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

Indy Eleven V Louisville City FC Review (3/18/2017)

Nemanja Vukovic's late wonder strike keeps Indy Eleven unbeaten in pre-season.

By: James Cormack

One week before Indy Eleven and Louisville City's respective seasons begin the two teams met in Evansville to shake off the last remnants of offseason rust and prepare their teams for competitive football. Indy Eleven will play San Francisco Deltas next Saturday evening while Louisville entertain St. Louis in an afternoon kick off in their USL home opener.

Indy Eleven started the game with a mostly recognizable lineup. With the absence of the recovering Colin Falvey the starting back four in front of Jon Busch consisted of Marco Franco at right, Lovel Palmer and Kwame Watson-Siriboe at center and Nemanja Vukovic at left back.

Brad Ring wore the captain's armband and partnered Gerardo Torrado in center midfield with Siniša Ubiparipović at right midfield and Ben Speas out left. Éamon Zayed and Justin Braun made up the front two.

Don Smart, Craig Henderson, Anthony Manning, Keith Cardona, Christian Lomeli, Daniel Keller, Tanner Thompson and an un-named trial player made up the bench. A quick spot of google searching leads us to believe the unknown player was David Goldsmith formerly of Butler Mens Soccer (correct me if I am wrong). There was no sign of Dino Williams or Cory Miller at the game.

Éamon Zayed had a superbly chipped goal crossed off, appeared onside to everyone but the linesman.

In the first half chances were few and far between for Indy Eleven, the work rate was there but the 4-4-2 formation seemed very flat to me and not a lot of creative play. Marco Franco and Vukovic worked well in moving the ball forward into attacking areas with Ben Speas and Ubiparipović working well in combination with the backs.

Indy Eleven's best chance came from a forward pass by Vukovic to Zayed who appeared to be onside when the pass was made and chipped the ball over Louisville keeper Gregory Ranjitsingh and into the back of the net. Zayed was called offside by the linesman.

Louisville City had three good chances on target at the other end but Jon Busch was more than a match for their strikes. Louisville were very fast on counter attack and gave Indy Eleven a lot of trouble at the back positions from the start especially on our left side. Both sides drew a blank and went in 0-0 at half time.

The refereeing was at times a little suspect, but it was a pre season game. Brad Ring picked up a ridiculous yellow after making a challenge and playing the ball against his opposing player who went down over it, there was no real contact with the player.

Former IU midfielder Tanner Thompson put in a solid second half shift.

Indy Eleven made one substitution at half time bringing on Don Smart into the right midfield and removing Justin Braun which allowed them to move Ubiparipović into a more attacking role. Smart looked as sharp as ever in the second half causing trouble for the Louisville back line at every available opportunity.

The second half saw two goals, one for either side. The first came for LCFC after they were awarded a penalty from a Lovel Palmer tackle inside the box for which he received a yellow card. Lovel was a little lucky not to see a second yellow only a few minutes later after somewhat heavy challenge on the right side of midfield. Cameron Lancaster delivered from the spot kick past Jon Busch to put his side 1-0 up in the 52nd minute.

The rest of the game for Indy was mostly about giving players game time. Tanner Thompson came on shortly after Don Smart and looked very impressive for his time on the field, pacey, aggressive and and always willing to run at defenders.

Craig Henderson looked very composed, found good position and closed his opposition down well and looks like he could prove to be a very valuable signing. Keith Cardona, Daniel Keller, Anthony Manning and trialist David Goldsmith all saw game time as well.

As we saw many times in 2016, Indy Eleven proved once again they are never a team to give up on a game at any point and Nemanja Vukovic caught on to a bobbling ball outside of the Louisville 18yd box and cracked a beautiful shot into the far right corner of the net. Probably one of the best goals I have seen scored by an Indy Eleven player and scored right before the final whistle to pull off the draw for Indy Eleven.

Don Smart and trialist David Goldsmith (?) causing trouble for the Louisville back line.

Overall thoughts

I am a little unsure if this is the best formation or lineup I have seen, it is the first time I have seen the team in preseason but I think the the way we played is a little too flat. There was very little being done creatively in the middle behind the forwards and most of our chances were being created from runs into the corners.

Last year it took a few games to find the right model and I think we may see the same again this year. Hankinson has proved in the past he has no problems shaking things up even during a game, so I am not overly worried about it. For me everything was overly defensive and not enough spark in attack.

As far as being match ready the overall condition of the players and work rate seems to be there and cannot fault anyone for lack of effort, we defended well in all ares of the field and on the whole quick to close down our opposition. If I look back on how we looked going into the first game at Tampa last year, the difference this year in fitness an condition is not comparable, we look much more like a team ready for 90 minutes of competitive league play.

Most outstanding player from this game for me was probably Marco Franco, his work ethic was unquestionable in defense and attack. A lot of penetration in the opposition half taking the ball to their defense and interplay with team mates was very good throughout the whole game. Honorable mention to Ben Speas for outstanding work rate on the left side, I still think from a distance he looks like Dylan Mares.

With Colin Falvey still recovering I am a little concerned about the back line in front of goal. Lovel Palmer has a lot of strength and aggressiveness and is solid at right back, but I am a little uncomfortable with him inside the box, he could easily have been red carded yesterday and that could be a problem in competitive games going down to ten men and losing a central defender. Will require a little more caution in a real league match which I think we will see.

We are ready! Only competitive games will allow us to find the right combinations for this roster but I have no doubts we are still a team that will be very difficult to beat once this all kicks off for real.

Marco Franco is probably a worthy nominee for Man of The Match in Evansville.

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

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

January 12th 2017 - Indy Eleven Roster Announcements.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Don Smart currently Indy Eleven's longest serving player.

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

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

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

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

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

Carroll Stadium, Home Of The Undefeated - Indy Eleven V Puerto Rico FC - REVIEW (10/22/2016)

Éamon Zayed knocks home Indy's second on the rebound after an initial penalty save by Spangenberg

By: James Cormack

After two years of struggling to find their way in the NASL, Indy Eleven successfully managed to achieve being undefeated at home for an entire NASL regular season. As well as that they have seen home wins against Louisville City FC and FC Pachuca the Liga MX champions. Indy Eleven are now undefeated in their last 19 home games in NASL stretching back to a 3-1 win over Minnesota United on October 17th 2015.

Despite already achieving a playoff match on Nov.5th after winning the Spring Championship, Indy Eleven are not letting off the gas with three consecutive wins including a first fall road win in Tampa last week and 9 goals.

Puerto Rico FC made their first ever visit to Indianapolis and were shown no sympathy. The two teams met in Puerto Rico's debut match on July 2nd in an aggressive encounter that ended 1-1 after Souleymane Youla rescued a point for Indy in added time.

The most important factor in this match for Indy Eleven was simply to not lose. After resting starters and making changes for the away game in Tampa the Eleven welcomed back several. Captain Colin Falvey returned at the back with Greg Janicki as did Vukovic and Lovel Palmer. Dylan Mares and Don Smart provided the width in midfield with Ring and Ubiparipović completing it behind Éamon Zayed and Justin Braun in attack. Jon Busch returned to goal.

It took a large part of the first half of the match for Indy Eleven to find the breakthrough against the visitors, and the match again proved to be a little over physical at times just like the last. The first half saw several delays including a serious concern after an over physical challenge on Jon Busch and then Lovel Palmer had to exit the match after a head knock. Puerto Rico's Oliver who made the challenge on Busch walked after a red card for another aggressive tackle in the 38th minute.

Siniša Ubiparipović provides the assist to Justin Braun to open the scoring

Shortly before Puerto Rico FC were reduced to 10 men Indy Eleven finally found the net to open the scoring. Nemanja Vukovic came close to putting Indy ahead on 27 from a dead ball but his free kick was saved and pushed onto the bar by Spangenberg. Vuko was involved in the build up to the initial goal.

Greg Janicki found Vukovic deep on the left with a pass from center, Nemanja applied great vision to thread a pass around the right back and into the 18 finding Ubiparipović who sent the ball in to the front of goal and Justin Braun mopped up with a tap in from 6 yards to put the home side ahead in the game.

It was all downhill for PRFC in the first half from this point. A goal down and a man down Puerto Rico would have been aiming to go in at the break without conceding any more, and it looked like they might achieve that until a late flurry from Indy Eleven.

In the 45th minute Don Smart was pulled down in the 18 by his shirt and drew a penalty which Zayed stepped up to take. To his credit and despite the final scoreline Trevor Spangenberg had several fine saves in the game, and he got down well to block Éamon's initial kick but the ball spilled back out and Zayed knocked home on the rebound to put Indy Eleven 2-0 in front right before the half time whistle.

As the whistle approached and the clock wound down, Dylan Mares seemed unsatisfied with the scoreline and added one of his own. With a 2-0 lead and a man advantage the match was pretty much won, Mares made sure it was dead and buried before Puerto Rico could even catch a breath.


Deep into first half added time Mares founded himself in an advanced position ahead of Justin Braun, Indy's No.20 picked up the ball in the middle of the park and found Dylan Mares just outside the D of Puerto Rico's 18 yard box. Some nifty footwork and a side step to lose the defender gave Dylan enough space to drive a shot low into the right side of Spangenberg's net.

The game was over but to their credit Puerto Rico did well to stop any further scoring in the game, with 10 men they held Indy to 0-0 in the second half. Still a convincing win for the home side and of course a win that made sure Indy Eleven would not be beaten at home in the 2016 NASL regular season. Considering our fortunes in the first two years of competitive play, there is no getting away from just how huge and achievement this is.

"Every club in the world talks about taking care of your home games first, you want the stadium, the atmosphere, the way the players feel when they walk on the field to feel like this is their fortress, they are here to defend it with everything they've got , and we hope that feeling will carry us through the semi finals and into the final."  Tim Hankinson, post match.

Indy Eleven move on to Oklahoma City to play their final regular season game next Saturday in a game that could decide who makes the final playoff spot for 2016. It's between Rayo OKC and Minnesota United who will host the leaders New York Cosmos. Rayo OKC currently have a three point lead over Minnesota.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Éamon Zayed took his NASL goal tally to 15 after scoring against Puerto Rico and has also scored one in the US Open Cup against Louisville City FC. All season long we have been raising money for Playworks Indiana using the #EamonZayedRule. There is still time to help us raise more if you would like to make a donation per goal or any amount of donation CLICK HERE TO DONATE. If you have previously pledged an amount per goal for this year we will be sending out an email notification after the match against Rayo OKC. 

Five Goals for Five Years! - Indy Eleven V Jacksonville Armada (8/3/2016)

Éamon Zayed sends home his first of three goals against Armada.

By: James Cormack

The Brickyard Battalion celebrated their fifth anniversary since the initial conception of the supporters group by singing the national anthem from the West End, and the players gave the fans the perfect birthday gift by notching a goal in the game for each of those years.

Éamon Zayed scored his second hat-trick for Indy Eleven with three goals bringing his total goal tally for the club in competitive play to 12 goals, 11 of those scored in the NASL and now sits one goal behind Cristian Ramirez in the race for the golden boot.

It did not take long for Indy to further increase the managerial headache currently being suffered by Tony Meola. Just Braun ended his goal scoring drought by opening the scoring for Indy Eleven in the 13th minute with his first league goal since the 4-2 win over Minnesota United earlier in Spring. 

It took Indy Eleven on three more minutes to double their lead, Éamon Zayed gathered a perfectly weighted cross from Don Smart on Indy's right, controlled and drilled the ball home from about 16 yards out from goal. It was a well made goal, notable for the fact that Zayed actually started the move himself by robbing Jackonville's Jérôme on the half way line allowing Smart to pick up the ball.

Nemanja Vukovic nets his third goal of 2016.

Armada pulled one goal back through Alhassane Keita to give Jacksonville some hope in the 33rd minute, but those hopes faded fast as Nemanja Vukovic stepped up to score his third goal in an Indy Eleven shirt. An attack started by Don Smart on the right found the head of Zayed in the box who nodded down but Armada cleared but only to Nemanja some 25yrds out, Vukovic brought the ball down and drove a low curling shot into the right side of the Armada goal. Indy went into the break with a 3-1 lead.

Jacksonville can consider themselves a little fortunate that Indy did not break any records last night. The scoring in both halves could have been much higher. The second half saw two more goals from Indy and a consolation for Jacksonville unfortunately scored by returning captain Colin Falvey.

Zayed scored his second and third goals in the 58th and 65th minute. A ripping shot from Dylan Mares that cannoned off the post then deflected off of Justin Braun fell neatly to Zayed who poked home from close range to put Indy 4-1 up. Éamon has a knack of being in the right place at the right time, he also pounced on his third goal from close range after a ripping shot from Justin Braun was parried by Armada keeper Sean Lewis.

Indy finished up the game 5-2, a late own goal from Colin Falvey was small consolation for what was a very bad night for them. Indy don't let in too many goals and arguably the two we conceded were just unfortunate. Falvey did the right thing staying in front of the attacker in an attempt to clear the cross whipped in from Armada he just caught the ball late and it went in off his toe, outside of this Falvey was a rock at the back and as good as ever after returning from injury. Jacksonville's first goal had a little luck in it to, an attempt to press the attacker from Don Smart led to the ball deflecting off of him and into the path of Keita.

An unfortunate event late in the game saw the sending off of Greg Janicki and Alhassane Keita. Greg had been tracking Keita going towards our goal and had gained possession of the ball but Keita was pushing and pulling at Janicki's back and was promptly dumped out of the playing area by Janicki, he pretty much deserved it. Keita spent some time rolling around on the turf pretending his face was hurt for some reason, just blatant acting and a lack of professionalism. The end result was both players being red carded. The timing of the return of Colin Falvey is fortunate and we will likely see him partner Cory Miller on Saturday against Ottawa.



It was a great performance and one that we should see more often, we can play like this against any team, the fact that Jacksonville are struggling this year does not detract from how well we played.

Don Smart was a big difference maker, I have been calling for him to start for two weeks now. He gives so much to our game from the wing that we don't normally have, he had some kind of involvement in almost every attack of the game, whether making an early touch in a buildup or supplying the final pass in front of goal. Smart connected with 26 of 33 passes, had a 100% success rate on crosses and on tackles and duels. AND he got to play for 90 minutes.

Don proved against Edmonton and Miami that he can be more influential than most in a short space of time, it was fitting he was rewarded with a start and proved without doubt he can provide the same vision, intelligence and creativity across 90 minutes. His head is always up, he is always looking for the killer pass and if he has one weakness at times it might be unselfishness, there are always those one or two times you just want to see him crack a shot at goal when the opportunity presents itself.

Don Smart - Adds the quality of service Indy needs.

As well as the return of Colin Falvey who led the back line well, Jon Busch also returned and made several critical saves during the game to deny Jacksonville any further goals, not least his stop in the 2nd minute of the game to prevent Armada from opening the scoring. Jérôme unleashed a blistering shot from a free kick some 40 yards from goal which Busch parried out for a throw in. (see video below).

The overall team performance and work ethic was outstanding, our forward line was hungry and clinical, our creativity from the width was ample enough to create more than enough goal scoring chances, hopefully Indy can bring this momentum forward into the next two home games and secure another six points. The three goal deficit from this game was enough to lift Indy Eleven back into the number one spot in the fall standings.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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.

Éamon's 12 goals this year have now raised $402 from pledges alone. Well done Éamon! Also if you enjoy our #NASLMap catch up with @SoccerBits latest update of the standings across North America - CLICK HERE TO READ

Indy Eleven is a BIG GAME Team - Indy Eleven V Minnesota Utd (4-2) REVIEW (5/21/16)

Éamon Zayed congratulates Braun for his work on the first of Indy Eleven's four goals.

By: James Cormack

It is a great day when you get to looking back on a game, and everything you asked for in the preview for the match comes true. Indy Eleven badly needed to start scoring goals and they did. Players you wanted to see more from stepped up and performed. The importance of this game and winning it could not have been emphasized enough, and we won it in style.

It was never going to be an easy game, it should be noted up until Saturday Minnesota had only conceded four goals in all six of their NASL games this year. Add to that the last time Minnesota conceded four goals in a league match was in November of 2013 and they still won 6-4 against Tampa Bay Rowdies. The last time the Loons let in 4 goals and lost a game was in June of 2012 in a 5-1 defeat to Carolina Railhawks.

At the end, Indy Eleven won 4-2 in thrilling fashion. There were some scary moments but the team showed once again how quickly they can come together and overcome any hurdle. After ending the first half 1-0 thanks to great work from Justin Braun to leave Éamon Zayed with a tap in from close range, the second half provided a five goal thriller. 

Credit also should be given to Nemanja Vukovic on the first goal for a tremendous run from back where he was almost knocked to the ground but recovered his balance and sent in the pass to set Braun in with the assist pass to set up the opening goal.




Omar Gordon had a big night, something I had stressed was needed in the preview of this game. He delivered and added a goal to a great performance. I am sure Sammy N'Djock does not want to look back on either of the first two goals. After a slip from Zayed in the box and a failure to gather by N'Djock, Omar Gordon was in the right place at the right time to sweep the ball in from a very tight angle.

Two goals ahead and cruising, as a supporter you have to feel great at that moment, something very special was about to happen. Over the next twenty minutes though Indy would find themselves staring down the barrel of potential disaster after Minnesota scored twice to level the game.

The Loons first goal, it has to be said was one of the best seen this season. Stefano Pinho rifled a volley in from the right side about 22 yards out, it was unstoppable and arguably the best goal of the game. Indy were a man down at the time, nobody to really blame, just one of those amazing goals you have to just suck in and get on with it.



The goal that tied the game also was very well taken, a high lofted corner from Minnesota was difficult to deal with and saw a great volley finish from Damion Lowe. It was a tough blow but again not going to fault anyone and I would rather lose goals of great caliber than give up ones that should just not go in.

As we have seen before this Indy Eleven team never gives up in any game, and despite a lapse came back to put themselves in front again. Unfortunately before taking the lead Greg Janicki suffered a head knock and had to be removed from play. Vukovic again had a hand in Indy's third goal, a blistering free kick fomr the left back saw Sammy N'Djock pull off a great save but his inability to hold on to the ball saw Justin Braun pounce from close range and feather the ball between the feet of N'Djock and the post from a very tight angle.

Indy continued with the lead through the regulation 90 minutes and the referee added 8 minutes to the game to give the supporters more reason to bite their nails as they waited impatiently to celebrate. They did not have to wait the full eight though. Dylan Mares was fouled on the edge of the Minnesota 18 by Justin Davis who saw red for a second bookable offense. The foul was inches outside the box and gave Indy an excellent chance to wind down the clock with a minute remaining.

Nicki Paterson who came on as a sub in the 67th minute for Gorka Larrea, stepped up to take the kick from our left of the 18 yard box and stunned Minnesota by providing a pinpoint finish into the far side of the net. It was such a beautiful free kick I think he should now be called "Sir Nicki of Paterson"! Sammy N'Djock at full stretch had no chance and it killed the game. Indy Eleven had scored four goals for the first time ever in an NASL league match!

To be fair Indy could have scored more in this game, multiple chances in front of goal were missed but when you score four it doesn't matter. Scoring has been an issue, we stepped up and proved we are capable. Every player stepped up on Saturday in what was a huge team effort.

It cannot be stressed enough the importance of this win, taking three points from Minnesota who have a pretty reasonable run in was vitally important. Edmonton and Cosmos both took wins today creating an intense log jam at the top of the table. Indy Eleven can now move on and concentrate on their final three games with a confidence lift and are still the only undefeated side in the league.

Current Top 5 in NASL Standings as of Sunday 22nd May

Let's not forget to give kudos to Coach Tim Hankinson, most weeks we have not been able to field all the players we want to, some games have been more difficult than they should be, but he has found what is needed in the big games and brought wins over New York Cosmos and Minnesota United. 
He has made Indy a team to be reckoned with, Indy Eleven is a force in the league now and fear nothing, other teams can keep guessing. We have shown our best even without being able to field players like Brad Ring, Siniša Ubiparipovic and Jair Reinoso.
It's a great time to be an Indy Eleven supporter, we have been through a lot in two years and now our team is rewarding us, heads are turning and people are talking! The best part is there is so much more to look forward to.

Don't forget, next opportunity to watch your Boys In Blue at home will be on June 1st in the US Open Cup at Carroll Stadium against Louisville City FC. Indy Eleven will be looking to squash the memory of our exit to the same team last year and book a place in the next round to face Chicago Fire. Tickets are not part of the regular Season package, let's pack the house for this game and lift our team into the next round! GET TICKETS HERE!
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Éamon Zayed scored his third goal of the season on Saturday. Bloody Shambles along with Permanent Relegation are raising money for Playworks Indiana children's charity with Éamon Zayed. Pledge an amount for every goal he scores this season or make a one time donation and help us towards our $2000 season goal. Find out more here! Our direct DONATION LINK now shows our target and running donations, help us reach it!

Watch out for #NASLmap update coming this Monday!

Indy Strikes Twice Again for Back to Back Wins - Rayo OKC (1) v Indy Eleven (2) Review (4/30/16)

Vukovic grabbed the winner!

By: James Cormack

I think I am ready to concede to the fact that I just don't know what Tim Hankinson is going to do next. I am okay with that as long as Indy Eleven keeps racking up points and winning games!

Jair Reinoso and new signing Omar Gordon both made their first starts for the Boys in Blue while Justin Braun and Duke Lacroix warmed the bench. Ubiparipović returned to the side in an unfamiliar role while Dylan Mares was left at home due to illness.

Jair Reinoso repaid his Hankinson's faith by slamming home a beautiful volley to open the scoring for Indy. It stunned Rayo more than it did those watching on BeIN Sports because not even the camera crew could keep up with the play.

One minute we're watching a replay from the other end of the field the next we see the ball in Rayo's net and everyone watching back home in Union Jack Pub thought we were looking at an offside call.

The replay revealed a beautiful over the top pass from Ubiparipović and a stunning strike from the Colombian forward to put Indy in front. Siniša appeared to be a yard short of pace for most of his time on the field, but his contribution was not lacking. Reinoso's goal was worthy of a World Cup final, the ball only took one bounce inside the Rayo area before it was lashed into the net.

Ubi's pass and Jair Reinoso's wonder strike! 1-0

Indy Eleven never seemed entirely settled or comfortable in this game. This definitely became more evident after an unfortunate and early exit from the field by midfielder Brad Ring. Gorka Larrea was on the bench but possibly not fit enough for the 70 minutes required.

With only 18 minutes played in the match Duke Lacroix was brought in. Ubiparipović dropped into a more central role in the absence of Ring. It was untimely, with Indy just starting to find their way in a changed lineup, they had to step back and start again.

As Indy continued to try and regroup Rayo struck and tied the game up and blessed the game with another very fine goal. Rayo OKC's Michel was both the victim and punisher as he was brought down around 30 yards from the Indy goal. His resulting free kicked fizzed low and took a spinning bounce right before Jon Busch and found the net.

For Indy Eleven it was all about getting to half time now without losing another goal. It was very difficult to discern Indy's shape at times and you felt we needed a half time talk  to settle things down and formulate a plan for the second 45.

The second half pressed on and for the first 20 to 25 minutes it did so at break neck speed, it was only a matter of time before one or both of the teams would tire and it appeared as if Rayo OKC would be the first to run out of steam. After 70 minutes the game started to slow noticeably.

Justin Braun had replaced Reinoso in the 56th minute, Jair noticeably gasping for air when he left the field. Maybe not quite 90 minute fit yet but it matters not if you score goals. Ubiparipović also bowed out in the 75th minute, he had been struggling for most of the game and did well to make it this far. He was replaced by the returning Gorka Larrea to add some late steel to the defensive midfield.

Then Indy struck again. The timing was perfect, Rayo's flame was burning out and with 76 minutes on the clock Nemanja struck the killer blow and notched his second goal of spring. Vukovic won a free kick on the left side. Nicki Paterson floated the kick into Rayo's far post and it was knocked back down by the head of a defender into the path of Nemanja and he calmly slotted the ball home.

Nemanja's clincher brings home three

Indy had other chances, Éamon Zayed missed a good chance with only the keeper to beat and even Rayo tried to score on in their own net for us, but their defender missed at close range. The game was won and Indy Eleven never really had to come out of second gear to do it. In the end I am sure many could not wait for that final whistle, we held out, we worked hard and we took home three!

We got our first look at Omar Gordon. He was pacy an aggressive and definitely enthusiastic. Even though most of his time on the ball found him dribbling himself into a hole, he was eager to impress and confident. He has time on his side and now he has a glimpse of playing in the NASL and coach will let him know what is expected. he has the potential to be much more dangerous.

Indy Eleven's defense must be commended again. In four games so far the back line has only allowed one goal from open play. Despite a few scares during the game we reduced Rayo OKC to one free kick goal and of course one of our own defenders supplied the match winning goal.

Wins can be pretty, wins can be ugly, some games can send you to sleep. When there is three points at the end of it and your team remains undefeated, none of that matters. Indy Eleven players are working hard for each other, even if the performance is not always dazzling they are all about the team effort and it shows. It's an exciting time to support this team and god knows we deserve it!

Look forward to a home game next week against FC Edmonton, be sure you have a ticket because this team is turning heads and it most likely will be a sell out, don't be left watching from the roof of the parking garage

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Even though Éamon Zayed did not score, you can still get on board with Bloody Shambles and Permanent Relegation to raise money for children's charity Playworks Indiana. CLICK HERE to find out how you can donate, play along and have fun. You can use the provided form to pledge any $ amount per goal for the whole year, make a donation any time Éamon scores, or just make a one time donation directly to Playworks and help us reach our goal of $2000 for 2016. This is a season long effort and we need your help. You can also donate at the BYB Tailgate, look for the red bucket at our tent in Lot B every home game! Spread the word about this cause on social media and use the hashtag #EamonZayedRule

Eleven survive, don't thrive, on cold night against Ottawa. Indy Eleven V Ottawa Fury Review (4/09/16)

Nemanja Vukovic nets late equalizer in 1-1 tie with Ottawa.

By: Caleb Ramp

“Not the three points we were after, but it’s good to see our team not [lie] down and keep the fight to the end.”

Coach Hankinson’s post-game comments epitomize the mixed emotion of Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Ottawa Fury. The opportunity for a statement victory may not have been realized, but a statement was still made: a statement that this team, while still a work in progress, is resilient.

2014 and 2015 Indy Eleven don't draw that game. When Ottawa -- who were kept in relative check by Indy's stout defense -- open the scoring in the second half, previous iterations of this squad crumble.

This team didn't.

That Nemanja Vukovic -- the man who lost his mark at the back post on Ottawa's goal (and admitted as much after the game) -- was the same who brought the Eleven level, is a poetic microcosm of the side's ability to overcome adversity: an important trait if they're to make a legitimate playoff push.

Among the positive takeaways, Jair Reinoso continues to impress. His technical proficiency and comfort on the ball were evident again after coming on for a less-than-impressive Justin Braun in the 63rd minute. Once fully fit, it’s hard to imagine the Colombian isn’t a staple starter.

Dylan Mares also stepped in admirably for Indy maestro Sinisa Ubiparipovic. Indy's #10 exited in the 51st minute with a hamstring injury, and will be evaluated during the week to determine his availability for this week's match against the Cosmos. 

I was critical of Dylan during the preseason: he was taking too many touches and ignoring the easy pass. He would dribble into opponents and summarily be dispossessed. Saturday he showed flashes of the player which led the team in assists in 2015.

He needed a few minutes to get settled (earning a deserved yellow card almost instantly), but Vukovic’s equalizer wouldn’t have been possible without an intelligent pass which split two defenders and put Don Smart in a position to swing the deciding ball into the box.

Consistent possession continues to be a struggle, however. "Players are standing and not taking good care of the ball," Hankinson said after the game. "When you do that, you're going to give the ball away often enough where all you can do is defend."

Indy finished with less than 50% of possession for the second time in as many games.

Random Thoughts and Opinions:

• Miscommunication continued on crosses and angled balls into the box. There were multiple occasions when an excellent ball was played toward the back post, but the attacking player had made an ill-advised cut to the inside (into traffic). 
• Width is still an issue. Zayed was left on an island several times and was forced to take the ball outside himself and attempt  to put a dangerous ball in the box.  He should be on the end of these, not trying to generate them. Statistically, he finished with three crosses, while starting outside attacking midfielders Justin Braun and Duke LaCroix both finished without even one.

James Cormack's Take:

We seem to be having a real problem with transition between defense and attack. We are still defending very well indeed, but even more so this week the ball is not coming out of the back well. 

We are sitting way to deep for long periods in the game, Hankinson likes players to drop back and cover rather than chase and get tired, but I think on evidence of the first two games we are now perhaps over indulging in this tactic.

Towards the end of the first half we are defending corners with 11 players. Zayed is having to try and make a break from 15 to 20 yards inside our own half with nobody in front of him. Ubiparipović again is way too far back to help build a meaningful attack.

The 4-2-3-1 is good in theory, but some of our players don’t seem to be understanding it so far, we are not using the corners or getting crosses in nor are we stretching the other team with this formation so far.

We get very few crosses in and when we do there are not enough players on the end to make a difference. All I see from this setup and the way we are playing it so far is we don’t let a lot of goals in. That’s it.

As most people know, the longer you go without scoring the higher the chance is the other team will score first. We have to be that team that scores first and not put ourselves in a position to require two goals for a win. We gave Ottawa too much respect, they were okay but not fantastic, we made them look better.

We pulled it back, this will be a huge point looking back on it. It should not have come to that but it would have been very disappointing to lose this game. It is early enough in the season where we can recover from things like this. 

The most positive thing for me in the game was Coach Hankinson’s willingness to change the tactics and formation not once but twice during the game. Switching to a 4-4-2 and then moving to a back three and pushing Vukovic forward showed both he and the team would not give up. 

This is something we have completely lacked in previous years. Historically we have never had a clue how to adapt during a game, this is very encouraging to me. Hankinson is also highly active during games and very animated, I also like that!

Very impressed with our defense again, Falvey and Janicki were superb. We seem to have that part of our game under control. I admired Lacroix for probably being the most aggressive player in the first half and Mares and Reinoso for showing the same aggression in the second. Reinoso looks like a real handful, I think he will be starting games real soon.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Keep up to date with all things Shambles at BloodyShambles.Com, you can follow us on twitter @Bloody_Shambles or on Facebook. The Bloody Shambles NASL Preview Show and Bloody Shambles Soccer Show can be found on Soundcloud and on iTunes and Stitcher. You can email us questions at info@bloodyshambles.net.