to play or maybe those who are most fit - because it is such a long season and the roster is very deep. 

I’m more interested to see the strategy that Rennie applies on the road in a match that Indy should take three points from. Does the coach run out the team with an attacking mindset and try to keep Richmond on their heels? Or does Indy take a more conservative approach and sit back, focus on defense first and try to hit Richmond on the counter? The strategy applied here might tell us more about what's to come this season than the players that hit the pitch.

Nico Matern defensive midfielder for Indy Eleven has been the latest signing.

Player to watch: Nico Matern. 

Based on preseason performances, Indy Eleven might have found a diamond in the rough in the Indiana Wesleyan product. As we've seen in previous seasons, it is extremely difficult for a rookie to make much of an impact in their first season in the second division; however, Matern seems like he might be poised to do it this year. 

I know I said I wasn't looking too deep into the significance of the lineup this weekend but this is the exception. If Matern gets the starting nod he will have proven his worth among some very good central midfielders on the roster and it will show that Rennie believes the newbie has the potential to be an impact player in 2018.

James Cormack:

I have probably been more impressed with the roster building this year than any other. Our 2016 squad was solid with great players for a starting lineup but we did not have the same depth, especially in defense, if one player was injured it was a major problem. We are very deep in defense this year and that is highly important. No matter how many times you try to pick out a starting XI from this roster you look at the players you left out and think "that's a very good team".

I watched multiple USL games over the opening weekend and saw several teams including Richmond that looked like they were not of the same standard and experience in terms of this roster. From what I saw of Bethlehem Steel, I think Indy Eleven will be more technical and clinical than they were despite winning that game 4-1. I don't expect Indy Eleven to lose this game, it's hard to call a win in an away day opener but if one team will win this game I can't see it being Richmond especially with two of the back line missing as well.

Player To Watch: Eugene Starikov 

Starikov (right) will be hungry for game time and he is finding goal. Photo: Trey Higdon/Indy Eleven

Hard to pick out just one but so far from all I have heard about pre-season he has been a real ball of fire, as has Soony Saad and I am curious to see if both will start together as both have been real trouble for opponents thus far. If Justin Braun is still in recovery mode and doesn't start the game it's an ideal situation for someone else to show themselves. With limited playing time last year I think Starikov will be very keen to show why he should be picked every week and will score.

Caleb Ramp:

The last six months had been an era of unprecedented shortage for Indy Eleven and her supporters. The latter parts of the 2017 NASL season saw a shortage of wins. This was soon followed by an offseason short on hope, short on answers, and eventually short on a league to play in, a stadium to play at, and players to play with.

Suddenly, out of seemingly nowhere, the Eleven find themselves with the biggest surplus in club history. Not a financial surplus, to be sure (sorry, Ersal) -- but a surplus of hope. A surplus of anticipation. Excitement. Perhaps most importantly, a surplus of on-field talent.

This leads me to my "player to watch" for the 2018 opener: Martin Rennie.

All eyes on Martin Rennie as he targets success in 2018. Photo: Trey Higdon/Indy Eleven

Cheating a bit? Sure. But I'll stand by it. The 2018 Indy Eleven roster is -- at least on paper -- the deepest this city has ever seen. Nearly every player on our 23-man roster can make a case for a spot in the starting eleven. On game days, the Indy bench will be filled with players who have been critical pieces in a playoff or championship-caliber D2 squads in recent history, or have otherwise been spending time with quality D1 clubs. 

Rennie will have an incredibly wide range (a surplus, even) of options in available tactics and personnel combinations. His ability to utilize this squad to its fullest potential (while still maintaining a healthy and involved locker room) will go a long way in determining the Eleven's ultimate success in a very competitive Eastern conference.

Richmond Kickers V Indy Eleven Score Predictions

It may seem a little cliche to call wins on the road for your team in their opening match, if we end up with egg on our face so be it, but this is not a case of giddy fanboy reactions. Indy Eleven is stacked with top level experience, let's see if that proves fruitful over 90 minutes or not.

Brandon Cockrum: 0-4 Indy Eleven
James Cormack: 0-2 Indy Eleven
Caleb Ramp: 0-3 Indy Eleven

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Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and our website BloodyShambles.com. The Bloody Shambles Soccer Show podcast will returning during the course of the season and is available on iTunes or directly from Soundcloud. 

If you are interested in being involved in supporter media with Bloody Shambles Soccer, possibly you have an idea for a supporter related article about your experiences or the team or you have an idea for a podcast please email james@bloodyshambles.com or contact us through Twitter. 

Indy Eleven needs more supporter driven content and we are more than happy to give fans a platform to express their opinion on the team or just relate their experiences from match days, road trips, community events etc.

Preview: Richmond Kickers V Indy Eleven - Can Indy Start With A Bang? (3/24/2018)

Matt Watson and Indy Eleven get their first taste of competitive play in 2018 this Saturday.

By: James Cormack

Forget the unseasonably cold weather, forget the myriad of life-endangering potholes spread across the city like a plague of meteor craters, and forget the uncertainty of whether our team would play this year. Indy Eleven's season starts this weekend. It's finally happening and nothing else matters.

After an off-season of uncertainty, the Boys in Blue head off to Richmond for their first taste of USL. Other teams including our opponents for this week have already begun their season in round one while Indy took advantage of an extra week of preparation.

In the USL Eastern Conference, Richmond Kickers fell 4-1 at Bethlehem Steel in their opening match. Former NASL foes North Carolina and Tampa faced off in a highly entertaining match in Cary where the visiting Rowdies won by three goals to one. Another familiar foe Ottawa Fury suffered a 4-1 thrashing from Charlotte Independence.

Last years Champions Louisville secured a 2-0 victory over franchise boys Nashville SC. FC Cincinnati started with a 1-0 away win at Charleston. In the first of six opening games in the Eastern Conference last weekend two MLS reserve sides called II came head to head and one of the II won 2-1.

Are We Ready To Rumble?

Yes, I feel we are. As ready as you can be given the shortness of the pre-season. As mentioned in our earlier preliminary fluff piece, Martin Rennie has gone a long way to counter our lack of prep time by assembling a roster of highly experienced players. This doesn't mean anything of course unless they can bond quickly (and I think they have), but it does help a lot.

The USL and its schedule are a lot different to what you may have been used to with NASL. There are multiple games at times packed into a short period. Remaining injury free, fit, and having an ability to rotate strong players can give you a good advantage in this league.

From the evidence of the games we have played and the roster we have, Rennie has worked himself into a position where he could field two completely different teams in back to back competitive matches and each would be strong and competitive at this level.

Nico Matern the latest roster addition is a good example of our roster depth.

On two occasions this year we have seen Indy Eleven play back to back matches in one day, allowing the coach to field different teams and get all players an adequate amount of playing time. In the final day of pre-season play on Saturday, Indy Eleven played out a 0-0 draw with Jacksonville Armada and a 7-0 win over Indiana Wesleyan with a good mix of what could be considered starting players in each team.

In all Indy have played seven pre-season matches against varying levels of opposition and lost only once in the opening match against FC Cincinnati at Grand Park and have conceded only three goals and scored fifteen.

Our depth is very good compared to other years, especially in defense where even in 2016 we were lacking adequate cover. This past weekend the Eleven were able to play a back line of Moses, Ferreira, Mitchell, and Ouimette in one match, Venegas, Rusin, Pasher, and Ayoze in another. Neither back line conceded a goal, and each I think could hold their own in a USL league match.

The roster currently stands at 23 players and the latest to be added Nico Matern who came from Wesleyan with a German academy background has been turning heads in pre-season and could be one of the shrewdest signings in the league this year. Competition for starting spots is strong, and that is a very good thing.

When you can literally split your roster down the middle and field two very strong teams then you are in a good position going into the season.

Is Richmond Ready For Indy Eleven?

It would be wrong of me to make too many assumptions based on Richmond's 4-1 thrashing at Bethlehem in their opening match, but it was not pretty at all and they could easily have conceded twice that many goals. However, it was the opening match so I will give them the benefit of the doubt. Maybe first day jitters? Maybe not?

Richmond had Trevor Spangenberg sitting on the bench and I wondered at times what he was thinking watching that match. He is one of the few players in their squad along with Brian Shriver and Neil Hlavaty that I have experience watching and he must have been peeking through his gloves as the second half wore on. Richmond's performance was littered with defensive and goalkeeping mistakes from bad timing to bad positioning, poor decision making, and poorly executed passing.

If Richmond doesn't find a way to correct these issues over the coming week Indy Eleven have many experienced players who will pounce on mistakes like these faster than flat screen TV sales on Black Friday. However it's important not to read too much into these things this early, Indy can suffer first day jitters as well, but hopefully not.

City Stadium in Richmond, Virginia (Photo: Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Richmond has played five pre-season matches all against colleges. Three wins, one draw and a loss to William & Mary Tribe Soccer. 2017 was not a great year for Richmond, they finished the year 14th of 15 teams in USL East with the lowest standing of any independent team across both conferences.

So on the evidence of the first game perhaps they were underprepared for their league opener, but that doesn't mean they will be an easy team to beat at home, no team ever is. Nor does it mean they can't bounce back after suffering a heavy defeat.

I am sure the home support will be expecting the players to lift themselves after that and prove they have better to offer. With a few players missing it also gives some an opportunity to stake a claim on a starting spot, an important factor in any game. Expect the unexpected.

Team/Match News.

Richmond Kickers will continue to miss Brazilian forward Luiz Fernando through suspension. Mekeil Williams and Alex Lee who started in the back line against Bethlehem will be missing on international duty for Trinidad and Guam respectively. Bruno Mirando who appeared in the second half for Kickers will also answer the call for the Bolivian National Team.

Update: Jamaican Dane Kelly who did not feature in Kickers opening game is unavailable and on international duty also.

Indy Eleven will miss Nathan Lewis who will join Williams in The Trinidad and Tobago camp for matches against Guadeloupe and Curaçao. Justin Braun is working his way back to full fitness and scored in Indy's second game on Saturday. The status of Jordan Farr return from injury is unknown (is in full training) and we may see Fon-Williams and Lundegaard as the traveling goalkeepers.

In the event of further updates, we will bring those to you as the week progresses.

The City Stadium in Richmond boasts a usually well-tended natural grass surface. The future forecast shows low forties at kick off time with a high chance of rain before kickoff. If you fancy the ten-hour drive you can pick up general admission tickets HERE and meet up with other Indy Eleven fans before kickoff.

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Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and our website BloodyShambles.com. The Bloody Shambles Soccer Show podcast will returning during the course of the season and is available on iTunes or directly from Soundcloud. If you are interested in being involved in supporter media with Bloody Shambles Soccer, possibly you have an idea for a supporter related article about your experiences or the team or you have an idea for a podcast please email jcormack@bloodyshambles.com or contact us through Twitter. Indy Eleven needs more supporter driven content and we are more than happy to give fans a platform to express their opinion on the team or just relate their experiences from match days, road trips, community events etc.

1st Bloody Shambles Match Poster of 2018