tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62024312164728795652024-03-18T20:34:26.121-04:00Game BeckonsDrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09042600014262648084noreply@blogger.comBlogger510125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6202431216472879565.post-66597154659012823322024-03-16T19:30:00.003-04:002024-03-18T13:10:08.318-04:00Indy Eleven vs Memphis 901 FC - 11.02<p><u style="font-size: xx-large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></u></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><u style="font-size: xx-large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYTOnO08lqh-WVU2Dyr1RFsMM70caD7pOPM6xzaiEuAcuTmTWf2naSG3gCmw6bOPB9_Yu6FKuEsWcaHzlmFXZFzBWSW4qLu4Lxz7QCJyIyff7d3QHiwvz8kQmAhdrDsgg-BISIFhXGuW842oRyewyHMQK2S1NZDV3tktk4AGSbhSBE-7iAdWfgM16CrjZu/s2405/2024IndyElevenLineup02.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2405" data-original-width="2368" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYTOnO08lqh-WVU2Dyr1RFsMM70caD7pOPM6xzaiEuAcuTmTWf2naSG3gCmw6bOPB9_Yu6FKuEsWcaHzlmFXZFzBWSW4qLu4Lxz7QCJyIyff7d3QHiwvz8kQmAhdrDsgg-BISIFhXGuW842oRyewyHMQK2S1NZDV3tktk4AGSbhSBE-7iAdWfgM16CrjZu/w394-h400/2024IndyElevenLineup02.jpg" width="394" /></a></span></u></div><u style="font-size: xx-large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Summary</span></u><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>- Opponent: Memphis 901 FC<br />- Location: AutoZone Park<br />- Attendance: -<br />- Final Score: 2-1 W</p><p></p><p>- Starting XI: Oettl, O'Brien, J., Chapman-Page, Barbir, Stanley, Gibson (C), Blake, Lindley, Williams, Martinez, Guenzatti</p><p>- Substitution: Henderlong 63' (Martinez); King 72' (Chapman-Page); Collier 72' (Guenzatti); O'Brien, E. 90'+2' (Gibson)</p><p>- Unused: Sulte, Klein, Molina</p><p>- Scoring Summary:<br />IND - 26’ Blake (penalty kick)<br />IND - Martinez 42' (assist Stanley)<br />MEM - Cissoko 90'+1' (unassisted)</p><div>- Bookings:</div><div>IND - Chapman-Page 8’ (Yellow)<br />MEM - Jimenez 15', 45'+1' (Yellow, Yellow, RED)<br />MEM - Tulu 25' (Yellow)</div><div>IND - Barbir 35' (Yellow)<br />IND - Martinez 57' (Yellow)<br />IND - O'Brien, E. 90'+3' (Yellow)<br />MEM - Cissoko 90'+4' (Yellow)<br />MEM - Ward 90'+7' (RED)</div><div><br /></div><div>- Referee: Sergii Demianchuk</div><div>- Adage goals: None</div><p><u><span style="font-size: x-large;">Thoughts and Opinions</span></u></p><div>Allow this to be my first, but probably not last, complaint about soccer on a baseball field. Yeah, yeah, I know there are some, including Lowry last year, who have stated that there are actually advantages of playing on that kind of field. I'm not one of them. I'm also writing this before the game even starts because I don't care about the result to know that I don't like watching games on a field intended for baseball. The only advantage of this game from last year's field debacle in Memphis is that the field actually looked playable. </div><div><br /></div><div>It's probably going to be Indy's tactic most of the time this year, but early in this game on this field, Indy was playing a lot of Route 1 balls, trying to get the ball up to Martinez, Guenzatti, and Williams. When Indy was awarded a penalty kick in the 25th minute, Indy was at 30% long balls (finished the game at 25%). The ball to Blake required a perfect touch from Blake, which he was able to do, and forced Tulu into making a decision that was a split second late, catching Blake and not the ball. For his effort, Blake stepped up to take the penalty kick and promptly roofed it in a place and at a pace that was impossible for Deric to stop. It might be a different way to play than many of these players used last year, but Blake's penalty kick put Indy up relatively early in the first half. </div><div><br /></div><div>As the half closed, the game turned into Indy's to lose. Stanley made a run from his left back position to put the ball into a dangerous location in the box that Deric misjudged and fell to Martinez, who ultimately had to head the ball into the goal from within 3-feet of the goal line. Indy's tactic to concede possession, and get the ball to the midfield and forwards as much as possible, was much more successful in this game than it was last week in Oakland. With a two goal lead, Indy further benefitted when former Louisville City player Oscar Jimenez picked up his second yellow card in the first minute of stoppage time. Down a man and down two goals, Memphis found themselves in a difficult situation going into the halftime locker room. </div><div><br /></div><div>At the halftime whistle, Indy trailed in time of possession (37% to 63%) and in shots (8 to 6), but led in shots on target (4 to 0), and most importantly, led in goals (2 to 0) and men on the field (11 to 10). Indy's long ball percentage at halftime was 28%, which would have been unheard of last season, was enough to put them ahead at the break. It's only two games into the 2024, but it's clear that the tactics from McAuley's squad are going to be widely different than those of Lowry. If it remains effective as the season progresses, who am I to judge. </div><div><br /></div><div>Oh wait, I can judge. It's kind of what I can do with this site. </div><div><br /></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXKSMXz4e8eiNV6SYPuEkSvA-Q0jp0p4JvJrm-p7E3b4Ev6qatszdivv4EqVdERqVxko9bFTQgvTAaIWymOUFeuD_1HKVHEJs3mkIrf5JLG6D7v5sOO3SF2t0-7amgtAlScjzMGocsbsxh3AD9vw0O88UdzJKDfFyGWACt1NZrFcqymfWlXCRDolRLPgiv/s797/Oettl-Distribution.png" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="525" data-original-width="797" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXKSMXz4e8eiNV6SYPuEkSvA-Q0jp0p4JvJrm-p7E3b4Ev6qatszdivv4EqVdERqVxko9bFTQgvTAaIWymOUFeuD_1HKVHEJs3mkIrf5JLG6D7v5sOO3SF2t0-7amgtAlScjzMGocsbsxh3AD9vw0O88UdzJKDfFyGWACt1NZrFcqymfWlXCRDolRLPgiv/w400-h264/Oettl-Distribution.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oettl Distribution</td></tr></tbody></table>As I did with preseason results, I don't put a ton of stock in early results until I see a much larger sample size, but the game plan seems simple. Concede possession if needed, make strong defensive decisions that could include just blasting the ball back up the field, and get the ball into the opponent's box as much as possible to give the team a chance to make a play. Playing out of the back looks to be a secondary thought. While nearly every player on this roster has the ability to play the ball in tight quarters and keep the ball on the ground, playing out of the back isn't going to be the focus. I'll blame it on the field size, but Oettl's clearances and corner kicks in this game wasn't spectacular, and we know he can play short, so maybe playing long from him isn't always the best plan.</div><div><br /></div><div>Even with the man advantage, Indy pulled the possession differential back some, but Memphis still finished the game with a 58% to 42% advantage. The man advantage didn't change the tactics. Indy didn't start resorting to keep-away using the touch that we know they have the ability to do. The game still remained with Indy conceding possession, despite having one less defender to deal with from Memphis. Eventually, all that possession and effort allowed Memphis to get a late corner kick. That corner kick forced a scramble in the box that led to a Memphis goal to rob Oettl of a clean sheet. </div><div><br /></div><div>Indy managed to see out the last of the 6-minutes of stoppage time, but playing 11v10 for the entirety of the second half, Indy should have put the game further out of reach. Am I nit-picking in a 2-1 win on the road? Maybe, but Indy did not close out this game in a confident fashion. They did not get another shot on target in the second half, finishing the game with the same number of shots they had at halftime. With a man advantage, and this team, that should have happened. </div><div><br /></div><div>Indy get the win by getting a couple of timely first half goals, and then hanging on in the end against a undermanned Memphis team that played harder than Indy in the second half. The team returns home next week against Sacramento Republic for Indy's third game against a Western Conference opponent to start the season, as well as Indy's earliest home game in the club's history. </div><div> </div><div><u style="font-size: xx-large;">The Game Beckons Game Ball</u></div><div>Right now, there's a clear focal point for the team and that is Jack Blake. I thought Williams did some good hold-up play up top, but for a team that needs to midfield to do both offensive and defensive work while often having the ball bypass them, Blake stood out again for me. So for the second game in as many weeks, Blake gets the GBGB.</div>Drewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09042600014262648084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6202431216472879565.post-56622376170790088012024-03-10T00:50:00.003-05:002024-03-10T01:03:43.957-05:00Indy Eleven vs Oakland Roots - 11.01<p><u style="font-size: xx-large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></u></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><u style="font-size: xx-large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWM-aahSqhuQz61lVy-Osoh83wa6uK7IF4vorfjuPw4DtUA5hWbDoHraWsSMjlHsLvsIzk1-BtWMtaceZ4eDHk4vlwECbOLyvQqonTrods9M5v12C_cugr7eu_fe1lYEQ7380_BcS211ePn33_iJ84ZGs-CzVIN6-PjZaSh2m9mN4Ljze-gL5LbdwhZdEW/s2417/2024IndyElevenLineup01.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2417" data-original-width="2402" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWM-aahSqhuQz61lVy-Osoh83wa6uK7IF4vorfjuPw4DtUA5hWbDoHraWsSMjlHsLvsIzk1-BtWMtaceZ4eDHk4vlwECbOLyvQqonTrods9M5v12C_cugr7eu_fe1lYEQ7380_BcS211ePn33_iJ84ZGs-CzVIN6-PjZaSh2m9mN4Ljze-gL5LbdwhZdEW/w398-h400/2024IndyElevenLineup01.jpg" width="398" /></a></span></u></div><u style="font-size: xx-large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Summary</span></u><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>- Opponent: Oakland Roots SC<br />- Location: Pioneer Stadium<br />- Attendance: 5,146<br />- Final Score: 2-1 L</p><p></p><p>- Starting XI: Oettl, Boudadi, Chapman-Page, Diz Pe, Stanley, Gibson (C), Blake, Lindley, Williams, Henderlong, Guenzatti</p><p>- Substitution: Collier 66' (Henderlong); O'Brien, J. (75' (Boudadi); Molina 86' (Gibson)</p><p>- Unused: Sulte, O'Brien, E., Sanchez</p><p>- Scoring Summary:<br />OAK – 3’ Cedeno (unassisted)<br />IND - Blake 43' (assist Boudadi)<br />OAK - Tamacas 50' (assist Donasiyano)</p><div>- Bookings:</div><div>IND - Blake 24’ (Yellow)<br />IND - Henderlong 25' (Yellow)<br />IND - Chapman-Page 41' (Yellow)<br />IND - Collier 70' (Yellow)<br />OAK - Njie 89' (Yellow)<br />OAK - Donasiyano 90'+8' (Yellow)<br />IND - Lindley 90'+8' (Yellow)</div><div><br /></div><div>- Referee: Elton García</div><div>- Adage goals: None</div><p><u><span style="font-size: x-large;">Thoughts and Opinions</span></u></p><div>When I first started this site, I had intentions and goals of talking about soccer. World soccer. National soccer. Local soccer. Not having any team in the world that I cared about meant that talking about world soccer fell to the wayside fairly quickly. I did talk about the US National Teams for a bit, but even that trickled away and eventually stopped. Leaving this site to almost exclusively be about Indy Eleven. Game recaps, discussions about the stadium, and the regular changing of the head coach. Then the USL W League started and I had even more to talk about. More recaps and Championship winning teams to be excited about watching. The stadium finally settled on a location, which allowed for a few recent articles (<a href="https://www.gamebeckons.com/2023/05/a-cemetery-and-stadium-brief-history-of.html" target="_blank">A history of the site</a>, a look at the <a href="https://www.gamebeckons.com/2023/06/eleven-park-groundbreaking-from-my.html" target="_blank">groundbreaking</a> from my perspective, and a fun <a href="https://www.gamebeckons.com/2023/11/an-in-depth-look-at-eleven-park.html" target="_blank">In-Depth Look</a>), but the site hasn't seem to change much in my past couple of visits past it so those have slowed down. I had an auction for <a href="https://www.gamebeckons.com/2023/05/the-mini-barrel-auction-for-charity.html" target="_blank">The (Mini) LIPAFC Barrels that I created.</a> After getting approval from Peter Wilt, I discussed whether <a href="https://www.gamebeckons.com/2023/06/could-indy-elevens-inaugural-season.html" target="_blank">Indy's first season could have been different</a> based on players that the club was in discussions to sign, but weren't able to do so for one reason or another.</div><div><br /></div><div>All that to say that I have learned over the years (like the men's team, this is now my 11th season covering the team) that I really need the break during the off-season. From March 12, 2023 to my <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/6202431216472879565/5662237617079008801#" target="_blank">annual season recap</a> on November 6th, I wrote 57 articles. That's an average of 1.7 articles per week, but during those summer months when the women are in action, there were times when it felt like I was writing 3 or 4 a week. While it's nowhere near <a href="https://www.usltactics.com/" target="_blank">John Morrisey level of work at USL Tactics</a>, I'm no longer at an age where I can grind that like, particularly since this isn't my day job and I want to have a life with my wife and kids too. So when the team <a href="https://www.gamebeckons.com/2023/10/indy-eleven-vs-charleston-battery-1035.html" target="_blank">crashed out of the playoffs in a 5-nil beat-down from Charleston</a>, I moved closer to my hibernation mode. I did my season recap, but have generally been radio silent since that article. </div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><div style="text-align: left;">Consciousness is greatly diminished. This varies by species, but many hibernating animals are completely oblivious to their surroundings and are nearly impossible to wake up. If you were to wake up a hibernating animal midwinter, you would be effectively killing it. It would use up so much energy warming itself up in order to awaken that it would have no chance of making it to spring even if it could re-enter hibernation. - <a href="https://animals.howstuffworks.com/animal-facts/hibernation.htm" target="_blank">How Hibernation Works</a></div></blockquote><div><br /></div><div>I managed to awaken my consciousness long enough to write an article about <a href="https://www.gamebeckons.com/2023/11/parted-ways-mark-lowry.html" target="_blank">the departure of Mark Lowry</a>. I had an off-the-record conversation with Mark that will never see the light of day, and two articles around the hiring of current head coach Sean McAuley (<a href="https://www.gamebeckons.com/2024/01/will-it-even-matter.html" target="_blank">Will it even Matter?</a> and <a href="https://www.gamebeckons.com/2024/01/the-mcauley-era-has-begun-in-indy.html" target="_blank">the begin of the McAuley era</a>), and watched Indy's Undrafted series. Beyond that, I've mostly done other things. I've worked on the novel I've been writing. I've watched college basketball. I've watched Taylor Swift learn to love football. I wonder what my life will be like when Indy Eleven officially take the field as part of the USL Super League, thereby providing club games year-round since they league is intending to be on the international schedule.</div><div><br /></div><div>I avoided discussing Indy's off-season because I take very little stock in the results of those games, winning or losing. It's notable that Indy outscored their opponents 18-2, but there are a number of factors that can lead to that. So I tend to not value those results, and only managed to attend one of the preseason games since "closed" games were truly "closed" games this year, even to the media. </div><div><br /></div><div>Tonight/this morning though, my hibernation came to an end as Indy was officially back in league action against Oakland, a club that came to Indy last year and handed Indy a 3-nil defeat. Within 3-minutes of the start, I was looking to get my hibernation restarted as Indy conceded an early goal to begin the season in a negative fashion. Indy seemed to settle in after watching their league play begin with an immediate play-from-behind mode. McAuley's immediate pressing and desire to keep the ball in the offensive end became clear.</div><div><br /></div><div>However, around the 24th minute, the match took at weird turn as Blake and Henderlong saw yellow cards shown to them in rapid succession, and it was announced that Guenzatti also received one, though that one didn't show up on the Match Center. Blake received his card for unnecessarily chirping at the referee, while Henderlong received his for a late tackle. Chapman-Page added to the yellow total in the closing minutes of the first half with a professional, but very necessary, foul as Rodriguez would have had acres of space in front of him on a counter if he had made it passed Chapman-Page. If the first game is going to be any indication, Indy isn't going to be in the running for any "fair play" tiebreakers as the season progresses.</div><div><br /></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaDYmS2J8ThW53BmepzuJ94isFHdaP-XlKjgZy4bTZYksWV6AgLj1smIXF0rp3h6mrBG-hWlKsANFpbURnbo8KNjINRKpyvGNFZMJ5CRjsZbQbUsqY5mkoWMWennWeOBYlYJTGUGMvjxZjD4LZLShrxfKWFIUUGdhL4ZuGpfG7OYzNaxtrvoC0t0NWamcW/s802/Half-HeatMap.png" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="536" data-original-width="802" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaDYmS2J8ThW53BmepzuJ94isFHdaP-XlKjgZy4bTZYksWV6AgLj1smIXF0rp3h6mrBG-hWlKsANFpbURnbo8KNjINRKpyvGNFZMJ5CRjsZbQbUsqY5mkoWMWennWeOBYlYJTGUGMvjxZjD4LZLShrxfKWFIUUGdhL4ZuGpfG7OYzNaxtrvoC0t0NWamcW/w400-h268/Half-HeatMap.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Halftime Heatmap</td></tr></tbody></table>Indy put significant pressure on Oakland after going down early, and finally found their break-through in the 43rd minute, when Blake first-timed a first-touch cross from Boudadi. The shot from near the penalty spot was low and through traffic that Blanchette couldn't stop to give Indy the equalizer in the 43rd minute. Indy finished the half with a nearly 60/40 advantage in possession, 16 crosses, a 13 to 1 advantage in shots (4 to 1 on target), with possession weighted heavily in Oakland's end of the field including in Blanchette' box. Indy was on the wrong side of the yellow card battle, but the equalizer had been coming and put Indy in a good position going into the halftime locker room. </div><div><br /></div><div>Then they put it all that good work behind them by quickly giving up a 2nd goal to Oakland in the 50th minute as Oakland worked their way through the Indy defense. Boudadi helped keep Tamacas onside, who worked his way through the line and had his choice of shots before sending it to Oettl's right side and out of his reach to put Indy back in playing-from-behind mode. The goal seemed to finally settle Oakland as they gained a better foothold on the game and the second half wasn't as one-sided as the first half felt. </div><div><br /></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv3toyfKS6i5-gRkL175k3suu7EX-hIqzfuwdQi_XNz4fjfAeFGinJJcJzXvX0RlIqxsYiFMebEvSjAS36OCOrhcIKLyrwQtx72IHTt8le7Pi0Iw1kYCtMqopxWqEAXuIT-ACpsutZvECo0Jr7mCXPOIzc3BsCFSp-AMwCmoA8MMy1Kuxoaiz_KS5O-jv2/s797/Full-HeatMap.png" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="530" data-original-width="797" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv3toyfKS6i5-gRkL175k3suu7EX-hIqzfuwdQi_XNz4fjfAeFGinJJcJzXvX0RlIqxsYiFMebEvSjAS36OCOrhcIKLyrwQtx72IHTt8le7Pi0Iw1kYCtMqopxWqEAXuIT-ACpsutZvECo0Jr7mCXPOIzc3BsCFSp-AMwCmoA8MMy1Kuxoaiz_KS5O-jv2/w400-h266/Full-HeatMap.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fulltime Heatmap</td></tr></tbody></table>In the end, Indy's inability to start quickly in each of the two halves and the preseason goal scoring that didn't follow the team westward were what ultimately doomed them to an early season loss, and perpetuating their struggles against the Western Conference teams. Last year's "results didn't match the performance" mantra has continued into a new season, at least to start, as the fulltime heatmap still shows the bulk of the game being played in Oakland's half. Whether it persists further into the season will be a discussion as we move forward, but for the Indy fans that stayed up past midnight Eastern Time, the new coach, new players, new sponsors, and new jerseys looked like the old 2023 frustrations. The team did finish with a 19% long ball rate, which is 7% points higher than last year's average of 12%, which may be the main indicator of McAuley's tactics versus Lowry's preferred play-from-the-back, possession-based style the past couple of years. The loss also brings Indy's opening match record to 3W-5D-3L. In Indy's previous two times where they started a season with an opening game loss, they made the playoffs once and missed the playoffs once, so it's not time to worry just yet. </div><div><br /></div><div>Indy return to action next weekend in the garbage field known as AutoZone Park so we'll see how McAuley's preferred style of play works within the confines of a baseball-housed pitch. For now, Indy ends the first weekend of league play at the bottom of the table with some things to figure out on how to start halves better.</div><div><br /></div><div><u style="font-size: xx-large;">The Game Beckons Game Ball</u></div><div>In a game that went the way it did, Jack Blake's continued run-of-form from a goal scoring perspective from the preseason is enough tonight to give him the GBGB. There were some other good performances despite the result, but in the season opening, Blake's late half equalizer gives him the nod.</div>Drewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09042600014262648084noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6202431216472879565.post-17555264568733999812024-01-08T20:00:00.003-05:002024-03-15T16:57:06.706-04:00The McAuley era has begun in Indy<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL3rQ3MqisRN7tVfO6ebtvDJdACZ9pZrGFNnSy2BdQQRft6jyi3f-ap3Lati5Ciez8acsv-EMXu5Xg5zBk0HIyvz-ZtSgUCng2Vb0V2YFl3sYplm9xRwDonpNUURmvk_ukPVPgVJlqAp4b6Dv-qRd5yAKTeQuC7UCoAu2lwQJCXPHBi0bwI-lpxKIobXW4/s1024/Indy-McAuley0108_large.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1024" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL3rQ3MqisRN7tVfO6ebtvDJdACZ9pZrGFNnSy2BdQQRft6jyi3f-ap3Lati5Ciez8acsv-EMXu5Xg5zBk0HIyvz-ZtSgUCng2Vb0V2YFl3sYplm9xRwDonpNUURmvk_ukPVPgVJlqAp4b6Dv-qRd5yAKTeQuC7UCoAu2lwQJCXPHBi0bwI-lpxKIobXW4/w400-h225/Indy-McAuley0108_large.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>I said most of what <a href="https://www.gamebeckons.com/2024/01/will-it-even-matter.html" target="_blank">I wanted to say yesterday</a> about the new coaching hire, even before I knew who the Indy Eleven were pegging to be the new person leading the team. Today, the club announced that Sean McAuley would be taking the reigns on the sideline for the men's first team for the 2024 season. While I hope that I'm wrong, my opinion yesterday wasn't swayed by today's announcement. McAuley has minimal experience as a first-team head coach/manager, with short stints as caretaker/interim manager at Sheffield Wednesday in 2006 and again in 2009, and at Minnesota United for a bit this past season. He was the head coach of Sheffield Wednesday's Academy coach for 6 years, so there's at least that. He was at Sheffield at the same time as inaugural season player Jermaine Johnson, who was with the Sheffield first-team from 2007-2014 before joining Indy midseason.<p></p><p>None of that is enough for me to know how he's going to coach since he's only ever been an assistant at first-team level teams. What's <b><u>his</u></b> style, on and off the pitch? </p><p>He has been on staff with Caleb Porter at Portland from 2012 - 2017, then on James O'Connor's staff at Orlando City in 2018 - 2020, before moving to Adrian Heath's staff at Minnesota. So it's not like he hasn't been around a high-level atmosphere, but there are still a lot of unknowns for me. </p>
<p>After the announcement, the club posted the following about McAuley's mentality.<br /></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">It starts day 1️⃣ <a href="https://t.co/cpZGhW2LNB">pic.twitter.com/cpZGhW2LNB</a></p>— Indy Eleven (@IndyEleven) <a href="https://twitter.com/IndyEleven/status/1744435325588402315?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 8, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: left;">"I don't buy into the "it's going to take two or three years to turn anything around." As soon as we start the first training session, we'll be working towards winning the championship. It's that simple." - Sean McAuley</p></blockquote><p>I don't think there has been a coach that has come to this club that didn't think the exact same thing. For whatever you thought of them and their style of play, Martin Rennie and Mark Lowry weren't short on confidence on their own ability to coach. Yet, something seems to always happen with this club, and we fall right back to my concerns from yesterday. </p><p>I want to be wrong. I also have concerns. Those don't have to be mutually exclusive thoughts. I'm going to support him as much as possible, but I'm curious to see what happens if things don't start out the way he hopes; from his perspective and from the club's perspective.</p><p>Now that he has his own team, let's see what kind of players he and the front office bring in to, hopefully, fill in around the existing 12 players on the roster, so that we can start to see what kind of tactics he is planning to start with this season.</p>Drewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09042600014262648084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6202431216472879565.post-90559461104257845682024-01-07T10:30:00.001-05:002024-01-07T10:33:06.413-05:00Will it even matter?<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnpCx0TQPnbS2OcnfhX6QGFzT5lPdldvmrFwrxtIgSoPb52pLI9NLgZLYmQWBNkeLVErB3eX94UOt_DBEFnlJXGJcafaJwLez3Ey2MM5LoDwWqZZQ5nZQM-yi9OORCHSceSFyCchEMmMRDi_GqUuZ_C1_I2niqHmjs4yNkObodHpUW_tHT-NuKm10JKn30/s1080/GDGX8nWWoAALfis.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnpCx0TQPnbS2OcnfhX6QGFzT5lPdldvmrFwrxtIgSoPb52pLI9NLgZLYmQWBNkeLVErB3eX94UOt_DBEFnlJXGJcafaJwLez3Ey2MM5LoDwWqZZQ5nZQM-yi9OORCHSceSFyCchEMmMRDi_GqUuZ_C1_I2niqHmjs4yNkObodHpUW_tHT-NuKm10JKn30/s320/GDGX8nWWoAALfis.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Indy Eleven posted on Friday that "A new era starts soon." with an image that implies that an announcement of the new coach will happen in the coming day(s). Since Mark Lowry and the team "parted ways" on November 28th, the club has signed one new player (Aedan Stanley) and the schedule has been released (first game in Oakland on March 9th), as well as the club announcing a partnership with Grand Park as the club & Ersal's company Keystone Group will take over the operation and management of the facility, a partnership with CareSource, and a partnership to produce a new Indy Eleven-themed beer with Metazoa Taproom. In a vacuum, that's a lot of things going on with the club/team.<p></p><p>However, while Indy fans have waited (more or less) patiently, all the teams around them have been announcing player signings because they already have a coach in place and are building towards the season in a non-rushing fashion. The season has the same feeling to me as the transition from Tim Hankinson in 2017 to Martin Rennie in 2018. Hankinson was announced as leaving on November 28th, 2017. When Rennie was announced on January 16th, 2018, there were just a few weeks to put together a team to his liking before spring training began. As I previously mentioned in <a href="https://www.gamebeckons.com/2023/11/parted-ways-mark-lowry.html" target="_blank">my article about Lowry's departure</a> (ironically also occurring on November 28th), Rennie completely cleaned house of the 2017 roster, returning just three players; Ring, Braun, & Speas. Of that Rennie 2018 thrown-together-late roster, only 8 players survived to continue with Rennie in the 2019 season; Speas, Ouimette, Farr, Ayoze, Starikov, Pasher, Watson, & Matern. Rennie also released several players that were in contract to be in Indy during the 2018 season, leaving them struggling to find teams at the last minute. Turnover was a major part of those early Rennie days, and I can only hope that the new 2024 season coach does not follow that same pattern with the 12 players that are currently signed to the roster.</p><p>More to the point of this article, though, will it even matter? Will it even matter who is announced as the new coach?</p><p>I don't know who the incoming coach is going to be, despite some rumors and some guesses. However, I don't know that it will even matter. I fully expect this club, for the men's first team, to be in this exact same position in a year or two. </p><p>Hankinson was a good coach whose second season was derailed by injuries. Though to be fair, he might have also lost the locker room a bit.</p><p>Rennie was a good coach whose teams account for 1/2 of Indy's playoff appearances, and seemingly had reached a point where he had enough. <a href="https://www.gamebeckons.com/2021/06/mutually-parted-ways-martin-rennie.html" target="_blank">Spectacularly.</a></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyUA2LOqE2KGaJIm05lJUZI49xbsXei9upae_5Uc-aH5A_sjocK4mB8b2rsvCmWuhKlNVZXk1T1Rl6U2vd3vxMYYSlsfkKp7-Fc7y_n2SGv-M460-wIT81AKnkS0KIHDx6zX8nvWMKzyvzP1leVUKZgs1zkrrCffHHSNIa7f4a9mi9rWYn0FIx0S0JysBl/s2803/2023-34-IndyResultsTimeline.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2017" data-original-width="2803" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyUA2LOqE2KGaJIm05lJUZI49xbsXei9upae_5Uc-aH5A_sjocK4mB8b2rsvCmWuhKlNVZXk1T1Rl6U2vd3vxMYYSlsfkKp7-Fc7y_n2SGv-M460-wIT81AKnkS0KIHDx6zX8nvWMKzyvzP1leVUKZgs1zkrrCffHHSNIa7f4a9mi9rWYn0FIx0S0JysBl/w400-h288/2023-34-IndyResultsTimeline.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Lowry was an excellent coach, with proven success in the USL. For a number of factors, his first season in 2022 didn't go as planned. Indy struggled in the early part of the 2023 season, predominantly due to injuries and suspensions, but as players became healthy, Indy finished the last 17 games of the season (i.e., the second half of the season) with a 8W-5D-4L record, with a +8 goal differential in that span. The four losses were to Louisville, Memphis, New Mexico, and RGV (3 or the 4 were playoff teams, without RGV just narrowly missing). In the second half of the season, Indy averaged 1.70 points per game, getting points nearly 60% of the time. The 3-nil win late in the season at home against Detroit looked like the best Indy had played all season, and looked exactly like how a Mark Lowry team typically wants to play. They followed up that performance a couple of games later with a dominating performance in the first half of the San Antonio game with some of the most fluid, beautiful soccer before the game went off the rails after Asante's second yellow card put the team down a man. <p></p><p>The team, and the way they were playing at the end of the year, was exactly what I expected to see from a Mark Lowry coached team. The team made progress throughout the year and managed to make the playoffs despite the early season injuries and suspensions. The team looked like it was building towards something sustainable, with a historically winning coach who, every indication to me during the seasons, liked being in Indianapolis.</p><p>Yet, we find ourselves in the early weeks of January, still waiting for the official announcement of a new coach so that we can then hear about new players, and then begin thinking how the season is going to progress. New players that history has told us time after time are going to take time to gel together. So the 2024 season could likely be marginal, and bad at worst, and given the late roster build, will likely start off rough. Maybe Indy makes the playoffs. Maybe they don't. Either way, the coach almost always gets a pass for the first season because they "inherited" some of the roster, despite the fact that the players that this coach will be inheriting from the 2023 season are some of the best players in the league. So unless things go absolutely horribly with a missed playoffs and losing the locker room, the new coach will get a second season to bring in some other players, and success at that point will be unknown. </p><p>Either way, will it even matter?</p><p>Martin Rennie is the longest tenured coach for Indy with 99 official games (+1 friendly), which was 3 seasons + 8 games of the fourth season, but really only amounted to 2.75 seasons of actual games due to the shortened 2020 season. Hankinson coached 70 games across all competitions (2 seasons), Lowry coached 72 games (2 seasons). The history of this club has shown that two seasons of failure (or less) and they're definitely headed somewhere else and two-ish seasons of success and they're probably still headed somewhere else, because that has been the club's method of operation. I can't envision the club hiring a coach that will suddenly have full control over roster selection capable of having immediate success, who will then also stick around for very long. I think Lowry might have been that guy in 2024 and beyond, but that ship has sailed, with reports out that he is headed to Salt Lake City to be the head coach of the Real Monarchs, Real Salt Lake's MLS Next Pro team. </p><p>Every single one of those three coaches had some level of success during their tenure and yet they, or the club, felt like it wasn't a good fit to continue any further. I have thoughts and theories about why (I described one of those imaginary scenarios in my article about Lowry's departure, but I can imagine more), and all of those thoughts and theories lead me to wonder if it will even matter who the next coach is when it's finally announced. I just don't see the coaching carrousel trend changing here in Indy in the foreseeable future. </p><p>Whomever gets announced soon, I think the "new era" is going to continue to look significantly like the "past eras."</p>Drewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09042600014262648084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6202431216472879565.post-86732295814819977882023-11-28T21:30:00.028-05:002024-01-06T18:31:13.474-05:00Parted Ways - Mark Lowry<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyXK4NOT9UHfxS_iyyzCHenIBM-uNnNatLMEQTd_gBB6aS77IPE6tl4kPoTZaW8vXOf_hMg_WCjv6yDaM96kNIIuHnzjKKnCz0EbTX7JXuZTO333pvEPEaSHlmbteGrGX9_81CcuoWOvYpApznKBdeTO1IcltL7F364y5TxAvEekAxPYkqJ_Liyocp9JXB/s1000/996A0713.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyXK4NOT9UHfxS_iyyzCHenIBM-uNnNatLMEQTd_gBB6aS77IPE6tl4kPoTZaW8vXOf_hMg_WCjv6yDaM96kNIIuHnzjKKnCz0EbTX7JXuZTO333pvEPEaSHlmbteGrGX9_81CcuoWOvYpApznKBdeTO1IcltL7F364y5TxAvEekAxPYkqJ_Liyocp9JXB/w320-h400/996A0713.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>In the summer of 2021, I wrote <a href="https://www.gamebeckons.com/2021/06/mutually-parted-ways-martin-rennie.html" target="_blank">an article about how Indy Eleven "mutually parted ways" with Martin Rennie</a> after an odd on-air rant after a game. Twelve hours later, and the club and Rennie went different directions. Today, the club announced that they "parted ways" with Mark Lowry, who joined the club just over two years ago. Not sure if there was anything to the different phrasing by not including the "mutually" part, but it stands out to me as interesting if nothing else.<p></p><p>I think the last time I was this surprised about a front office move was the off-season before the aforementioned Martin Rennie joined the club. That off-season was full of surprises as the 2017 team led by Tim Hankinson transitioned to the 2018 team led by Martin Rennie, in a new league (NASL to USL), and in a new stadium (Carroll to Lucas Oil), much of that announced extremely last minute as the club tried to extract itself from the dying NASL. The 2018 team had no resemblance to the 2017 team, returning just Ring, Braun, & Speas, after Rennie decided that he couldn't see any place on his team or in the club for any of the 2017 players who had just a season before made it to the NASL's Soccer Bowl before being beaten by the Cosmos in penalty kicks. Rennie couldn't see a place for a ball-hawking forward like Eamon Zayed or a goalkeeping legend like Jon Busch. Hell, it was seemingly only because of a near fan-uprising that he kept club legend Ring around. That off-season was weird as hell.</p><p>Today's surprise departure of Lowry takes a close second in my opinion. </p><p>There was absolutely nothing from my perspective that would have made me guess this was going to happen. Lowry seemed to genuinely convey to me during conversations that Indy was the place he wanted to be to keep moving Indy forward, and to be a part of the first games at Eleven Park. It seemed like such a given to me, after getting the team back to the playoffs this year, that I barely wrote anything about the coaching situation in my <a href="https://www.gamebeckons.com/2023/11/indy-eleven-2023-recap-2024-off-season.html" target="_blank">end-of-year off-season article</a>. </p><p>Could I have misread the situation? Definitely.</p><p>Do I think there is something else going on? Definitely. </p><p>The following is a scenario that I can envision happening to lead us to watching yet another coach, this one highly successful in this league, walk away from the club after signing nine core pieces of the 2023 roster.</p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p>Martin Rennie "mutually parted" Indy, in part, because of the poor turf at Carroll stadium. Despite a new turf being installed in 2020, the team that Mark Lowry put together still found that field to be less than ideal in the way that it played. Lowry found late in the season that with some pregame effort, this new version of the turf could be massaged enough to play in a more predictable way, thereby allowing the team's preferred style of play to shine. That level of field maintenance takes time, and time is money. Part of the theory behind artificial turf fields is that they are supposed to be low maintenance. I'm guessing, and I stress guessing, that Lowry requested more budget next year for the field maintenance.</p><p>That, by itself, wouldn't have been enough to "part ways," mutually or otherwise.</p><p>However, and I don't remember if this was said to me on- or off-record, so I could get in trouble here for saying something that I shouldn't, but many of the clubs' groups had their budgets frozen for at least the last month of the season. Lowry likely had one of the highest paid rosters in the USL Championship this past year, but that money was focused on the core group of players. As the team found out, that created a depth of skill problem when suspensions or injuries sidelined some of those core players. I'm guessing, and I stress guessing, that Lowry requested more budget next year to bring in some other players to have a higher level of depth than what the team had this year. That additional depth was going to come with a cost.</p><p>Ersal and/or Stremlaw said no. Lowry said that he didn't think he can get the team any higher without that money for stadium and player help. "Then we have reached an impasse." </p></blockquote><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgBj2wbw2hd97mdt9bQsqn2SCxzHtBdkGztQlMaFOulTI2H7wUafblWWfjNIWR2gyNIf7G5FL-o3r0HikYOdlX_rU6vojgwWfLlljIFLlwUlvWAUbZPC-ZRYCW7RFn_I04TDgvzu9CnXFGQNbvcoYnEeHb_7s1a0BODNnmTR6yg4dlhi_-jAc3khxuEvAf/s1000/_T6B1019.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgBj2wbw2hd97mdt9bQsqn2SCxzHtBdkGztQlMaFOulTI2H7wUafblWWfjNIWR2gyNIf7G5FL-o3r0HikYOdlX_rU6vojgwWfLlljIFLlwUlvWAUbZPC-ZRYCW7RFn_I04TDgvzu9CnXFGQNbvcoYnEeHb_7s1a0BODNnmTR6yg4dlhi_-jAc3khxuEvAf/w400-h320/_T6B1019.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Ways parted.<div><br /></div><div>There's an oversimplification in that scenario, and I honestly don't know if <i>any</i> of that scenario is true. Can I see all of it, and more, happening? Definitely. </div><div><br /></div><div>As I stated today on X (formerly known as), whatever happened on the field, Mark Lowry was the first coach from this club to remember my name at press conferences after games and answer all my questions, on- or off-record. The last game of the season, he asked Ian Gilmour if I was there. He was conscientious of me being a grassroots, fan perspective of covering the team. On multiple occasions, he would honestly answer questions for me that he didn't have to answer. Questions that I wouldn't have bothered asking his predecessors because I knew they would just answer them in general coach-speak terms. He knew that he could trust me with the information and answered my questions openly, knowing that if he said "this part is off-record," that it would be, which gave me the confidence to try and find out more about the way his coaching mind works. </div><div><p>I honestly think that Mark Lowry was the right man for the job to get Indy to higher level. The club and even fans think that Indy need to get back to the successes the team used to have. That is not this club. Actually, I should be more specific and say that is not the <u>men's first team</u>. The Academy and the women's side have been successful. The men's first team is, and has been, an average to below average performing team for nearly the entirely of its history. </p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>The team has now had 4 permanent coaches and 2 interim coaches in 10 seasons of action. </li><li>The team has made the playoffs just 4 times in those 10 seasons.</li><li>The team has just 4 seasons with a positive goal differential and two of those have just barely made it to that threshold (2016 - +21; 2019 - +20; 2020 - +2; 2023 - +3).</li><li>In the team's time in the USL-C, they have finished 7th (2018), 3rd (2019), 3rd (out of 4 teams in their group due to the 2020 pandemic arrangement), 12th (2021), 9th (2022), and 6th (2023) in their conference.</li><li>The team has made it to one league final (2016 NASL season, which had just 11 teams in the league and 4 of them made the playoffs).</li><li>The team has made it to one conference final (2019 USL season, which imploded in the final minutes to Louisville).</li><li>The team has 1 piece of hardware; a "spring season" championship because the NASL was kooky-dooks and split the season into two parts, that Indy won on the third tiebreaker. </li></ul><div>Look, I love the team, the players, and those limited successes, but this is not a team that can be described as being a consistent on-field beacon of light. </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix0dAs8KfHBiojatxVScAc3XwNElWOGEUfK2W8Qrpu5hrTct3uYX_zcPiY5fdwTSdyNszYeazeekTRmoDZnJyEH77SIvrdBxewkeM7i2p9CjVUxX1b7x-Nb8BOBSN24QVko8L0qXDueRfJKBio28apf5tqirgMQOrJIVoEnUU-_B7LTmcQWaM76v0n1dMt/s2738/09022023_INDvMIA_m1922.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1826" data-original-width="2738" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix0dAs8KfHBiojatxVScAc3XwNElWOGEUfK2W8Qrpu5hrTct3uYX_zcPiY5fdwTSdyNszYeazeekTRmoDZnJyEH77SIvrdBxewkeM7i2p9CjVUxX1b7x-Nb8BOBSN24QVko8L0qXDueRfJKBio28apf5tqirgMQOrJIVoEnUU-_B7LTmcQWaM76v0n1dMt/w400-h266/09022023_INDvMIA_m1922.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></div><div>Assistant Coach Gabe Zapponi was brought to Indy as one of "Lowry's guys." Don't be surprised if he departs too. Jerome, Rebellon, Velasquez, to name a few, are guys that Lowry has taken with him from place to place. Don't be surprised if none of them return to Indy. Nobody knows what player contracts look like, but a caveat that I would want in my own contract with a team would be that it was contingent upon the manager in charge. King was in El Paso with Lowry and then Lowry brought King back here to Indy. Did he know Lowry was on the way out? Would he have re-signed if he knew Lowry wasn't going to be here? I think Lindley wants to be here close to family. Same for Quinn, whose wife's family is from Ohio. Did the rest of the guys that re-signed want to be here or to play for Lowry? The guys that haven't signed yet? I have no idea where they will fall now that Lowry is onto a different team. As a result, announcements for returning players might not happen again until the new coach is hired, whenever that might happen. </div><div><br /></div><div>As I already said, I honestly think that Mark Lowry had the ability to get Indy beyond just the occasional good season and turn Indy into a perennial contender. Whatever happened between when the announcement of the first group of players returning and today's announcement of Lowry's departure, Indy took a step backwards today.</div><p></p></div>Drewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09042600014262648084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6202431216472879565.post-54202217859781024002023-11-19T19:00:00.001-05:002023-11-19T19:12:19.800-05:00An In-Depth Look at Eleven Park<p>Okay, you're about to figure out that the title of this article was probably my first click-bait title ever. It's also supposed to be funny because I doubt anybody outside of the club or the design team is going to have any kind of in-depth look at Eleven Park until the team releases an article in the IBJ.</p><p>It's the Indy Eleven off-season and so content on this site tends to slow way down. I have the idea of an article in the works, but it is still trying to get off the ground at this point. Instead, you get this look at the Eleven Park in a way many of us probably haven't done to date.</p><p>There hasn't been any substantial news from the club regarding the stadium design since the ceremonial groundbreaking at the end of May, so let's remind ourselves what the current, publicized, version of Eleven Park looks like from the architectural renderings from that time.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMLtZzwJ-a5c3XM0khS-oi4MbIzr2cEf-W2foiBI2ePU0QQqfaW_WfMhZRsHeAI1d5TMZz-UznufmVbmcBtrJANh4gjoQzTW-oNH5ko2Fgs4kDxxDC3DoFANe67iRk-CuTE5urZm_LlasJYmcch5IVXjMvbXidV6PkfWJ7WCqeQ7DCNU6BU7FUFwZ51-qM/s5000/Eleven%20Park%2001%20-%20River%20View.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3527" data-original-width="5000" height="453" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMLtZzwJ-a5c3XM0khS-oi4MbIzr2cEf-W2foiBI2ePU0QQqfaW_WfMhZRsHeAI1d5TMZz-UznufmVbmcBtrJANh4gjoQzTW-oNH5ko2Fgs4kDxxDC3DoFANe67iRk-CuTE5urZm_LlasJYmcch5IVXjMvbXidV6PkfWJ7WCqeQ7DCNU6BU7FUFwZ51-qM/w640-h453/Eleven%20Park%2001%20-%20River%20View.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSAHSivEmcSShfhw2UgO8uOMqlkrQl1ZVAzYc0HL8xplAipB3_f-kNqkdenvPBr9S6RVZN1H3zFHUlcPEPuCsTxrGRb0ozSXG2wgspiLwAJnPEzVXqn9cEX8mJ4afE4lECSFuQSYXfGXgdcsX_fPykbM76_xi8Cmuj0k2IXrsMb1L7W455uJdL9dR13-fl/s5000/Eleven%20Park%2002%20-%20Development%20View.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2812" data-original-width="5000" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSAHSivEmcSShfhw2UgO8uOMqlkrQl1ZVAzYc0HL8xplAipB3_f-kNqkdenvPBr9S6RVZN1H3zFHUlcPEPuCsTxrGRb0ozSXG2wgspiLwAJnPEzVXqn9cEX8mJ4afE4lECSFuQSYXfGXgdcsX_fPykbM76_xi8Cmuj0k2IXrsMb1L7W455uJdL9dR13-fl/w640-h360/Eleven%20Park%2002%20-%20Development%20View.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJjB8KEuVAF9seALyLqFKVQFHnBUb64ROX1r3_d-etLR0120XGOl9To6wl9X6V1ddncEPWxZaYncF7uW5BJiun-gAL-v9lQ2w4Vr3Tth7fTDLtyBXNo8pS17fohD6QKFkTkCLItZPO2dsYYOb22-dfg6PQ004iSNlqPTJ54gOTkY0MJyKetE6Cx9D67F4H/s4500/Eleven%20Park%2003%20-%20Street%20View.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2531" data-original-width="4500" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJjB8KEuVAF9seALyLqFKVQFHnBUb64ROX1r3_d-etLR0120XGOl9To6wl9X6V1ddncEPWxZaYncF7uW5BJiun-gAL-v9lQ2w4Vr3Tth7fTDLtyBXNo8pS17fohD6QKFkTkCLItZPO2dsYYOb22-dfg6PQ004iSNlqPTJ54gOTkY0MJyKetE6Cx9D67F4H/w640-h360/Eleven%20Park%2003%20-%20Street%20View.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMyfH6pd67cHz7Ibz_5uUN-zHnLUNUTuHjmjegAiCv_6-i05a5bNHtdWWWoGdJaEQnKlhnf5p-6c_xrXtYSv133chck61KZ8Gd6gnNQyxM_Gr0mmIxHTJN5jrVNGZiQPyu7Tim8Bepp-BtU2qd_1Uz6TBc6jynNazYtNABbKkTU08gMLquzf2zNZfNprF3/s5000/Eleven%20Park%2004%20-%20Balcony%20View.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2812" data-original-width="5000" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMyfH6pd67cHz7Ibz_5uUN-zHnLUNUTuHjmjegAiCv_6-i05a5bNHtdWWWoGdJaEQnKlhnf5p-6c_xrXtYSv133chck61KZ8Gd6gnNQyxM_Gr0mmIxHTJN5jrVNGZiQPyu7Tim8Bepp-BtU2qd_1Uz6TBc6jynNazYtNABbKkTU08gMLquzf2zNZfNprF3/w640-h360/Eleven%20Park%2004%20-%20Balcony%20View.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5V5Rx85uH5W7KL6SLRzB0rSWi81-oM63ILvc3S-e4fzA1dIbPknPQBG1KmBVJhAK4D3NDM77Hj4wIOKs-ngHV3JfdBLo3yH4X0EnkP9L01xsIV3UfUbVgemyaW2fO10BSb5G2ekiPv4rI1hKDytRI9McFcXjM2c8YGRFxZBJQ3bPnqn_M8aQ1GBYuboaV/s4000/Eleven%20Park%20Stadium%20Internal%20View%2001.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2250" data-original-width="4000" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5V5Rx85uH5W7KL6SLRzB0rSWi81-oM63ILvc3S-e4fzA1dIbPknPQBG1KmBVJhAK4D3NDM77Hj4wIOKs-ngHV3JfdBLo3yH4X0EnkP9L01xsIV3UfUbVgemyaW2fO10BSb5G2ekiPv4rI1hKDytRI9McFcXjM2c8YGRFxZBJQ3bPnqn_M8aQ1GBYuboaV/w640-h360/Eleven%20Park%20Stadium%20Internal%20View%2001.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRFbgZnu_K554UyxAoij-c8LD3NXL2HsDc2eY7MTVqyVlP1mIsqguMG_Yjf8p57UkQIjcq8r3Z-Fc6kPUXGDmF5Xkmpx9kk4wkNea3tm5i3zEl-xG-1FZElbzwnrQplp8DKxfoNzbtIiCHG7zoRlSvXh0X780Uw1H4yzNcOg8Il7-rcbjJ7rjhOP5VfsUv/s4000/Eleven%20Park%20Stadium%20Internal%20View%2002.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2250" data-original-width="4000" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRFbgZnu_K554UyxAoij-c8LD3NXL2HsDc2eY7MTVqyVlP1mIsqguMG_Yjf8p57UkQIjcq8r3Z-Fc6kPUXGDmF5Xkmpx9kk4wkNea3tm5i3zEl-xG-1FZElbzwnrQplp8DKxfoNzbtIiCHG7zoRlSvXh0X780Uw1H4yzNcOg8Il7-rcbjJ7rjhOP5VfsUv/w640-h360/Eleven%20Park%20Stadium%20Internal%20View%2002.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p>I can't wait to be in one of those seats (or hopefully on the sidelines with my press credentials, assuming guys like me are still provided credentials in the new stadium) for that first game in 2025. </p><p>Let me start the rest of this by saying that my day job is an engineer and that I work with architects, so I understand the constraints they are under. There's normally a need to do things in great detail, quickly, and under budget. Normally, you can only get one or two of those done to the level you want, but rarely do you get all three. So you have to develop the occasional shortcut to give yourself a fighting chance at getting close to achieving all three goals. I believe that is what I observed when I recently, for unknown reasons other than maybe needing a stadium news fix, I started zooming into the image files. I began to notice the shortcuts.</p><p>Let's start by looking at the full development view looking west, and let's specifically focus in on the part of the image I've highlighted below.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWIMX6cpOYTncBo-hQq7Ah2T3U5yvylL9hnOV9M463AWojECNGNyEYPAu7ENFh8zszYSZLkSXvry3u6x-fiyAhIwByaJmYRL79mK9Gxym7Gvy83rUZEeHKDaaSGCt-V8M3WZqzOPgJDMx3TPzASolISPj6LkuHW52QnV0-HgAupptBCOxu1AXzpjtr4WCR/s5000/Eleven%20Park%2002%20-%20Development%20View-01-highlight.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2812" data-original-width="5000" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWIMX6cpOYTncBo-hQq7Ah2T3U5yvylL9hnOV9M463AWojECNGNyEYPAu7ENFh8zszYSZLkSXvry3u6x-fiyAhIwByaJmYRL79mK9Gxym7Gvy83rUZEeHKDaaSGCt-V8M3WZqzOPgJDMx3TPzASolISPj6LkuHW52QnV0-HgAupptBCOxu1AXzpjtr4WCR/w640-h360/Eleven%20Park%2002%20-%20Development%20View-01-highlight.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Match Report for a game against FC Cincinnati. A team that played their last game in the USL in 2018. Trust me, this is the least weird use of a graphic in this post...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih904FP_oleMqKja96LgTgWWEv48INEsB4-pp1FfQwF4LWUnaeNW1XGk2t6zhCRZlIAC00qO1bj68HirCxvNmzmPhoI7CU8zOspWKKK2SzFdpFtMBjCzzlCTPmzUWC1Uyc-PQZNaVwpTuM2aQPp3AWEAoo6iGbhQ4Nh8hnRt50K-nQnW5PUusUyldz_-ik/s1008/Eleven%20Park%2002%20-%20Development%20View-01-Cincy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1008" data-original-width="846" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih904FP_oleMqKja96LgTgWWEv48INEsB4-pp1FfQwF4LWUnaeNW1XGk2t6zhCRZlIAC00qO1bj68HirCxvNmzmPhoI7CU8zOspWKKK2SzFdpFtMBjCzzlCTPmzUWC1Uyc-PQZNaVwpTuM2aQPp3AWEAoo6iGbhQ4Nh8hnRt50K-nQnW5PUusUyldz_-ik/w538-h640/Eleven%20Park%2002%20-%20Development%20View-01-Cincy.jpg" width="538" /></a></div><div><br /></div>How about we move to the Street View image?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoxW6qcxdzAhonGOgM5UXeZ7haVoIuxedEW4IUV4RAS50Z5B0HkoYYwoUh8PU09f81_v36ltKjLeuyCA4y3W5IiLlO_XgSRpPjUSnXpR-WOTHU2UUCx7UiLEzjJNTiW_Po7QLqkWGOKTMXPjdMG_2_-nwDFU4RdtsqP8EwwSr0pcCILdZxGFKukgFd0Deh/s4500/Eleven%20Park%2003%20-%20Street%20View-01-highlight.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2531" data-original-width="4500" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoxW6qcxdzAhonGOgM5UXeZ7haVoIuxedEW4IUV4RAS50Z5B0HkoYYwoUh8PU09f81_v36ltKjLeuyCA4y3W5IiLlO_XgSRpPjUSnXpR-WOTHU2UUCx7UiLEzjJNTiW_Po7QLqkWGOKTMXPjdMG_2_-nwDFU4RdtsqP8EwwSr0pcCILdZxGFKukgFd0Deh/w640-h360/Eleven%20Park%2003%20-%20Street%20View-01-highlight.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div>Three of the same guy with a lightsaber just hanging out in the plaza. He's not the only one waiting to take part in the Clone Wars, but he's the one I saw the most. <br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrqGn4B4_AnLZudqg2_wXcJWRD8YSNYrxg-a6VL97sTkh0XLEniwcrOKLto-Oi-7l8Zm262v4WdjqbBJ-3LZTbkBWL_reOEKECmOfA8NuHJt5YsFWsQwOemshuZuCXvxbQW8vyNDeJSd-e0HeD9C5EBPHAl0C2vMDZYfq5x7oI0IZD7itKvj-sIh49vLCf/s1053/Eleven%20Park%2003%20-%20Street%20View-01-lightsaber.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="647" data-original-width="1053" height="394" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrqGn4B4_AnLZudqg2_wXcJWRD8YSNYrxg-a6VL97sTkh0XLEniwcrOKLto-Oi-7l8Zm262v4WdjqbBJ-3LZTbkBWL_reOEKECmOfA8NuHJt5YsFWsQwOemshuZuCXvxbQW8vyNDeJSd-e0HeD9C5EBPHAl0C2vMDZYfq5x7oI0IZD7itKvj-sIh49vLCf/w640-h394/Eleven%20Park%2003%20-%20Street%20View-01-lightsaber.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Staying with that image, but moving to the right side of the image.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9whxS8xufdDGRXsKh0Bqg-sP98gdvrzdVl70AGQVGJcETn38qGYnO-670oTPqMZtxsVW31Ri85uKfJ3TjnjosssqR83pov_CDq8Ou_-GxM1SyrlXCpEo4bn3LSGngG1o59QpK2h9nUsF9mEp6KvT-_UQDlZqdxoxqAnlSk7WgM4zd1vNhQgoNTjr3BsXq/s4500/Eleven%20Park%2003%20-%20Street%20View-02-highlight.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2531" data-original-width="4500" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9whxS8xufdDGRXsKh0Bqg-sP98gdvrzdVl70AGQVGJcETn38qGYnO-670oTPqMZtxsVW31Ri85uKfJ3TjnjosssqR83pov_CDq8Ou_-GxM1SyrlXCpEo4bn3LSGngG1o59QpK2h9nUsF9mEp6KvT-_UQDlZqdxoxqAnlSk7WgM4zd1vNhQgoNTjr3BsXq/w640-h360/Eleven%20Park%2003%20-%20Street%20View-02-highlight.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div>What The absolute F!! Zooming in further makes it look like the creepy panda-esque soccer ball is wearing a NYCFC hat, but I could only find an image where the creepy panda was wearing a NY Red Bulls hat. Either way, we're starting to see a pattern of using MLS team images as filler in the Indy Eleven graphics.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig5DZmjVrWH7a6hNKOXjdkeLCPX8eizHvSmxrz-h5we2dda6PPmb7QGH9IOE8DPN4XR5MasfXjBOUQrsDhLT-nM5o1y6ZbDouBiOc3bM8ha07JgXzJKwA1wYXov5Y0AOLaLskVvf4KSIs7zvpRLFgUGlrGveyIywacJPc4Y8Hbzk7kK9Pb_b-Y2mv4LIrK/s915/Eleven%20Park%2003%20-%20Street%20View-02-RedBullsBall.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="690" data-original-width="915" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig5DZmjVrWH7a6hNKOXjdkeLCPX8eizHvSmxrz-h5we2dda6PPmb7QGH9IOE8DPN4XR5MasfXjBOUQrsDhLT-nM5o1y6ZbDouBiOc3bM8ha07JgXzJKwA1wYXov5Y0AOLaLskVvf4KSIs7zvpRLFgUGlrGveyIywacJPc4Y8Hbzk7kK9Pb_b-Y2mv4LIrK/w640-h482/Eleven%20Park%2003%20-%20Street%20View-02-RedBullsBall.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgax5_Nfv3bVXu2M13zUTlWGaBCMG3GxrxA43AbX7eABbBv_sBn2x52Gg_8zhrzkMEOjFtA2hpmNjhReMbARHuuwzc9vNXI0J8JoWDtDcPcVs4uNKbUlfSSE0Rykxm8fdQQUzTgjFivOVUIJ39ESunfMKPABcOz8GV3JYwRpYbl6D_37KiRXjYTpUufF8x1/s2827/new_york_red_bulls_17.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2827" data-original-width="2336" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgax5_Nfv3bVXu2M13zUTlWGaBCMG3GxrxA43AbX7eABbBv_sBn2x52Gg_8zhrzkMEOjFtA2hpmNjhReMbARHuuwzc9vNXI0J8JoWDtDcPcVs4uNKbUlfSSE0Rykxm8fdQQUzTgjFivOVUIJ39ESunfMKPABcOz8GV3JYwRpYbl6D_37KiRXjYTpUufF8x1/s320/new_york_red_bulls_17.png" width="264" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>Moving to the Balcony View creates a plethora of stock images being used in unfortunate ways.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNK0tVIgvcayjcbjZnQgR5dwOUkQF_jM4eckcuUx1bO3yywntVPaSSjhk1YQUqE1BEwXOyXRFSLb2t5QVUXL5x3ejFSx4lDWrBE-8SDZ5IIvzUU33I8eFsTvCNgP1ZxkaNOMDqtrv6krUiycuc17p1S-jwQ_PzsszzzpnDwJxhDCCfOmfssowX7uaJlfiG/s5000/Eleven%20Park%2004%20-%20Balcony%20View-01-highlight.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2812" data-original-width="5000" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNK0tVIgvcayjcbjZnQgR5dwOUkQF_jM4eckcuUx1bO3yywntVPaSSjhk1YQUqE1BEwXOyXRFSLb2t5QVUXL5x3ejFSx4lDWrBE-8SDZ5IIvzUU33I8eFsTvCNgP1ZxkaNOMDqtrv6krUiycuc17p1S-jwQ_PzsszzzpnDwJxhDCCfOmfssowX7uaJlfiG/w640-h360/Eleven%20Park%2004%20-%20Balcony%20View-01-highlight.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div>For crying out loud... In the graphics of a $1B development, we immortalized Indy losing to Charleston in the 24th minute by a score of 1-nil. The good news is that based on other contextual clues, Indy did go on to win that game 4-1 in front of 10,272 fans with a goal from Cochran, a brace Pinho, and Own Goal getting in on the action. But still... All the available screen shots that could have been used for a fuzzy small piece of a larger image and that's what made the cut?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdrPJzqklY8DkrEXE7iZYSEFShDfVCPstE52J0EfKaYTr6zFYX6kP0j2T5CDz4S0eLtCeU6HNZq6LeyNhxCwrvKUfueUHMBWj6HwOfRfV8O0OTU4LOJ7tuNdSVE40s0nZeufGK5NDwLWtMUh0s2Xi5hVV9GnQ47cmQLtUDzTmrRwrSQZCrAbuQ_fPKoEPG/s589/Eleven%20Park%2004%20-%20Balcony%20View-01-Score.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="416" data-original-width="589" height="452" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdrPJzqklY8DkrEXE7iZYSEFShDfVCPstE52J0EfKaYTr6zFYX6kP0j2T5CDz4S0eLtCeU6HNZq6LeyNhxCwrvKUfueUHMBWj6HwOfRfV8O0OTU4LOJ7tuNdSVE40s0nZeufGK5NDwLWtMUh0s2Xi5hVV9GnQ47cmQLtUDzTmrRwrSQZCrAbuQ_fPKoEPG/w640-h452/Eleven%20Park%2004%20-%20Balcony%20View-01-Score.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div>Looking out towards the stadium:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSjODITEfkyIzYryQHwr5Rr9H9U3-4JlqYI1YXspHXHYT_S2WIwpURVqT-Gqwjloz_mYhqq_-rSbHtruHgqAm26vHJtlUUcmGqUzMBoqV9FGh-X3t5q76OjoWIvrW-9BnVHcimNjjQDUyZAjaw_SKwSxKkX33lke5I_8deT2LeDToE9P2n6Za1k8vfXfUM/s5000/Eleven%20Park%2004%20-%20Balcony%20View-02-highlight.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2812" data-original-width="5000" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSjODITEfkyIzYryQHwr5Rr9H9U3-4JlqYI1YXspHXHYT_S2WIwpURVqT-Gqwjloz_mYhqq_-rSbHtruHgqAm26vHJtlUUcmGqUzMBoqV9FGh-X3t5q76OjoWIvrW-9BnVHcimNjjQDUyZAjaw_SKwSxKkX33lke5I_8deT2LeDToE9P2n6Za1k8vfXfUM/w640-h360/Eleven%20Park%2004%20-%20Balcony%20View-02-highlight.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div>Save the children! They're everywhere! Seriously, they're scattered throughout the image in various forms, all just as creepy and unnerving as the next.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiag49A-X1iFznYBrgPPqJTvHkFBQr9d9mmgPb8S-sk-PZKQ-wLTVmMX6jiYcTXoi59lbts7tDlD2o9gBGh96jNHMZPQqtamBTF8I-1QzTi9fZQqOVW0CMOpvPT3mHAMX10OcRe5lqaiIDZojSVseysvIGTTPdoDRjT2Tsi6wgVCNBWIbtfRW2dRHKCcrIm/s720/Eleven%20Park%2004%20-%20Balcony%20View-02-RedBullsBall.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="720" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiag49A-X1iFznYBrgPPqJTvHkFBQr9d9mmgPb8S-sk-PZKQ-wLTVmMX6jiYcTXoi59lbts7tDlD2o9gBGh96jNHMZPQqtamBTF8I-1QzTi9fZQqOVW0CMOpvPT3mHAMX10OcRe5lqaiIDZojSVseysvIGTTPdoDRjT2Tsi6wgVCNBWIbtfRW2dRHKCcrIm/w640-h640/Eleven%20Park%2004%20-%20Balcony%20View-02-RedBullsBall.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div>What if we look down at the fans that are sitting immediately below us?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhJrX7m5O88R8_0kTDNZEWCJrID3GwYz3o8b5GgVK6FXb5EVkB1VDnVliamt2Y2lV_xLJVSMCDk2sTPEzfLMcWZD3XLnZ9jy1Ja3a6B4Wf3VZSVSRaIV-aZ96KsfGS5i2LXL7sOWOao0cqCsvkYyAw7aihKfi7no3yO5dggyEw1FlfLQmpK2QX5g0XTH2O/s5000/Eleven%20Park%2004%20-%20Balcony%20View-03-highlight.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2812" data-original-width="5000" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhJrX7m5O88R8_0kTDNZEWCJrID3GwYz3o8b5GgVK6FXb5EVkB1VDnVliamt2Y2lV_xLJVSMCDk2sTPEzfLMcWZD3XLnZ9jy1Ja3a6B4Wf3VZSVSRaIV-aZ96KsfGS5i2LXL7sOWOao0cqCsvkYyAw7aihKfi7no3yO5dggyEw1FlfLQmpK2QX5g0XTH2O/w640-h360/Eleven%20Park%2004%20-%20Balcony%20View-03-highlight.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div>Wright-Phillips. We've already seen a panda soccer ball that might have originated from a New York Red Bulls image, but modified to NYCFC colors. So let's assume that a #29 Wright-Phillips is Shaun Wright-Phillips. Don't recall him ever playing for Indy. Or even playing against Indy... </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK_5NVXmIrxfI_mC-yOxeeWsuvhKgpmPGj0gEpvKGyYlWQNcFTykzF-EOfEN-KdWC6z-wbpmoO6exlj7sjOAb1mm72I0NM1STvcvA-d4-3JF65zPMdnuY4jWsPFCd1G8B9XXqnpKlyNPk4YLTU_XHHzHBJKyo1-zh1Xin43rrUHqB3aYqvGsO_6Y7ob7nQ/s1107/Eleven%20Park%2004%20-%20Balcony%20View-03-WP.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="828" data-original-width="1107" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK_5NVXmIrxfI_mC-yOxeeWsuvhKgpmPGj0gEpvKGyYlWQNcFTykzF-EOfEN-KdWC6z-wbpmoO6exlj7sjOAb1mm72I0NM1STvcvA-d4-3JF65zPMdnuY4jWsPFCd1G8B9XXqnpKlyNPk4YLTU_XHHzHBJKyo1-zh1Xin43rrUHqB3aYqvGsO_6Y7ob7nQ/w640-h478/Eleven%20Park%2004%20-%20Balcony%20View-03-WP.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div>What more can we find standing on the balcony overlooking the plaza? Let's look to the far left.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPd6gRgzwl4RXXnZs8xCslB-m9vv-ZcGFsm68PL5sug-cw0uJHScokmnOLwdbS1rLO0qIItqaGChTX7cXC3RW1SZ-pZno4oB0sNr2NBtTPRwIf7SkiT1WJH2r2mL87B7DeeWRxCiOERG5m35HWviNMMblOWFtKTygum3gZYoR4dFds7S-v8QEknYE_TdJX/s5000/Eleven%20Park%2004%20-%20Balcony%20View-04-highlight.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2812" data-original-width="5000" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPd6gRgzwl4RXXnZs8xCslB-m9vv-ZcGFsm68PL5sug-cw0uJHScokmnOLwdbS1rLO0qIItqaGChTX7cXC3RW1SZ-pZno4oB0sNr2NBtTPRwIf7SkiT1WJH2r2mL87B7DeeWRxCiOERG5m35HWviNMMblOWFtKTygum3gZYoR4dFds7S-v8QEknYE_TdJX/w640-h360/Eleven%20Park%2004%20-%20Balcony%20View-04-highlight.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div>What do you know, Indy Eleven has some NYCFC fans in the crowd. Somebody at Populous is clearly a fan of New York City.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmwSEyX7biMo5uI00ptu-AzW6DXIPDzlCp8x6W5f7xTQGrD84xdJDODniiCiDq_j4oYUwO1bF0oBGvxpFNLMSYKmzythWGhioNnTLy1fhnvx0x8xZ7aUA6QEgU5DZW4FrLkh5-6W14T3VZN0Jt-tjjYGupRjDn4K5ZCh5_k0aD2b-Z-D8PA3xaNdFMY7c5/s710/Eleven%20Park%2004%20-%20Balcony%20View-04-NYCFC.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="710" data-original-width="685" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmwSEyX7biMo5uI00ptu-AzW6DXIPDzlCp8x6W5f7xTQGrD84xdJDODniiCiDq_j4oYUwO1bF0oBGvxpFNLMSYKmzythWGhioNnTLy1fhnvx0x8xZ7aUA6QEgU5DZW4FrLkh5-6W14T3VZN0Jt-tjjYGupRjDn4K5ZCh5_k0aD2b-Z-D8PA3xaNdFMY7c5/w618-h640/Eleven%20Park%2004%20-%20Balcony%20View-04-NYCFC.jpg" width="618" /></a></div><br /><div>Getting inside the stadium doesn't make anything any better. Given the proximity to the virtual camera, I think Populous was just getting rushed for time at this point. You get quantity not quality. Can't always get both.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvnEXoKOIw8iX6od4M0wzw8ovaB7-ax-LPNytJT3UVEDWy2XZ3ZKSkQxWTG24OlgVyFPeVRqx9yCXMNjCLOjLludqMBjfH5wshFiVWaOiDzdrAyAXYz7EGaV_NKmCBF0SzrmPsYyUP3zqxzyUGJwqQHzVjQ_vPLKfj3LDNdJPfOIP9HlUlikGd0ypmBFMP/s4000/Eleven%20Park%20Stadium%20Internal%20View%2001-01-highlight.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2250" data-original-width="4000" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvnEXoKOIw8iX6od4M0wzw8ovaB7-ax-LPNytJT3UVEDWy2XZ3ZKSkQxWTG24OlgVyFPeVRqx9yCXMNjCLOjLludqMBjfH5wshFiVWaOiDzdrAyAXYz7EGaV_NKmCBF0SzrmPsYyUP3zqxzyUGJwqQHzVjQ_vPLKfj3LDNdJPfOIP9HlUlikGd0ypmBFMP/w640-h360/Eleven%20Park%20Stadium%20Internal%20View%2001-01-highlight.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div>She's not the only one seeing herself...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT1IV1ikG-HSsdo1mvW_SSAiKCseSYNF_oqfJvs9aq5eFBemATlgQz0f1gJ7Do3VsP7F3oB6PjOwoaXV7H8z2VSqUsKJQAVig5NojhDukxBd1Q74MD3M-XhCo27DAslpPap2bzTJZ7iJOmK16ZrIY4iiGU5OfTH6c54Uhyphenhyphen-7KOkpmNfH-qtXrHL0Gnfk_f/s4000/Eleven%20Park%20Stadium%20Internal%20View%2001-02-highlight.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2250" data-original-width="4000" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT1IV1ikG-HSsdo1mvW_SSAiKCseSYNF_oqfJvs9aq5eFBemATlgQz0f1gJ7Do3VsP7F3oB6PjOwoaXV7H8z2VSqUsKJQAVig5NojhDukxBd1Q74MD3M-XhCo27DAslpPap2bzTJZ7iJOmK16ZrIY4iiGU5OfTH6c54Uhyphenhyphen-7KOkpmNfH-qtXrHL0Gnfk_f/w640-h360/Eleven%20Park%20Stadium%20Internal%20View%2001-02-highlight.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div>And the Clone Wars are in full effect just around the corner from our vantage point.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr7AAdZqKdo5TBsCuWLBUlhsmopNHTtMNp3-fw4p7hrwTPYsoPqUamJkZ7-IcHAYUecCw2s127O4MqKKR2m1t1LfVfakALLFrnhU-EZf76sxrPhdabCCHRHnDn_VNOMlyDgYHvgJatz5rjeYOjPJ59QEFiiJ2cMxGS03dxLLaqs1w_xyzEZcYTrs31Tto1/s4000/Eleven%20Park%20Stadium%20Internal%20View%2001-03-highlight.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2250" data-original-width="4000" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr7AAdZqKdo5TBsCuWLBUlhsmopNHTtMNp3-fw4p7hrwTPYsoPqUamJkZ7-IcHAYUecCw2s127O4MqKKR2m1t1LfVfakALLFrnhU-EZf76sxrPhdabCCHRHnDn_VNOMlyDgYHvgJatz5rjeYOjPJ59QEFiiJ2cMxGS03dxLLaqs1w_xyzEZcYTrs31Tto1/w640-h360/Eleven%20Park%20Stadium%20Internal%20View%2001-03-highlight.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">Identical Septuplets?</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKlNgkHgmdZ4W1Kn4xLdRHs92rhyphenhyphenW7eFDs0URqw0eyAhhXVbQTtKLYosV3ya4dos2iGtfEDxpWL4g7Vr_qY-ecgWiglZDYSfAEOhUs7tTwEn7ASJAxOtlF7kG1ljGckij1VfzGqT184S56ArQQSNsCjbRlWOvc636ToSvCzn-jRaUtdIDKG9ccX-OT4Jlm/s822/Eleven%20Park%20Stadium%20Internal%20View%2001-03-Group.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="822" height="584" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKlNgkHgmdZ4W1Kn4xLdRHs92rhyphenhyphenW7eFDs0URqw0eyAhhXVbQTtKLYosV3ya4dos2iGtfEDxpWL4g7Vr_qY-ecgWiglZDYSfAEOhUs7tTwEn7ASJAxOtlF7kG1ljGckij1VfzGqT184S56ArQQSNsCjbRlWOvc636ToSvCzn-jRaUtdIDKG9ccX-OT4Jlm/w640-h584/Eleven%20Park%20Stadium%20Internal%20View%2001-03-Group.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div>The absolute horror movie of this in-depth look at Eleven Park occurs in the lower left corner of the image with one of the clones and the person with her.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifK69-4uX6V1wyroj2K9n43PAK2pshry4TBbxVaq7yjCYfZplOqQdhU26NI9Iyt9431ioeqH_c2yZhFCFhhIOa8oSSXMVq1a5hMH7gz-d9zUxX_gI3sVsgOPByz9y2gS5F30XkSQz4rM83Y-h_ojwgXxyg6oanWxXXqiz9OrfqJDHEUeADb2uogpf3nxil/s4000/Eleven%20Park%20Stadium%20Internal%20View%2001-04-highlight.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2250" data-original-width="4000" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifK69-4uX6V1wyroj2K9n43PAK2pshry4TBbxVaq7yjCYfZplOqQdhU26NI9Iyt9431ioeqH_c2yZhFCFhhIOa8oSSXMVq1a5hMH7gz-d9zUxX_gI3sVsgOPByz9y2gS5F30XkSQz4rM83Y-h_ojwgXxyg6oanWxXXqiz9OrfqJDHEUeADb2uogpf3nxil/w640-h360/Eleven%20Park%20Stadium%20Internal%20View%2001-04-highlight.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div>It's one thing to be in touch with your friends, but it's quite another to have your limbs going through each other's.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_oZ8nEIY8Tf_UV2XGR3U5pTULz2fgCA7K8hfz88vbQlSRwZ6aG0KInknae2UVHO9l7vora14TsOMHaS0DfIciKTOsXeXKuXXe9OMzahFJH536yD9uAsxl_NC8Fvc19RGVZbgYlkz4o2H7tmUi4Dtzt5DemOsA0tKLuS_XTPNb7dGEVkfhV-q8Wt4p8Rbc/s1545/Eleven%20Park%20Stadium%20Internal%20View%2001-04-HorrorMovie.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1150" data-original-width="1545" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_oZ8nEIY8Tf_UV2XGR3U5pTULz2fgCA7K8hfz88vbQlSRwZ6aG0KInknae2UVHO9l7vora14TsOMHaS0DfIciKTOsXeXKuXXe9OMzahFJH536yD9uAsxl_NC8Fvc19RGVZbgYlkz4o2H7tmUi4Dtzt5DemOsA0tKLuS_XTPNb7dGEVkfhV-q8Wt4p8Rbc/w640-h476/Eleven%20Park%20Stadium%20Internal%20View%2001-04-HorrorMovie.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div>Eventually, Indy Eleven will release more information on the stadium now that demolition of the buildings is nearly complete and the site work will be able to begin in earnest. Until then, I might play a bit more of this weird game of Where's Waldo to see what else I can find lurking in the details of these images. I'm nearly sure I found a few more NYCFC flags, but who knows what else I'll find.</div>Drewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09042600014262648084noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6202431216472879565.post-26436115479953196672023-11-06T09:00:00.044-05:002023-11-06T09:05:57.217-05:00Indy Eleven 2023 Recap & 2024 Off-Season Outlook<p>Is simply making the playoffs considered a successful season? That depends significantly on who you ask and your perspective. If you've haven't made the playoffs since the 2019 season, it's at least a successful step in the right direction. When that playoff appearance ends in a 5-nil drubbing on the road, some of the shine is taken off the achievement.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlRP9xcQpp3d9pph-blzmIfzBdedmHWfYuH4y4wWVVsaPpz_nzO411NOPnhmQ1cGaBgPReuDWUis2Kb6FOAI4U2yBYFkSYMoV1w3S1a5TaIHLB9zME86C3Eq7ENkT41O66SMefhs1VGpZSyhKkVrxgBJpWCWL0X3RWbelDVwTJw4D0TOCMHXMsgKXU5zun/s2803/2023-34-IndyResultsTimeline.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2017" data-original-width="2803" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlRP9xcQpp3d9pph-blzmIfzBdedmHWfYuH4y4wWVVsaPpz_nzO411NOPnhmQ1cGaBgPReuDWUis2Kb6FOAI4U2yBYFkSYMoV1w3S1a5TaIHLB9zME86C3Eq7ENkT41O66SMefhs1VGpZSyhKkVrxgBJpWCWL0X3RWbelDVwTJw4D0TOCMHXMsgKXU5zun/w400-h288/2023-34-IndyResultsTimeline.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>So I clearly have mixed feelings about the 2023 Indy Eleven season, but maybe that's because a team like Louisville, who had a drastically down year for them, still finished ahead of Indy and still played in the Eastern Conference finals for like the hundredth season in a row. So the "why can't it ever be us?" and "will it ever be us?" thoughts are rampant in my brain and I don't think I'm the only Indy Eleven who is thinking this way. Indy was playing some really good football down the stretch as injuries and suspensions slowed down. Then they seemed to lose their way for a couple games when Quinn became unavailable due to his season ending injury before the New Mexico game. Wins against Detroit and Tulsa, and one of the best halves of soccer they played all season in San Antonio before finishing with a draw after an Asante red card, and Indy looked like they had the chance to do something special in the playoffs. Missing Asante, and then Blake, for the playoff game meant Indy's season-long trend of trying to field their best team but being undone by injuries and suspensions once again reared its head to similar results as the early part of the season. Indy had, on paper, one of the most talented rosters in the entire league, but a 5-nil loss to end the season feels like the team underachieved. When the roster began taking shape during this past preseason, Indy looked like they had a very solid core, but might struggle with young and inexperienced depth. Lowry and the club struggled all season to find the players and the on-field group to provide consistent results. With the exception of the 6-game undefeated streak in August/September, when most of the guys were healthy and not suspended, Indy looked like a team that could win the league one game and looked like a team that might not make the playoffs the next game. <p></p><p></p><div>Last season, Coach Lowry guaranteed that Indy would be a playoff team in 2023. The team made good on that guarantee, but it still feels like the team underachieved. </div><div><div><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><u>Looking to 2024</u></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Stadium</b></span></p></div><div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifDf_eHAkOBzoxbBREtqFm1AeBugikYGx11xHUWDv9u0cho6bofyXS9xHIWEnAT3CBM9VmyhztVacDw0Goj8gohnlcQHEAkZgHAFc_d80E8q-d1yc4tgWCCrvaDsoI4gu71HUoNwTRHvEJXzVxa2-M0o3jM3e_a97nIx2kdkqXS6VCInl-ylmZYL8Xi-gB/s4032/20220405_183203.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifDf_eHAkOBzoxbBREtqFm1AeBugikYGx11xHUWDv9u0cho6bofyXS9xHIWEnAT3CBM9VmyhztVacDw0Goj8gohnlcQHEAkZgHAFc_d80E8q-d1yc4tgWCCrvaDsoI4gu71HUoNwTRHvEJXzVxa2-M0o3jM3e_a97nIx2kdkqXS6VCInl-ylmZYL8Xi-gB/w400-h300/20220405_183203.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Let's start with "American Soccer's Greatest Dive Bar." Indy continued to play at Carroll Stadium this season, which has the same issues it has always had. It's starting to show its age, it's not ideally suited for professional soccer, it's branded with another team's logo, and it has a significant lack of amenities that most fans have come to expect from other sporting venues in this city and around the country. Concessions continue to be run out of cargo containers, and from my experience seem to have a very minimal amount of items sold from them. Most of the concession effort is accomplished through a rotating string of food trucks from the area. That isn't necessarily a bad way to accomplish concession, but I don't think I've ever seen the club provide a list of what trucks will be at each game. That's something that I would recommend the club provide, even if it is just a social media post a couple days before the game, so that fans/families know what to expect and/or be excited about seeing (for me, it's the Ben's Pretzel truck). </div><div><br /></div><div>The stadium does have a relatively new turf, which was replaced during June of 2022, but the team doesn't always have the best opinion of it. After the Detroit victory at the end of the season, Lowry was happy about the turf for that game, but had a poor opinion of it from the previous game, stating "the turf was so bad last week. I don't know what happened. It was so bad. Today though. It got brushed. Me and Gabe got here early and did some work on it. It made the difference." He expanded, wanting this next part to be "on record":</div></div></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><div><div><div style="text-align: left;">"The field conditions are not the same for both teams. It's not. Conditions are different for each team based on each team's style of play. So it's not the same for both teams. For example, we went to Detroit to start the season, the third game, I think it was super windy. It suited us better, because we keep on the floor, they like to go long and their balls get caught [in the wind], so we beat them. We like to play on the floor. If the field surface isn't great, then it affects us more than the other team. It's not the same for both teams. It's based on style. The turf played great tonight. We saw some goals and great action. That's the reality."</div></div></div></blockquote><div><div><div> </div><div>Indy had a better record on the road than they did at home, despite everybody's desire to make The Mike a fortress. Indy had an 8W-4D-5L record on the road and a 5W-6D-6L record at home. With all of that in mind, I fully expect that the team will be brushing the turf a lot more next season because "keeping the ball on the floor" isn't going to change next season (more on that in a minute). Indy, if the schedule goes as planned, will have another season and a half on the Carroll Stadium turf because Eleven Park has started moving forward. </div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiClWQIFKc_eEASJjKa0Lz1mBTh1tIW94XYxRk8E9KZLP9pL0Knop-Xg-JvoLuyeL1KRgtStiEmpJltr_qi5TUUZZ-0kXxxBgEMb80NgwFL9zJ5sgup9QR5aCzvcxsUq3IA1iT2vhzMXjzBB65S05sIm5CDSMphVYVMc9CJNhzKtTdbkLDOcWVMv3IapyBB/s5000/Eleven%20Park%2001%20-%20River%20View.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3527" data-original-width="5000" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiClWQIFKc_eEASJjKa0Lz1mBTh1tIW94XYxRk8E9KZLP9pL0Knop-Xg-JvoLuyeL1KRgtStiEmpJltr_qi5TUUZZ-0kXxxBgEMb80NgwFL9zJ5sgup9QR5aCzvcxsUq3IA1iT2vhzMXjzBB65S05sIm5CDSMphVYVMc9CJNhzKtTdbkLDOcWVMv3IapyBB/w400-h283/Eleven%20Park%2001%20-%20River%20View.jpg" width="400" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiClWQIFKc_eEASJjKa0Lz1mBTh1tIW94XYxRk8E9KZLP9pL0Knop-Xg-JvoLuyeL1KRgtStiEmpJltr_qi5TUUZZ-0kXxxBgEMb80NgwFL9zJ5sgup9QR5aCzvcxsUq3IA1iT2vhzMXjzBB65S05sIm5CDSMphVYVMc9CJNhzKtTdbkLDOcWVMv3IapyBB/s5000/Eleven%20Park%2001%20-%20River%20View.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a></div></div><div>Indy announced in June of 2022 that the location for Eleven Park would be at the old Diamond Chain site near the convergence of South Street, West Street, and Kentucky Avenue next to the White River. <a href="https://www.elevenpark.com/copy-of-february-2023-press-release" target="_blank">In February 2023</a>, new renderings were released showing the updated vision for the Eleven Park development including the stadium, residences, offices, hotel, parking, and even a 4,000 seat music venue. </div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.elevenpark.com/may2023pressrelease" target="_blank">On the last day of May 2023</a>, the club held <a href="https://www.gamebeckons.com/2023/06/eleven-park-groundbreaking-from-my.html" target="_blank">a ceremonial groundbreaking </a>on the site to publicly kick-off the process of converting<a href="https://www.gamebeckons.com/2023/05/a-cemetery-and-stadium-brief-history-of.html" target="_blank"> the historical site </a>into the Eleven Park development. As has been the trend of the club when it comes to the stadium, there had been nothing conveyed to the public about the stadium until this past week when <a href="https://www.elevenpark.com/ibjtaxingdistrictapproval" target="_blank">it was announced</a> that the "The Metropolitan Development Commission on Wednesday gave preliminary approval for the creation of a new downtown taxing district to support the Indy Eleven’s proposed soccer stadium." </div><div><br /></div><div>That doesn't mean that the site has been without activity since the groundbreaking ceremony. If you recall, here is generally what the site looked like in November of 2022. </div></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVC57kgY6lnUC8NLtW3xyvGmdY-hgsYYkDb_NQ6CO-Gf3fYvHjf3b4Mk4RabQ7wDTA3cjHS2iMnPByHW1LWnHoHFs57bNTvRjbSFynVSHl2fnxwE1E3gh000yFWd07E8FMjuFFG1g7m-LJ5VfZd2eRc_TcBLhpvUEYHEojTwV19oit54NdPH1Dwdhek8Tm/s1910/DiamondChain-GoogleMaps-2022.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="412" data-original-width="1910" height="138" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVC57kgY6lnUC8NLtW3xyvGmdY-hgsYYkDb_NQ6CO-Gf3fYvHjf3b4Mk4RabQ7wDTA3cjHS2iMnPByHW1LWnHoHFs57bNTvRjbSFynVSHl2fnxwE1E3gh000yFWd07E8FMjuFFG1g7m-LJ5VfZd2eRc_TcBLhpvUEYHEojTwV19oit54NdPH1Dwdhek8Tm/w640-h138/DiamondChain-GoogleMaps-2022.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Diamond Chain Site (Google Maps - 2022)</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>Below are some photos of what the site looks like as of this past Friday... The building that was all the way to the left in the Street View has been demolished for a few months. The southern and western portions of the main building have been reduced to just a small sliver, leaving just the easternmost section by West Street and several large piles of debris waiting to be salvaged or sent to the landfill.</div><div><br /></div><div>Unfortunately, I don't know much about the status of the design of the stadium or the initial components of Phase 1 (stadium, parking, and Tower 1). I've heard rumors, but nothing that I can or should convey at this point. </div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKoh-YY5ROmUpt9gEXR1QDriEH0mG5_62ILx3hneksFU4t9b0TO-rGfUpGMxwZRBX-N_d39PsPMM5ck631oAmtfJxz_mU6x98LiEZ3CyvgOK-ZnE35knozU_faChymDHiPkc8cF3-e79ItF48_ss9rMlwPWF5TTVZJ4WMxiDs4nXBD3NW2seFhMq0iUb4e/s5712/IMG_0390.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4284" data-original-width="5712" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKoh-YY5ROmUpt9gEXR1QDriEH0mG5_62ILx3hneksFU4t9b0TO-rGfUpGMxwZRBX-N_d39PsPMM5ck631oAmtfJxz_mU6x98LiEZ3CyvgOK-ZnE35knozU_faChymDHiPkc8cF3-e79ItF48_ss9rMlwPWF5TTVZJ4WMxiDs4nXBD3NW2seFhMq0iUb4e/w640-h480/IMG_0390.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo: Patrick Cummings</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJfhJVGkCPnIEVWdiX_uHLsbgcRmVfCPiorss1PtKUjZHdpRFamb2jy__3gJ73AadU48DimcnW5rEN3Syc5V8Bk4pqOpBIx_fBAG8fJfMLMyjmLdnwwbpM9cXMMwsO16Shjeo_qOE_gjcnjozPRO17_zlxPS8P-CYdCBv0u_Z-thhU_GtzSQ5AJXTsavTk/s4032/IMG_0394.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJfhJVGkCPnIEVWdiX_uHLsbgcRmVfCPiorss1PtKUjZHdpRFamb2jy__3gJ73AadU48DimcnW5rEN3Syc5V8Bk4pqOpBIx_fBAG8fJfMLMyjmLdnwwbpM9cXMMwsO16Shjeo_qOE_gjcnjozPRO17_zlxPS8P-CYdCBv0u_Z-thhU_GtzSQ5AJXTsavTk/w640-h480/IMG_0394.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo: Patrick Cummings</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw9P4D1zTOwwFXwu_UQJRrMlBK0zmC7knzXlecct2AKm4F90XID_J6cHGtO7OBpGo3esGicwaUhCKS1cKh12IvrVXLNJ-neSXfjQNsRSq9uVrDVrmNZXLJ7Ylkbmgj8BlzRLH2FeVhOTjY-pNm0IRPUGmTvPg01amicES9XWWSOTqrQj-dXLEPNQsz_RWx/s4032/IMG_0393.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw9P4D1zTOwwFXwu_UQJRrMlBK0zmC7knzXlecct2AKm4F90XID_J6cHGtO7OBpGo3esGicwaUhCKS1cKh12IvrVXLNJ-neSXfjQNsRSq9uVrDVrmNZXLJ7Ylkbmgj8BlzRLH2FeVhOTjY-pNm0IRPUGmTvPg01amicES9XWWSOTqrQj-dXLEPNQsz_RWx/w640-h480/IMG_0393.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo: Patrick Cummings</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn7nTEF9w_4JqyrFFNI2x68JGXVoipRnzJUkcTsuTBpn_CpjeGYmOHYqDX-eiBIlFXpgrJSOx3IVhFVByJ37a2M_LcAdVuzgqTFat5EbvOzOxyzslGbKuaoGiKVoPdwKmoWmQaR4bOiEKnA3cnvx3SqIfxI0t2udrEGxPSnR213xysL4xEL3FpYnNNo78R/s4032/IMG_0392.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn7nTEF9w_4JqyrFFNI2x68JGXVoipRnzJUkcTsuTBpn_CpjeGYmOHYqDX-eiBIlFXpgrJSOx3IVhFVByJ37a2M_LcAdVuzgqTFat5EbvOzOxyzslGbKuaoGiKVoPdwKmoWmQaR4bOiEKnA3cnvx3SqIfxI0t2udrEGxPSnR213xysL4xEL3FpYnNNo78R/w640-h480/IMG_0392.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo: Patrick Cummings</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div><b style="font-size: xx-large;">Coach</b></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisrTdMPtqhxrA1nzEWRi2ziMCIBTzzMkaZkXchnJXKSo8lra_XuhNRXyKQ3AGJ_wNEoapAEBpKWrjqxs4BGLyXbBeMaPd6su5HGGaUvxQxIQ9t30vqywhke1bojchHLFL1n0ZP3rHB2gHrqiq-aRX3egrHjk2wGGDgcn4F1y0SdWO3L4YhZv_Jm1LeQToH/s1000/996A0713.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisrTdMPtqhxrA1nzEWRi2ziMCIBTzzMkaZkXchnJXKSo8lra_XuhNRXyKQ3AGJ_wNEoapAEBpKWrjqxs4BGLyXbBeMaPd6su5HGGaUvxQxIQ9t30vqywhke1bojchHLFL1n0ZP3rHB2gHrqiq-aRX3egrHjk2wGGDgcn4F1y0SdWO3L4YhZv_Jm1LeQToH/w320-h400/996A0713.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo: Don Thompson Photography</td></tr></tbody></table>I'm not sure there's much to say here. Unless Coach Lowry goes to a different team, making the playoffs this year likely saves Indy fans from going through another team rebuild with a new coach and new players. For good or bad, his results here in Indy don't exactly lead to a ton of teams trying to steal him from Indy, regardless of his successes in the past. I also have the feeling that Lowry now sees Indy as the challenge that is going to show his coaching chops. With the injuries, suspensions, and general depth or field concerns, Lowry was forced to dig deep into his bag of tricks that weren't his normal tactics to try and find ways to get results. It also doesn't hurt that there is a stadium coming that will likely be the best stadium in the USL when it is finished in 2025. There's a feeling that players and Coach want to be around when the stadium opens. Much like coaches at universities use their facilities to entice teenagers to come play football/basketball in Division 1 sports, the Eleven Park development is a facility that will draw top players to the team.</div><div><br /></div><div>When Lowry left El Paso, it was a surprise to their fans, but they had been going through a run of successes without the final payoff. Without the same level of success here, I think Lowry intends to be here for at least the next couple of seasons.</div><div><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Players</b></span></p><p>The 2022 season was the first season under Coach Lowry. As I've discussed over the years in these season end reviews, it seems like the majority of the player contracts for Indy Eleven have the appearance of 2 year contracts or 1 year contracts with a 2nd year option. The existing contracts, loans, and trades that happened this year make it another year where it could be difficult to accurately determine who will be returning next year. However, the all the roster movement also meant that Lowry brought in or released the players that he thought would make the team better. Moving forward will likely be this core, while also bringing in depth at all positions.</p></div><div><p>Based on my own opinions, here are what players from this year's roster that I can envision being somewhere else and who might be returning (not including the Academy players as they seem to fall under an even larger variable than the 1st team players):</p><p><u><span style="font-size: large;">Gone:</span></u></p><ol><li>Fjeldberg - Transferred to Colorado Springs. for King. No matter how positive an opinion Lowry has/had of Fjeldberg, there's almost no way that I can envision Jonas being loaned to RGV one season and then transferred in a second season and then find his way back to Indy. </li><li>Taghvai-Najib - loaned at the end of the season and I don't recall him even making an appearance on any gameday roster. Signed for depth at the end of the season and still didn't see the bench. Historically, that never bodes well for a player returning the next season.</li><li>Tejada - Transferred to Colorado Springs. </li><li>Torres - Alann was released from the team early in the season and I hesitated even including him in this list, but have done so for completeness. Also, something mysterious happened around his departure because I can't find him on any team this year after he was released and club staff refused to provide me with any information on what happened, neither on or off record.</li><li>Walker - Already released in September.</li></ol><div></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><u>Possibly Gone:</u></span></p><ol><li>Chapman-Page - loan expired, but he could be resigned. Hard to say. He was very effective in his time here, but you just never know with loans. </li><li>Molina - this is one of those times when I really don't know what might happen. He could just as easily be in the returning list.</li><li>Reveno - loaned from NE Revolution in August. Historically, not many of those kinds of transactions have persisted into the next season.</li><li>Rissi - loaned to Miami for Chapman-Page, so in theory he could have been coming back to Indy, but I think Rissi's play that prompted the loan was because Lowry and the players had started to lose confidence in Rissi. I would be surprised if he returns.</li><li>Robledo - loaned from FC Cincinnati. This could depend on whether FCC think the loan was effective enough to bring him back into their fold full-time or try a loan with a different team.</li><li>Trilk - After Oettl went out injured, Trilk proved in the second half of the season that he is a #1 capable goalkeeper in this league. Goalkeepers are a different breed so I could be surprised, but a third season in Indy as the #2 wouldn't be good for his further development or his personal goals and he might be seeking a place where he can be the #1 from the start. He wouldn't be the first keeper to return to the team knowing they weren't going to be the #1 so I could be wrong on this one.</li></ol><p></p><p><u><span style="font-size: large;">Probably Returning:</span></u></p><p></p><ol><li>Asante - Solo has reached that age and stage in his career where he will likely never reach the same level of goal scoring and assist proficiency that he had during his time in Phoenix, but his vision, first touch, and set piece ability is enough to keep him around. </li><li>Blake - His presence in the midfield for the playoff game would have helped just like it did the rest of the year. I think he'll be back.</li><li>Boudadi - Younes is dynamic up the wing forcing teams to deal with his pace and effort. If history is any indication, a player that accounted for as many minutes as Boudadi usually returns the next season.</li><li>Dambrot - When healthy, Robby provided the same as Boudadi but on the opposite side. Lowry likes his wingers to get involved in the offense and Dambrot is an eager participant in that part of the field. </li><li>Diz Pe - Diz learned to control his emotions as the season progressed keeping teams from provoking him into bad decisions and he became the rock in the defense. At 6'-3", he's a great presence in the air on the offensive and defensive side of the ball. </li><li>Guenzatti - Sebastian played in every single game for the Eleven this year; all 34 regular season games, the 2 U.S. Open Cup games, and the playoff game. Guenzatti was the team's leading scorer and Lowry brought Guenzatti to Indy because he thought Seb could be a double digit scorer again despite some down seasons in Tampa. </li><li>Jerome - Mechack is a "Lowry guy". As I indicated in last year's recap, Jerome had a few more uncharacteristic errors than I saw from him when I watched him in ELP, but he played really well down the stretch of the season. Unless something drastic happens, he'll be back.</li><li>King - Played for Lowry in ELP. Traded Fjeldberg to get King to Indy. Lowry will want to keep him around in 2024.</li><li>Lindley - A local guy who was a cornerstone of the roster this year. Cam wants to be in Indy closer to family and Lowry wants him in the Indy midfield. There aren't guarantees in the business of soccer, but Lindley returning next season might be close.</li><li>Martinez - Provided pace up top and showed a flexibility in where he could play. He could slide into the "Possibly Gone" category, but I think he returns for next season.</li><li>Oettl - Until his injury, Yannik was the clear #1 for Lowry. I don't see that changing next year.</li><li>Pinho - He left Indy to be closer to family in Brazil. However those issues were resolved, Pinho seemed to be glad to be back in Indy. I'm surprised he didn't get more minutes, but I still think he returns next season.</li><li>Quinn - The other player in USL Championship history to have at least 50 goals and 50 assists besides Asante, and Indy's second leading scorer this year behind Guenzatti, Aodhan was a key component of the Indy midfield. He has also started setting roots here with a young family and that will make him want to stick around. Lowry would be crazy to not keep him.</li><li>Rebellon - I continue to have concerns about his ability to stay healthy, but he's another "Lowry guy." </li><li>Vazquez - Until his injury, he was nearly a guaranteed starter. Whether his returning next year will be as a starter, or much needed depth may depend on the rest of the roster, but I think he also returns. </li><li>Velasquez - A midseason addition to the roster can often be a hit-or-miss on whether they return the next season. Velasquez played for Lowry in ELP. As such, he might not <i>yet</i> be a "Lowry guy," but getting him here this year could be the start of that designation.</li></ol><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Final Thoughts</b></span></p>As I said in the beginning, making the playoffs makes the year feel like a better campaign than last year's season. Losing as badly as they did in that playoff game makes it feel like 2 steps forward, but 1 step back. For now, I'm clinging to the fact that I believe Lowry is a really good coach with really good players at his disposal. The returning players and whatever gets added during the offseason need to stay healthy (which is difficult to project) and available for selection (which is easier if you don't make bad decisions on the field that get you multiple yellow cards or red cards). If that happens, and the team isn't constantly being forced to find a new combination of players, I think there were several games that get better results to match their good performances. Indy was just 4 points behind playoff-hosting Memphis in the table. It's not difficult to fathom just a few games going differently to place Indy in the playoff-hosting line and things being different.</div><div><br /></div><div>I'm not a huge fan of using the turf at Carroll Stadium as an excuse, particularly given the new age of that turf, but now that Lowry knows with some regular housekeeping of the field throughout the season the field will play better, that should be one more excuse to remove from the list.</div><div><br /></div><div>Announced attendance remains high, and despite some changes in the renewal benefits for season ticket members, I think attendance is going to continue to remain high. That continues to be something that Indy can't claim as being a concern. </div><div><br /></div><div>Indy's season hashtag was #It'sTime. It turned out not to be (at least for the men's 1st team), but the club has found success in other areas (women's and Academy) this year. Expectations were high this year, and I don't see any reason why they should be just as high next year with another year under everyone's belt with Lowry's system and more players who he think fit that system. Can success breed more success? Guess we'll see.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Drewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09042600014262648084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6202431216472879565.post-31494221367840933882023-10-29T00:15:00.001-04:002023-10-29T00:16:46.635-04:00Indy Eleven vs Charleston Battery - 10.35 (Playoffs)<u style="font-size: xx-large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaTJHf87DLGqIH65pqNMj1Lovt1bsdliJBMWcfJQkBrh06uGhM2HxZhSWgh-k-2Nduxl6eotq_Gp76-eQ0FFL2WeWnbIu0qBycp0Amos2U0ZvB55yYLMXMZTTwTwSe_x4pikeSjW6GUtCRqE_VsjTbAP-cTMuMB9Tv5DWcUj52sgE8np1UmuvZdIWmLb6B/s2407/2023IndyElevenLineup35.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2407" data-original-width="2398" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaTJHf87DLGqIH65pqNMj1Lovt1bsdliJBMWcfJQkBrh06uGhM2HxZhSWgh-k-2Nduxl6eotq_Gp76-eQ0FFL2WeWnbIu0qBycp0Amos2U0ZvB55yYLMXMZTTwTwSe_x4pikeSjW6GUtCRqE_VsjTbAP-cTMuMB9Tv5DWcUj52sgE8np1UmuvZdIWmLb6B/w399-h400/2023IndyElevenLineup35.jpg" width="399" /></a></div>Summary</span></u><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>- Opponent: Charleston Battery<br />- Location: Patriots Point<br />- Attendance: 2,972<br />- Final Score: 5-0 L</p><p></p><p>- Starting XI: Trilk, Boudadi, Jerome, Diz Pe, Dambrot, Lindley, Robledo, King, Velasquez, Martinez, Guenzatti (C)</p><p>- Substitution: Molina 64' (Robledo); Pinho 64' (Velasquez); Vazquez 64' (Dambrot)</p><p>- Unused: Oettl, Chapman-Page, Reveno </p><p>- Scoring Summary:<br />CHS – Ycaza 12’ (assist Rodriguez)<br />CHS - Williams 37' (assist Markanich)<br />CHS - Rodriguez 40' (Barajas)<br />CHS - Barajas 47' (Rodriguez)<br />CHS - Markanich 63' (Williams)</p><div>- Bookings:</div><div>CHS - Williams 16’ (Yellow)<br />IND - Boudadi 57' (Yellow)<br />IND - Vazquez 72' (Yellow)<br />IND - Diz Pe 76' (Yellow)<br />IND - Lindley 83' (Yellow)<br />CHS - Ycaza 90' (Yellow)</div><div><br /></div><div>- Referee: Jeremy Scheer</div><div>- Adage goals: Two</div><p><u><span style="font-size: x-large;">Thoughts and Opinions</span></u></p><div>When this game started, I was walking around the National Mall in Washington D.C. with the family, but let my phone continue to keep me notified of what was going on in the game. I continued on with my vacation knowing that there wasn't going to be a home match in the second week of the playoffs after all the other high seeds in the Eastern Conference lost on Saturday. Despite knowing the result of the game, I went ahead and actually watched the game now that I'm back, because, apparently, I'm a glutton for punishment after watching Purdue (football) lose to Nebraska on one screen and Purdue (men's basketball) lose to Arkansas in a scrimmage for charity in overtime to Arkansas. </div><div><br /></div><div>Before I watched the game, with full knowledge of the final score, I thought about what I might see. I wondered how Indy, one of the stingiest defenses in the entire league, could concede five goals in a playoff game. Indy hadn't conceded more than 3 in a game this season, even during the rough up-and-down stretch through the majority of the middle of the season. What I saw ran the gamut of issues.</div><div><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>Charleston's first goal was a set piece corner kick.</li><li>The second goal happened when Diz Pe was dispossessed 30 to 40-yards from goal, which led to a shot from outside the box that Trilk let bounce off his hands into the bottom right of the goal. Trilk nearly allowed a similar goal earlier in the game, but Diz cleared the ball off the line while being fouled.</li><li>Just a few minutes later, 5 Indy defenders tracked 3 CHS attackers, but leaving the 4th attacker wide open in the middle of the box for an open header past Trilk. </li><li>Immediately after halftime, on a recycled corner kick, Charleston out-hustled the Indy defenders for yet another middle of the box shot through 5 Indy defenders that parted like the Red Sea.</li><li>Finally, a cross past Diz went mere feet past Trilk across the goal mouth to an on-rushing Ycaza who beat Boudadi to the ball. </li></ol><div>Indy couldn't defend. When Indy had the ball, CHS defended in numbers and defended quickly, rarely giving Indy time nor space to effectively accomplish much. Indy couldn't attack. Indy managed just a single shot on target, a shot from Macca King that went straight to Muse. A shot that happened from just outside the box in the 19th minute. Not a single shot on target the rest of the game. Not even a 66th minute breakaway where Martinez seemed to be ahead of everybody, but Segbers overtook Martinez and prevented a shot. </div><div><br /></div><div>As good as Indy looked the week before during large stretches in San Antonio, they looked just as badly during large stretches in Charleston. When Indy lost Quinn with 6 games to go in the season, Indy took a few games to settle into not having him available. Indy went into this game without Asante due to his red card suspension in the San Antonio game, and Blake who had an ankle injury. As a result, Indy started both King and Robledo. Robledo had only started a dozen games before this one and had only played a total of 48 minutes in the past three games combined. Similarly, King had also only played just 48 minutes in a substitute role in the past two games combined after having not played for the preceding ten games. I appreciate Macca, but the midfield looked completely different than it has when Indy has looked its best. </div><div><br /></div><div>Indy struggled this year, with injuries and suspensions derailing any momentum that they managed to get going. It's probably fitting that two more (one injury and one suspension) factored into their performance against Charleston. As promising as this season looked coming into it, and as good as the team looked at times throughout the season, it's a bit disheartening to think that the team has such an issue with depth that just one or two players can have Indy go from looking like they did in the first half against San Antonio to a team that gets clobbered by 5-nil in the first weekend of the playoffs. It's something I'll likely discuss in my end-of-season recap, but not here.</div><div> </div><div>As I thought about the game during my vacation, my pessimistic nature (and being a long-time Cubs fan) kicked in and Indy fans should have known that things wouldn't go well for the men's 1st team. The club isn't at a point where fans should realistically think that it's possible for the club to win an USL W League championship and win (or even make a run in) the USL Championship in the same season. We're just not there as a club where that seems feasible. Maybe some day.</div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><u style="font-size: xx-large;">The Game Beckons Game Ball</u></div><p>I don't really want to finish the season without awarding the Game Beckons Game Ball, but does any player really deserve it when the team gets beaten by 5 goals and only manages one shot on target in 90 minutes of action? After arguing with myself that there had to be at least one good performance by one of the players, I just couldn't rationalize it in that kind of loss in that kind of game.</p>Drewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09042600014262648084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6202431216472879565.post-11348397959982534952023-10-14T23:20:00.009-04:002024-03-09T16:42:38.420-05:00Indy Eleven vs San Antonio - 10.34<p><u style="font-size: xx-large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></u></p><u style="font-size: xx-large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuLpQTWNsyAVvoVjnj0TC0bG_At6fMqvSQ-jdzI3tsi5VIDuymjVYZCI2WBYqmMtjUEto0vOWmxsQpjJjzs-6lK0fRWOZNSE7vWjsoNTPsQQPGm19KHBSpgRw3kwmyhdTq-KHJYtBGAfNOca5FF5wVvRK1wkxe7NPSkRucVPsuMZ2nEFY23Z6PSgE6dFle/s2403/2023IndyElevenLineup34.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2403" data-original-width="2384" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuLpQTWNsyAVvoVjnj0TC0bG_At6fMqvSQ-jdzI3tsi5VIDuymjVYZCI2WBYqmMtjUEto0vOWmxsQpjJjzs-6lK0fRWOZNSE7vWjsoNTPsQQPGm19KHBSpgRw3kwmyhdTq-KHJYtBGAfNOca5FF5wVvRK1wkxe7NPSkRucVPsuMZ2nEFY23Z6PSgE6dFle/w396-h400/2023IndyElevenLineup34.jpg" width="396" /></a></div>Summary</span></u><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>- Opponent: San Antonio FC<br />- Location: Toyota Field<br />- Attendance: -<br />- Final Score: 3-3 D</p><p></p><p>- Starting XI: Trilk, Boudadi, Vazquez, Diz Pe, Dambrot, Blake, Lindley, Asante, Velasquez, Martinez, Guenzatti (C)</p><p>- Substitution: Robledo 59' (Velasquez); King 59' (Lindley); Pinho 77' (Martinez); Reveno 77' (Boudadi); Chapman-Page 85' (Diz Pe)</p><p>- Unused: Crawford, Molina </p><p>- Scoring Summary:<br />IND – Blake 9’ (assist Lindley)<br />IND - Guenzatti 37' (unassisted)<br />SA - Patino 45'+4' (penalty kick)<br />IND - Diz Pe 54' (assist Lindley)<br />SA - Oluwaseyi 58' (unassisted)<br />SA - Taintor 88' (unassisted)</p><div>- Bookings:</div><div>SA - Taintor 8’ (Yellow)<br />IND - Lindley 24' (Yellow)<br />IND - Martinez 36' (Yellow)<br />IND - Boudadi 45'+2' (Yellow)<br />IND - Asante 45'+3'; 61' (Yellow, Yellow, RED)<br />IND - Diz Pe 67' (Yellow)</div><div>SA – Lamar Batista 74' (Yellow)<br />IND - King 90'+8' (Yellow)</div><div><br /></div><div>- Referee: Elijio Arreguin</div><div>- Adage goals: Two</div><p><u><span style="font-size: x-large;">Thoughts and Opinions</span></u></p><div>The USL Championship is going to USL Championship. By that, I mean that things never really seem to go as expected. Coming into the weekend, the top of the table was set. Pittsburgh couldn't be caught for first. Tampa Bay couldn't be caught for second. Charleston couldn't be caught for third. However, spots 3 through 8 were unsettled. </div><div><br /></div><div>A Memphis draw would have given them 53 points and they would hold the tiebreaker over Louisville even if LOU won, giving MEM 4th place. A LOU draw would give them 51 points and would hold the tiebreaker over Indy if Indy were to win and get themselves to 51 points. If Indy drew and BHM won, they would be even on points, but Indy would take 6th due to the second tiebreaker. BHM would get 7th, and Detroit and Miami were battling it out for the 8th spot against Pittsburgh and Sacramento, respectively. So MEM, LOU, and IND just needed to draw their games and playoff positions would have been more or less set, with the exception of the Detroit and Miami battle.</div><div><br /></div><div>However...</div><div><br /></div><div>MEM started the weekend's proceedings on Friday by floundering to a 4-1 defeat against New Mexico United in Isotopes Park in Albuquerque. That meant that the draw that LOU likely would have been working towards at home against TBR flipped on its head because a LOU win meant that they would leapfrog MEM and finish fourth to be able to host a playoff game. Knowing that LOU were going to be going all out against TBR meant that they would make themselves susceptible to a loss against a TBR team who didn't have anything to gain from the game, but also wouldn't want to roll over and let LOU win. So Indy went from considering a draw against San Antonio as fine to thinking that a win in Texas and a TBR win in Kentucky would mean that Indy would finish in 5th. Finishing there doesn't help Indy host a playoff game, but it does feel nice to finish ahead of the consistent winners of Louisville.</div><div><br /></div><div>With the exception of the psychological advantage of finishing higher up the table than your rival, I kind of preferred Indy finishing in 6th. A 5th place finish would mean a return trip to the potentially atrocious field in Memphis that they saw last time Indy played against MEM. A 6th place finish means a trip to CHS, a team that Indy had success against this season. Admittedly, the first win (a 4-nil victory in CHS) was helped out by the 1st minute red card showed to Archer, but Indy found ways to score in that game. Indy has a 4W-2D-2L record against CHS since entering the USL, and a 3W-1D-0L record since the pandemic. Coming into the game, I was okay with a 6th place finish. </div><div><br /></div><div>So what could have been a ho-hum weekend at the top of the table turned into an absolute dog fight after Memphis' loss. As Indy were getting started, they would have already known that BHM had lost to CHS so there wasn't anybody behind them that could supplant their position in 6th even with a loss. So a move up the table was definitely possible if they wanted to go all out. They would have also been able to see that LOU v TBR was at halftime with a 3-1 score in TBR's favor after TBR scored in about 30 seconds after the starting whistle, and LOU was throwing the kitchen sink at TBR to get the win after going down early, getting gifted an Own Goal, giving up a penalty kick that was missed, and then conceding two goals from Jennings in rapid succession. Indy would have known that a move up the table was possible.</div><div><br /></div><div>Whatever they knew coming into the game or whatever team they would have preferred to play, Indy came out against San Antonio and found an early goal in the 9th minute on a long cross from Lindley that ran through most of the 18-yard box before finding Blake who put the ball passed Marsman. Indy looked like a team that was wanting to win this game, results in the table be damned. San Antonio had their own chances early, finishing the half with 7 corners and 6 shots (3 on frame) to Indy's 1 and 9 (4 on frame), respectively. Yet Indy is setup perfectly to play on a a field like Toyota Field which has a natural turf surface, and Indy consistently, and easily, moved their possession style through the San Antonio midfield in the first half. San Antonio nicked a stoppage time penalty kick goal when Boudadi was charged with bringing down Bailone, who looked to me like he did as much of the pulling down as Boudadi did. Either way, the teams went into the halftime locker with Indy still up a goal to find that Louisville had lost to Tampa Bay. </div><div><br /></div><div>Then, as the USL Championship is want to do, the game descended into Crazy Town. Diz Pe scored a goal to give Indy their third goal on the night. Five minutes later, San Antonio found another goal on a scramble situation when Trilk had one of his rare mistakes on the night and was unable to collect the initial shot cleanly. A few minutes after that, Asante picked up a second yellow card on a fairly light call after getting his first yellow in stoppage time of the first half due to arguing the penalty kick call, forcing Indy to finish the game down a man. Now up a man and down a goal, it was a frenetic finish to the final 30 minutes as San Antonio fought for an equalizer, which they managed to do in the 88th minute. Indy closed out the remaining 2 minutes + TEN MINUTES of stoppage time (originally shown as 5 minutes) to see the game, somehow, finish in a 3-3 draw.</div><div><br /></div><div>It's the kind of draw that feels like a loss that feels like a win. Let me explain. Indy should have won this game. Until Asante's untimely dismissal from the game, Indy controlled the midfield and looked like the team that we all expected them to be when the roster was announced so many months ago. So when San Antonio found their equalizer, it felt like a loss. Yet, by not picking up all three points, Indy drop back down to the position on the table where they have spent 8 of the last 9 weeks of the season, 6th place. That means they head to Charleston and not Memphis. Again, I don't know the team's preferred location, but I think going to Charleston is a better situation for Indy than Memphis.</div><div><br /></div><div>Indy will be on the road to start the playoffs. With this season, just about anything can happen and likely will, but Indy are playing good soccer right now and will be doing so on another grass field in Charleston, where their style of play works well. Tonight's game followed much of this season's frustration of results that didn't match performance, but I don't think the result was necessarily a bad thing for Indy. With the obvious exception of losing Asante, who has been playing really well in recent weeks. </div><div><br /></div><div><u style="font-size: xx-large;">The Game Beckons Game Ball</u></div><div>I don't normally like to give the GBGB to the same player in back-to-back games, but Trilk deserves it again tonight. San Antonio put 8 shots on target, many of them from close range, and Trilk made 5 saves. Down a man and trying to maintain the slim lead, there were moments where it felt like Trilk was on the wrong side of a firing squad and he made some spectacular reaction saves to keep Indy in the game. Feels strange to give the GBGB to a goalkeeper when the opposition scores three goals, but if it hadn't been for Trilk, it would have been worse.</div>Drewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09042600014262648084noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6202431216472879565.post-8402058284051787052023-10-07T23:30:00.002-04:002023-10-07T23:32:09.098-04:00Indy Eleven vs FC Tulsa - 10.33<p><u style="font-size: xx-large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></u></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><u style="font-size: xx-large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4BaPWncrNB5_aBdVdcWKFR-_U12g_E9eOZyVvoDRHMh9I1ZNg4AfJmPEbhpkbfH6GhvzF0-SpB-UlGmyuNR4vCeczGF6DUes91-h3BeWL4qVm55Q_XpuKUuHD5TIbm6oYizbrFvmvQuFJdo98kPoK4UxBgWcbOUjrF3HNxshY4ntRxgj-Is_hFu5P0KuP/s2412/2023IndyElevenLineup33.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2412" data-original-width="2372" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4BaPWncrNB5_aBdVdcWKFR-_U12g_E9eOZyVvoDRHMh9I1ZNg4AfJmPEbhpkbfH6GhvzF0-SpB-UlGmyuNR4vCeczGF6DUes91-h3BeWL4qVm55Q_XpuKUuHD5TIbm6oYizbrFvmvQuFJdo98kPoK4UxBgWcbOUjrF3HNxshY4ntRxgj-Is_hFu5P0KuP/w394-h400/2023IndyElevenLineup33.jpg" width="394" /></a></span></u></div><u style="font-size: xx-large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Summary</span></u><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>- Opponent: FC Tulsa<br />- Location: ONEOK Field<br />- Attendance: 6,444<br />- Final Score: 2-1 W</p><p></p><p>- Starting XI: Trilk, Boudadi, Jerome, Diz Pe, Dambrot, Blake, Lindley, Asante, Velasquez, Martinez, Guenzatti (C)</p><p>- Substitution: King 73' (Lindley); Robledo 73' (Velasquez); Pinho 85' (Pinho); Vazquez 90'+7' (Martinez)</p><p>- Unused: Crawford, Molina, Reveno</p><p>- Scoring Summary:<br />TUL – Goodrum 34’ (penalty kick)<br />IND - Velasquez 62' (assist Lindley)<br />IND - Asante 82' (unassisted)</p><div>- Bookings:</div><div>IND - Velasquez 49’ (Yellow)<br />TUL - Goodrum 78' (Yellow)<br />IND - Robledo 84' (Yellow) <br />IND - Trilk 90'+1' (Yellow)<br />TUL - Seagrist 90'+2' (Yellow)</div><div><br /></div><div>- Referee: Sergii Demianchuk</div><div>- Adage goals: None</div><p><u><span style="font-size: x-large;">Thoughts and Opinions</span></u></p><div>By the time this game started, it was known that a draw did nothing for Tulsa. They needed to win the game to keep any chance of making the playoffs. Indy secured their spot last week. I wondered if Indy might rest some guys, maybe even play some of their Academy guys. However, knowing that there was at least a slim chance that Indy could finish in 4th place in the table to host a playoff game, Coach Lowry started the same lineup as was used last week against Detroit. Some might argue that "the integrity of the game" required Indy to play their best team given the fight that Tulsa, Detroit, and Miami are in for the final playoff spots, but that isn't me. We all saw what happened when Quinn dropped out of the lineup due to his injury. Keeping Indy's guys healthy is more important to me. If Coach Lowry had decided to play the Academy guys, I would have been okay with that. </div><div><br /></div><div>I hate soccer played on baseball fields. Coach Lowry has said that he can have a different opinion of those fields, depending on the field. The Memphis fiasco earlier this season was a field where we both agreed it was garbage. To be fair, everybody agreed that field was garbage. However, Lowry spent all his games in El Paso on a baseball field, so he knows how to coach a team under those conditions and circumstances. He has also said to me that he doesn't believe the phrase, "both teams have to play on the field," in reference to poor fields. A team that wants to hold possession, like Indy, is much more affected by a poor turf than a team that bunkers and counters. If the temporary infield turf is acceptable and the outfield turf is good, then Coach Lowry doesn't have a significant issue with a soccer pitch on a baseball field. Tulsa's field looked reasonable, and Indy played well on it. I still hate watching soccer on a baseball field.</div><div><br /></div><div>At halftime, Indy would have been able to see that Hartford, yes bottom of the table Hartford, went into Lynn Family Stadium and took points away from Louisville, further cracking that door for Indy to finish ahead of Louisville in the table. However, Memphis took care of their business, and Indy would have also seen that the chance to host a playoff game no longer remained. </div><div><br /></div><div>I don't know if that knowledge had anything to do with it, but Tulsa looked like the better team in the early minutes of the second half with more possession and dangerous shots. It took a breakaway goal where Asante carried the ball 50 yards up the field before laying the ball off to his right to Lindley who had made a parallel run with Asante. Lindley one-touched the ball across goal across the six-yard box directly to Velasquez. Velasquez's first touch wasn't perfect, but he had enough space around him to get himself composed after his poor touch and promptly fired it past Nelson to bring the game level. </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1b9GxGtGqi6sD6e9FpYhPi0iMJ4Ygy637LXMezpvgqEyvHr0OOBV6hyphenhypheneemAj3ADWndBUIclYLGjlbKe0D54gtiYLdIeFSjmvSiDZFOY_Ylusoezzc3HxibOG0loJdGXYFGgHBw2eTwAGFI7ugoCIhN3RbYs5myupi7gntyk2WFuvIxONhayuUB_-UKGYk/s806/Full-Attack.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="718" data-original-width="806" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1b9GxGtGqi6sD6e9FpYhPi0iMJ4Ygy637LXMezpvgqEyvHr0OOBV6hyphenhypheneemAj3ADWndBUIclYLGjlbKe0D54gtiYLdIeFSjmvSiDZFOY_Ylusoezzc3HxibOG0loJdGXYFGgHBw2eTwAGFI7ugoCIhN3RbYs5myupi7gntyk2WFuvIxONhayuUB_-UKGYk/w400-h356/Full-Attack.png" width="400" /></a></div>With their playoff lives in the balance, Tulsa took the game up a notch as the game became wide open as the two teams combined for 35 shots, 9 on target (4 for Indy, 5 for Tulsa). Indy defended as a unit while Tulsa attacked. Tulsa defended as a unit while Indy attacked. Rinse and repeat for the next 20 minutes until Asante was able to poke Indy's second goal past Nelson in the 82nd minute. After that, it was Indy defending for everything they had to solidify the win, and Tulsa throwing caution to the wind and attacking, knowing that they needed goals.</div><div><br /></div><div>Indy held on, stayed in 6th place in the table. The win means that depending on the results tomorrow (BHM plays on Sunday) next weekend, Indy could finish as high as 5th place and as low as 7th place. A 5th place finish could mean facing Memphis or Louisville. A 7th place finish means heading to Tampa Bay. Memphis plays in New Mexico, who are still fighting for their chance to make the postseason. Louisville plays Tampa Bay. Birmingham plays Monterey tomorrow and Charleston next week. </div><div><br /></div><div>It's impossible to guess how these games might go. I can see a scenario where Indy wins, MEM wins, LOU loses, and BHM get points out of both games but not two wins. That puts Indy in 5th. I can also see a scenario where Indy loses, MEM wins, LOU wins, and BHM win both, putting Indy in 7th. There's also the results that leave Indy in 6th place where they would face Charleston. </div><div><br /></div><div>Given the way the season has gone, and the teams that are making the playoffs, any team can win at home or away on any given day. I mean, at this point, two playoff-making teams in the Eastern Conference are going to do so with negative goal differentials (LOU at -2, BHM at -10), while CHS (sitting in 3rd) has a mere +3 GD and MIA (sitting in 8th) has a 0 GD. </div><div><br /></div><div>Indy did what they could to make the playoffs and are playing some of their best soccer going into the playoffs. As a fan, that's really all you can hope to see from them. Indy head to San Antonio knowing that no matter the results, they are playing the following weekend, and that no matter the results, they might not change your place in the standings.</div><div><br /></div><div><u style="font-size: xx-large;">The Game Beckons Game Ball</u></div><div>This is another game where I think a few players deserve the GBGB. Velasquez was lively all night. Diz and Jerome were solid in defense. Lindley's cross was perfect on Velasquez's goal. As I've said before, sometimes this just goes to the player who keeps standing out to me based on the eyeball test, regardless of stats. Tonight that was Trilk. I thought he made a couple of great saves on shots that were from close range. Edging out his teammates, Trilk gets tonight's GBGB. </div><div><br /></div>Drewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09042600014262648084noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6202431216472879565.post-83363826664805597812023-10-01T11:00:00.001-04:002023-10-01T11:10:59.349-04:00Indy Eleven vs Detroit City FC - 10.32<p><u style="font-size: xx-large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></u></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><u style="font-size: xx-large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihTl9PU_UqW6dr1GfBprONQRerhbvVoz9vWQxdvkRzQ2K1WZjJ8H9Chw8YABZTWdo3NZz2UE89Km7VN-FaqG2bpFS6i2PJZbPCbgYp9V11Oe1PxqEwcsD1yKiYcidOdhaFZe74hY-oGp9bOP469_ZWD9giNzRSwGtj8Kj5_9XSufZUE3S6nlpw-te4VoZV/s2420/2023IndyElevenLineup32.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2380" data-original-width="2420" height="394" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihTl9PU_UqW6dr1GfBprONQRerhbvVoz9vWQxdvkRzQ2K1WZjJ8H9Chw8YABZTWdo3NZz2UE89Km7VN-FaqG2bpFS6i2PJZbPCbgYp9V11Oe1PxqEwcsD1yKiYcidOdhaFZe74hY-oGp9bOP469_ZWD9giNzRSwGtj8Kj5_9XSufZUE3S6nlpw-te4VoZV/w400-h394/2023IndyElevenLineup32.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></u></div><u style="font-size: xx-large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Summary</span></u><p></p><p></p><p>- Opponent: Detroit City FC<br />- Location: Carroll Stadium<br />- Attendance: 12,531<br />- Final Score: 3-0 W</p><p></p><p>- Starting XI: Trilk, Boudadi, Jerome, Diz Pe, Dambrot, Blake, Lindley, Asante, Velasquez, Martinez, Guenzatti (C)</p><p>- Substitution: Molina 79' (Velasquez); Rebellon 90'+1' (Asante); Pinho 90'+1' (Martinez)</p><p>- Unused: Crawford, King, Robledo, Vazquez</p><p>- Scoring Summary:<br />IND – Martinez 45’ (unassisted)<br />IND - Velasquez 69' (assist Lindley)<br />IND - Molina 90'+3' (assist Pinho)</p><div>- Bookings:</div><div><div>DET – Fisher 33’ (Yellow)<br />IND - Velasquez 45'+2' (Yellow)<br />DET - Diop 74' (Yellow)<br />IND - Molina 90'+7' (Yellow)</div></div><div><br /></div><div>- Referee: Katja Koroleva</div><div>- Adage goals: None</div><p><u><span style="font-size: x-large;">Thoughts and Opinions</span></u></p><div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf8CstdTLIV8SMnv9HWkkQiMwZJuWO3-OfPg3Wb1GJPu26alJKljmrTuWp5dUdGR97td9vDIHDIZSRyt6MxdePb9e2Nh9s6cw1M5p14FE7dkoyygUBmKqpJ0_dw1rTokrkdCMIFRk5EuIBcI5R-ptb4Gg1amOsYwMpOwWy8HBQYtwA3on9de5mnwhTR8fH/s5173/_T6A2266.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2910" data-original-width="5173" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf8CstdTLIV8SMnv9HWkkQiMwZJuWO3-OfPg3Wb1GJPu26alJKljmrTuWp5dUdGR97td9vDIHDIZSRyt6MxdePb9e2Nh9s6cw1M5p14FE7dkoyygUBmKqpJ0_dw1rTokrkdCMIFRk5EuIBcI5R-ptb4Gg1amOsYwMpOwWy8HBQYtwA3on9de5mnwhTR8fH/w400-h225/_T6A2266.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>The math was easy coming into Indy's final home game of the regular season. Win and get some help from Pittsburgh against Tulsa, and Indy would officially clinch a playoff spot for the first time since 2019. If Tulsa managed to win against PIT, then Indy would have two games, one of them against Tulsa, to get over the necessary threshold. Pittsburgh took care of their business, leaving Indy just needing a single point to solidify their spot. Three goals later and Indy no longer need to wait until next year to make the playoffs. </div><div><br /></div><div>Indy is now down where they will play that first playoff game. It would take a lot for it to be at Carroll Stadium. Indy would need to win against Tulsa and San Antonio, bringing Indy's total to 51. If Memphis, currently in 4th place, lost both their games (at home against ELP and away at NM), they would be stuck at 49 points. If Louisville, currently in 5th place, lost both of their games (at home to Hartford and at home to Tampa Bay), they too would be stuck at 49 points. Under that scenario, Indy would finish in 4th, Memphis in 5th, and Louisville in 6th. To think that Louisville loses to Hartford, who are on a 9-game losing streak and have lost 16 of 18, is difficult to fathom. So while the new math indicates that Indy could host an initial playoff game, it seems like tonight's could be the last home game of the season. Unless, of course, some playoff upsets take place. Given the way the season has progressed in this conference, that isn't out of the question. </div><div><br /></div><div>Indy need to get through the rest of the regular season first before we figure out, if, and where Indy fans need to travel.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1qMlGi5CjBr1RNzKWCmltBrhmvFaYFqc2q0hafpHzBJoq7l8IjIcBRye4oIakMeTpbzM5Jx7Ph6WX7vHmveJvNwjgomBoamV9sqrOcHkHAzx7huL6Q3XOncFsf9_8o_b_xXAX3bfshyphenhyphenSwYHT7Q5_FQisMCLV9KyAcXBy7nkwCzEYGLO_beE1SHnjoCNs1/s3840/_T6A2215.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="3840" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1qMlGi5CjBr1RNzKWCmltBrhmvFaYFqc2q0hafpHzBJoq7l8IjIcBRye4oIakMeTpbzM5Jx7Ph6WX7vHmveJvNwjgomBoamV9sqrOcHkHAzx7huL6Q3XOncFsf9_8o_b_xXAX3bfshyphenhyphenSwYHT7Q5_FQisMCLV9KyAcXBy7nkwCzEYGLO_beE1SHnjoCNs1/w400-h320/_T6A2215.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Tonight's game was one where the result matched the performance. Indy deserved the win. If it hadn't been for a great save from Steinwascher in the 6th minute when he pushed Martinez's shot up off the crossbar, Indy would have flipped the typical Indy script by them being the one with the early goal. There weren't many minutes where I thought Indy were going to concede a goal. Once Martinez scored what would become the game winner in the 45th minute, I didn't see many ways that DET were going to get points out of the game. Indy had a game plan against DET and executed it exactly like they wanted. </div><div><br /></div><div>Indy finish the regular season on the road against Tulsa, which is now a little less nerve-wrecking than it could have been, and at San Antonio, which is one of the two teams that have already clinched a playoff spot in the Western Conference. Whether San Antonio feel like going all out against Indy right before the playoffs when both teams are in and SA may already have their home playoff game clinched, will be seen in a couple of weeks. You may see a final game of the season where both teams are just trying to get out of it unscathed and without injuries. That might depend on what happens next week and whether a home field playoff game is still in the cards for Indy.</div></div><div><br /></div><div><u style="font-size: xx-large;">The Game Beckons Game Ball</u></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4pmMir6BlH0ZmHVEZI5830FLt6Pqd2uja9GaFrQT7xTR7eN3m9W1RmSNsSFkW44sLTszSN7MI7l9sJN0Bc2qaAavwdUCGCFRpkmsyQn7l_UEpp0U0h0Gfu0eJocn3r5X-8F-7yeuiphpNlhlFG_26-ub2Kz42KH-y3dIBDcdybrwi25BGIUqNxjWP_vtH/s2672/_T6A2173.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2138" data-original-width="2672" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4pmMir6BlH0ZmHVEZI5830FLt6Pqd2uja9GaFrQT7xTR7eN3m9W1RmSNsSFkW44sLTszSN7MI7l9sJN0Bc2qaAavwdUCGCFRpkmsyQn7l_UEpp0U0h0Gfu0eJocn3r5X-8F-7yeuiphpNlhlFG_26-ub2Kz42KH-y3dIBDcdybrwi25BGIUqNxjWP_vtH/w400-h320/_T6A2173.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Martinez was active early and often for Indy. It started with the early 6th minute shot that was pushed off the crossbar from Steinwascher, but he accounted for half of Indy's shots on target. There seemed to be a concerted effort to get the ball to him over the top, and nearly all of them were successful. I thought that Martinez struggled at times with his decisions early in the season, but in this game, the decisions were easy. Attack the DET defense, often in 1v1 conditions, and then try to get it past Steinwascher. For the most part, Martinez was highly effective in this game play, resulting in his 45th minute goal. Some other guys deserve honorable mentions (Blake for dropping back more as Indy continue to adjust to life without Quinn, and Pinho for his unselfish play that allowed Molina to score his goal), but Martinez gets tonight's GBGB for being an absolute pest for 90-minutes.</div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><u>Additional Photos (Don Thompson Photography)</u></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPKUqHjhQq1afQPv7t_BUucSjZO0-DYlQ6K2bVRW1F4NqSyvvJE6U2LjC6SnIhxzhxpC_0J_3Id1sh1Vr-qM7JNwTWyL0IWz6rvqwlneA4pPMVQxiAnyDsK_py2MRiWiuovX33GkcvpC-srA9X7t29PTkoct9cNAKEHilrB2a0HQ1-usXdR02PtlWCGMjT/s4710/_T6A2050.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3140" data-original-width="4710" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPKUqHjhQq1afQPv7t_BUucSjZO0-DYlQ6K2bVRW1F4NqSyvvJE6U2LjC6SnIhxzhxpC_0J_3Id1sh1Vr-qM7JNwTWyL0IWz6rvqwlneA4pPMVQxiAnyDsK_py2MRiWiuovX33GkcvpC-srA9X7t29PTkoct9cNAKEHilrB2a0HQ1-usXdR02PtlWCGMjT/w640-h426/_T6A2050.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2367" data-original-width="2959" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_3JKlOZiTaU25mZnOqktKT76dGBEIhjceziX7uN1kYTQkU6yJ8gKveB5BCqwYYL4BYhRC8H-IXqzsvCuelEiagfyl-7J7SNChgZ7OGk0xrPAvC5wmxFeRBtbTpc9mkQl1EfwjyDqFXgAxSa8fmuBOJlq3oqXh9vnSqrdrfS6-vCsTE3zvlPq-s4TUkJ2D/w640-h512/_T6A2258.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Drewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09042600014262648084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6202431216472879565.post-72153985183561808552023-09-24T23:00:00.003-04:002023-09-24T23:16:30.171-04:00Indy Eleven vs Rio Grande Valley FC - 10.31<p><u style="font-size: xx-large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></u></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><u style="font-size: xx-large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5KVUPTP4NTdKAAgggSe77o4Us5RxxNE-WbwybUXeHfE2JWCbAC2xbbg1U4Q3pHNPt7gQrQ6Wg61oc9PZimd1hVY5th0CRrDsxdNnvqq4B1WyWywb5PYvXGoR6wRLoGdZoNx8r-YxvyfYGv2V_zsOZBsm8uj4ETD0yJUoJVtsjCdpWp0gCY1sopkJ-L655/s2416/2023IndyElevenLineup31.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2384" data-original-width="2416" height="395" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5KVUPTP4NTdKAAgggSe77o4Us5RxxNE-WbwybUXeHfE2JWCbAC2xbbg1U4Q3pHNPt7gQrQ6Wg61oc9PZimd1hVY5th0CRrDsxdNnvqq4B1WyWywb5PYvXGoR6wRLoGdZoNx8r-YxvyfYGv2V_zsOZBsm8uj4ETD0yJUoJVtsjCdpWp0gCY1sopkJ-L655/w400-h395/2023IndyElevenLineup31.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></u></div><u style="font-size: xx-large;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Summary</span></u><p></p><p>- Opponent: Rio Grande Valley FC<br />- Location: Carroll Stadium<br />- Attendance: 10,316<br />- Final Score: 1-0 L</p><p></p><p>- Starting XI: Trilk, Boudadi, Jerome, Diz Pe, Rebellon, Blake, Lindley, Asante, Robledo, Guenzatti (C), Pinho</p><p>- Substitution: Dambrot 45’ (Rebellon); Martinez 45’ (Pinho); Velasquez 62’ (Robledo); Molina 76’ (Blake)</p><p>- Unused: Crawford, Reveno, Vazquez</p><p>- Scoring Summary:<br />RGV – Lopez 18’ (assist Davila)</p><div>- Bookings:</div><div><div>RGV – Knapp 8’ (Yellow)</div><div>IND – Blake 12’ (Yellow)</div><div>RGV – Benitez 18’ (Yellow)</div><div>RGV – Ricketts 22’ (Yellow)</div><div>RGV – Lopez 45’+ 3‘(Yellow)</div><div>IND – Dambrot 46’ (Yellow)</div><div>IND – Robledo 55’ (Yellow)</div></div><div><br /></div><div>- Referee: Thomas Snyder</div><div>- Adage goals: None</div><p><u><span style="font-size: x-large;">Thoughts and Opinions</span></u></p><div><div>The magic number for Indy to make the playoffs keeps going down thanks to the other results in the conference even with Indy’s recent run-of-form in the last three games, but Indy knew coming into this game that if they can get six points out of their final two home games this week, then they will make the playoffs for the first time since 2019. With a little more help from Tulsa, and a win tonight Indy would have solidified their place in the playoffs. As a result, Indy came out of the gate on the front foot, hoping to put this game to bed before Rio Grande Valley could find their footing in the eastern time zone.</div><div><br /></div><div>After the flurry of activity from Indy in the opening minutes all in RGV defensive half of the field, a defensive turnover in Indy’s half of the field led to a break for RGV that resulted in the first goal of the game in just the 18th minute. </div><div><br /></div><div>RGV found their footing. </div><div><br /></div><div>As has been a recurring theme for Indy through the early part of the season, Indy found themselves trailing and searching for an equalizer to make their early effort mean something. As the half progressed, Indy had some close chances, but the effort in the final third was just slightly off as shots went off the post or passes were unable to find their intended target. It felt like Indy lived in RGV’s half of the field, but were unable to break through.</div><div><br /></div><div>The first half was a half of restarts as referee Thomas Snyder’s whistle was active. There were 27 fouls conceded in the half, with 5 yellow cards issued between the two teams (4 to RGV, 1 to IND), and another 5 offside calls. As a result, the flow of the first half was very disconnected and start-and-stop. Both teams each managed just a single shot on target, but Indy was the more dangerous side around goal and held a 60/40 possession advantage. </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcNkMWZmgYsFMyGEwbSzyYiL0Qdaeur9JRUcO_ydCjjZM5KNADx-Nn8ZnkeQ36NJ8QxbVov4S8i_JFXRkHyV-DB7fn0iJ5ufX4piflp4XXeqNMHd_BsPwxE94Vz4nzZI8F8jn17b-wcx_LW-N3-DVYJ29JHHv-iOroyd0XwTldMEctqxou7nzXmEvenpuY/s1000/_T6B0968.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="998" data-original-width="1000" height="399" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcNkMWZmgYsFMyGEwbSzyYiL0Qdaeur9JRUcO_ydCjjZM5KNADx-Nn8ZnkeQ36NJ8QxbVov4S8i_JFXRkHyV-DB7fn0iJ5ufX4piflp4XXeqNMHd_BsPwxE94Vz4nzZI8F8jn17b-wcx_LW-N3-DVYJ29JHHv-iOroyd0XwTldMEctqxou7nzXmEvenpuY/w400-h399/_T6B0968.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Knowing the importance of getting points in this game, but more specifically three points, Coach Lowry made immediate substitutions coming out of the halftime locker room. Martinez replaced Pinho to give a different look up top. Rebellon came out in place of Dambrot, which allowed Boudadi to shift over to the right side, where he and Asante have developed a good partnership on that side in recent weeks. Dambrot then went full Drew Conner mode and picked up a yellow card within seconds of being on the field with his first effort in the game. The active whistle continued, causing the game to remain as a game of restarts instead of a smooth flowing game. In the end, there were 50 conceded fouls, 7 yellow cards, and 9 offside calls. There was just never a good rhythm to the game.</div><div><br /></div><div>As the game continued, the play became more and more stretched with counter attacks being the primary method of offense. In the moments when Indy attempted their counter attacks, the RGV defense retreated in mass, creating moments where there were 7 to 9 guys behind the ball, mostly tucked into the middle of the field, making passes and crosses difficult. Indy could never find a way to get through the orange wall that RGV presented once they had their goal.</div><div><br /></div><div>Indy will likely still make the playoffs, despite this loss, but it’s going to be as much a function of other team’s results as it is Indy’s. However, the loss makes the chances of hosting a playoff game nearly impossible. Indy return to Carroll Stadium on Saturday for their final home game of the season against Detroit City, who have scrapped their way back into the playoff race, and could, depending on the results of their game on Wednesday, leap frog Indy. </div></div><div><br /></div><div>Aodhan Quinn has missed the past three games, and Indy are a 90'+5' goal awayfrom losing all three games. That's just a coincidence, right?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDi5bsXGT0eL0zk1rlessRjBbHySVHemAL5RzZUdbvhH1CUfH3LAGC4pnoCW7ev2Yvuz8RPXt2nALrPx-Ca6WF_pHTQWnQ8JLJV8fDC4PqLI_u96ySnSRvYk_HR-CxrC2Yy_2QsmgKt7Ph3ebL2jzrkQbMv0HgsCu-kNNYSgGEWAoeKWAj-r_kx2BpeuGf/s1000/_T6B1019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1000" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDi5bsXGT0eL0zk1rlessRjBbHySVHemAL5RzZUdbvhH1CUfH3LAGC4pnoCW7ev2Yvuz8RPXt2nALrPx-Ca6WF_pHTQWnQ8JLJV8fDC4PqLI_u96ySnSRvYk_HR-CxrC2Yy_2QsmgKt7Ph3ebL2jzrkQbMv0HgsCu-kNNYSgGEWAoeKWAj-r_kx2BpeuGf/w640-h512/_T6B1019.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><u style="font-size: xx-large;">The Game Beckons Game Ball</u></div><div>I think this is going to be another one of those awards for their play over the span of a few games instead of just tonight's game, but Jerome has been playing well recently. He looked absolutely shaky during the early part of the season, and not in the form that I saw from him during his time in El Paso. With more regular minutes due to the backline injury and suspension issues, he seems to have finally settled back into his pre-Indy form. So Jerome gets tonight's GBGB.</div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><u>Additional Photos (Don Thompson Photography)</u></span></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfJJ1e9zORim0SPKxdWXluXYX3W4cMmUE4tpp5uJInhj2sjVhMb2N_O9Hfk6RqbNedPYTBKZoteF9YI3dEUahmfOF0JWrrIeRlwWHE3_XoaxSFQs30C99OKLvU5GeaFwqB6hTult1QqwOG52llxMEIhGU71TK1l3lbpQV-GjeVsrSvEJU-VHCa5lcuuktP/s1000/_T6A1857.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1000" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfJJ1e9zORim0SPKxdWXluXYX3W4cMmUE4tpp5uJInhj2sjVhMb2N_O9Hfk6RqbNedPYTBKZoteF9YI3dEUahmfOF0JWrrIeRlwWHE3_XoaxSFQs30C99OKLvU5GeaFwqB6hTult1QqwOG52llxMEIhGU71TK1l3lbpQV-GjeVsrSvEJU-VHCa5lcuuktP/w640-h512/_T6A1857.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirT0vEiwDdDqGmgGyU4ETFWftPKhi7_nfN7A03-lgmbSFviTI6yqpGDggZrMU6sIXOg8FdITickAu5__e71HnlfDmS0uVbP4lGNtp5ESPySJEJXaHS0ToO4sXXXwAyF9BHrSJRWVi1BypFOt-hjBfVbaLS-gnA3h-RHhxnXEj4hoLmAfNQBR8FvDxZI05U/s2403/2023IndyElevenLineup30.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2403" data-original-width="2392" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirT0vEiwDdDqGmgGyU4ETFWftPKhi7_nfN7A03-lgmbSFviTI6yqpGDggZrMU6sIXOg8FdITickAu5__e71HnlfDmS0uVbP4lGNtp5ESPySJEJXaHS0ToO4sXXXwAyF9BHrSJRWVi1BypFOt-hjBfVbaLS-gnA3h-RHhxnXEj4hoLmAfNQBR8FvDxZI05U/w399-h400/2023IndyElevenLineup30.jpg" width="399" /></a></div>Summary</span></u></span><p>- Opponent: Phoenix Rising FC<br />- Location: Phoenix Rising Stadium<br />- Attendance: -<br />- Final Score: 1-1 D</p><p></p><p>- Starting XI: Trilk, Boudadi, Jerome, Diz Pe, Rebellon, Blake, Lindley, Asante, Robledo, Guenzatti (C), Pinho</p><p>- Substitution: Vazquez 61' (Rebellon); Martinez 66' (Robledo); Reveno 76' (Pinho)</p><p>- Unused: Crawford, Dambrot, Molina, Velasquez</p><p>- Scoring Summary:<br />PHX - Harvey 80' (assist Trejo)<br />IND - Diz Pe 90'+5' (assist Lindley)</p><div>- Bookings:</div><div>PHX - Uzochokwu 16’ (Yellow)<br />IND - Pinho 31' (Yellow)<br />PHX - Arteaga 40' (Yellow)<br />PHX - Fuenmayor 62' (Yellow)<br />IND - Blake 75' (Yellow)<br />PHX - Hernandez 90'+2' (Yellow)</div><div><br /></div><div>- Referee: Abdou Ndiaye</div><div>- Adage goals: None</div><p><u><span style="font-size: x-large;">Thoughts and Opinions</span></u></p><div>Each team in tonight's matchup had a player in the starting lineup that was recently wearing the other team's crest. Manuel Arteaga faced off against Indy for the first team since moving west to Phoenix and was given the captain's armband from former Indy player and now manager Juan Guerra, while Solomon Asante took the field against his former club after joining Indy last season. Arteaga came into the game in third place in the league with 15 goals on the season, just behind his teammate Trejo and Pittsburgh's Dikwa, who both have 17. Asante was a 2-time MVP award winner during his time in Phoenix, accounting for 150 points (54 goals + 42 assists) in his 113 games in the Valley of the Sun. Apparently the desert air is good for scoring goals. Throw in manager Juan Guerra into the mix, and the game pulled at Indy fans' #IndyForever heart strings.</div><div><br /></div><div>Indy did manage to field a full 18 for tonight's game, giving Coach Lowry some more options, but they were still without the team's second leading goal scorer in Quinn, joining Chapman-Page and King on the injury list. Boudadi returned from his yellow card suspension, pushing Dambrot to the bench, and Robledo started in lieu of Velasquez. Otherwise, tonight's starting lineup was the same as the one Lowry fielded against New Mexico this past Friday.</div><div><br /></div><div>No matter the result tonight, Indy was going to remain in 6th place in the standings, with no ability to leapfrog either Louisville or Memphis, despite Louisville losing to Miami tonight and Memphis drawing Birmingham. Thanks to the results over the weekend though, the magic number did go down, but Indy can't rely on other results to go their way to get into the playoffs. The Miami result against Louisville proved that. </div><div><br /></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtqzUdFqWWlhVxF2uUFYP1mShVSczzFkrjktJKvtLiBlaKrgYwg5Sw581jRs8ZCyjqiqNGBRWaLWtJpJbKTgpHoRVskKtKhfWMy2OpVUEAwiwfXcAgHiSDB5jtHz6rYJEdM2N3LVNSA-JxG9mJGOXqAu02-bUAnq8NIW8NpOSIvBoOJPtss_Rz-zBW9OKM/s800/Half-HeatMap.png" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtqzUdFqWWlhVxF2uUFYP1mShVSczzFkrjktJKvtLiBlaKrgYwg5Sw581jRs8ZCyjqiqNGBRWaLWtJpJbKTgpHoRVskKtKhfWMy2OpVUEAwiwfXcAgHiSDB5jtHz6rYJEdM2N3LVNSA-JxG9mJGOXqAu02-bUAnq8NIW8NpOSIvBoOJPtss_Rz-zBW9OKM/w400-h266/Half-HeatMap.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Halftime Heat Map</td></tr></tbody></table>If you stayed up late on the East Coast hoping to see a high octane game against a team with two of the top three goal scorers, you were sadly disappointed. The first thirty minutes of this game, which is when the first shot on goal occurred (by PHX), was a tactical chess match full of defensive low block and two teams trying to hold possession. Indy managed their first shot on target a few minutes later and then a Guenzatti hit the crossbar a few minutes after that. Otherwise, Los Bandidos were making some noise, but it was a relatively quiet crowd as the game crowded around the center stripe with just some small bursts of activity around each goal. Indy nearly gave themselves a late first half hole to dig out of when Rebellon made the decision to try and pass the ball to a teammate while standing on the 18-yard line with two PHX players around him. Arteaga managed to get a shot off that went wide, but he was probably correct in asking for the foul from Diz Pe who had to scramble to cover the mistake from Rebellon. There's a time to play out of the back, but that was not it. Clear the danger and reset your lines. Indy was fortunate the shot went wide and the game remained scoreless going into the break.</div><div><br /></div><div>After the break, PHX began to tilt the field in their favor, while Indy tried to take the air out of the game even more. Lindley had his second "injury" of the game. Trilk countered with his own "injury." Indy wasn't able to take enough air of the game and Juan Guerra's second half substitutions looked like they were going to be more effective than Lowry's substitutes as Phoenix found the apparent game winner in the 80th minute as the levee broke and Harvey found his head to a Trejo cross to give PHX a 1-nil lead. </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGwq95Cg3L9ufUSjYwydzbKvm__5z8vk4BIRjCws4nSrs7RZ3jFB5Fe4v1b01dM5FyiqtS0LONSN6IwnwCuJJ7lZA3R9Y9HT12tamnyjtO3EI0FzggwBb0qHSVlW1873jIfXLxpIB2qVK1NMQMxHVcXxMycICNYAgeuV1mnXFyPnlw1TDVRdEFI3N8ecYz/s806/2ndHalf-Shots.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="806" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGwq95Cg3L9ufUSjYwydzbKvm__5z8vk4BIRjCws4nSrs7RZ3jFB5Fe4v1b01dM5FyiqtS0LONSN6IwnwCuJJ7lZA3R9Y9HT12tamnyjtO3EI0FzggwBb0qHSVlW1873jIfXLxpIB2qVK1NMQMxHVcXxMycICNYAgeuV1mnXFyPnlw1TDVRdEFI3N8ecYz/s320/2ndHalf-Shots.png" width="320" /></a></div>Indy managed just two shots in the 2nd half. They lost the possession battle. They looked like a team that were playing for a draw on the road in the Pacific time zone, and then found themselves staring at a loss with minimal time left on the clock. A late stoppage time corner kick allowed Lindley to give a driven ball to the six-yard box that Diz Pe solidly headed back across goal and past Rios Novo, salvaging a draw and helping reduce that magic number. If I was a Phoenix fan, I would call it a stolen draw; as an Indy fan, I call it a gritty point. I then get the hell on the plane and come back to Indy.</div><div><br /></div><div>A rare Sunday game awaits the team as the face their third Western Conference team in a row, though this time at Carroll Stadium. If Indy can take protect home field in their final four games, they make the playoffs. Getting a home match to start the playoffs seems unlikely at this point, but who the hell knows with this team lately. I had started writing this game off as a loss and had to adjust. </div><div><br /></div><div><u style="font-size: xx-large;">The Game Beckons Game Ball</u></div><div>This is easy. There was a moment in the game against New Mexico where the announcers were talking about the height of Diz Pe and they said he is listed as 6'-3". The response to that statement was, "yeah, if he's in a hole." Classic.</div><div><br /></div><div>Diz used all 6'-3"-ish of his frame to get to the ball that he forcefully headed past Phoenix to salvage the draw. All that after defending Juan Guerra's kitchen sink attack adjustment for the entirety of the second half. I don't care what his stats show. I didn't even look. Diz gets tonight's GBGB for being clutch when the team needed it most. </div><div><br />Lindley gets a nod too for that corner delivery. The ball was on a string, like it was directly connected to Diz's head and could have gone nowhere else.</div>Drewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09042600014262648084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6202431216472879565.post-88970451734492438852023-09-16T01:15:00.001-04:002023-09-16T01:23:36.810-04:00Indy Eleven vs New Mexico United - 10.29<u><span style="font-size: x-large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJTxltAgCg4bdJEgiL_8zt8rAkdN6KhMF1RfRn29_n2d3aZa5lSdxymdBsT60MAkizJGnGAT5eFxBT5KC8x4BRgppAdRHQFBifKjXxMd8zkw6JmO06DS8CL2llssGruG4oGfzCCpk28jFg93-SZIzBYUzSQICXDdm8_Be_8UFKfUhn072IJiJHwPeBoGlP/s2417/2023IndyElevenLineup29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2417" data-original-width="2394" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJTxltAgCg4bdJEgiL_8zt8rAkdN6KhMF1RfRn29_n2d3aZa5lSdxymdBsT60MAkizJGnGAT5eFxBT5KC8x4BRgppAdRHQFBifKjXxMd8zkw6JmO06DS8CL2llssGruG4oGfzCCpk28jFg93-SZIzBYUzSQICXDdm8_Be_8UFKfUhn072IJiJHwPeBoGlP/w396-h400/2023IndyElevenLineup29.jpg" width="396" /></a></div>Summary</span></u><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>- Opponent: New Mexico United<br />- Location: Isotopes Park<br />- Attendance: 8,527<br />- Final Score: 3-2 L</p><p></p><p>- Starting XI: Trilk, Rebellon, Jerome, Diz Pe, Dambrot, Blake, Lindley, Asante, Velasquez, Guenzatti (C), Pinho</p><p>- Substitution: Vazquez 70' (Pinho); Molina 81' (Dambrot); Robledo 81' (Blake)</p><p>- Unused: Crawford, Reveno</p><p>- Scoring Summary:<br />IND – Guenzatti 9’ (assist Lindley)<br />NM - Rivas 44' (assist Hernandez)<br />NM - Hernandez 64' (assist Bailey)<br />NM - Portillo 86' (penalty kick)<br />IND - Vazquez 90'+4' (unassisted)</p><div>- Bookings:</div><div>NM - Portillo 27’ (Yellow)<br />NM - Ryden 27' (Yellow)<br />IND - Blake 39' (Yellow)<br />IND - Trilk 84' (Yellow)<br />IND - Vazquez 84' (Yellow)</div><div><br /></div><div>- Referee: Brad Jensen</div><div>- Adage goals: Two</div><p><u><span style="font-size: x-large;">Thoughts and Opinions</span></u></p><div>Direct quote from my <a href="https://www.gamebeckons.com/2023/09/indy-eleven-vs-miami-fc-1028.html" target="_blank">last article for the Miami game</a>: </div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;"><div style="text-align: left;">Diz has time to recuperate before the next game, which won't be until Friday the 15th at New Mexico, but not having guys available for selection is rearing its head again. Boudadi received a 27th minute yellow card, putting him out for the NM game. Callum-Page picked up a hip injury before the Miami game that might leave him out for a few weeks according to team sources. Martinez picked up a knock that kept him out. King is out indefinitely. If Diz is unable to go in two weeks, the backline is once again going to be light. Though getting Vazquez back helps, but he's only played 14 minutes since returning and probably still isn't fully match fit. </div></blockquote><div><br /></div><div>The roster for tonight's game came out and missing from the lineup were Boudadi (of course, yellow card accumulation will do that to your ability to play), Callum-Page, Martinez, King, Walker, and Quinn. Indy had just four field players on the bench and Academy player Crawford as the backup goalkeeper. Indy's game day roster was reminiscent of so many other games earlier this season. Coach Lowry has talked to me about how the injuries and suspensions take away his ability to affect a game with substitutions (when and whom). Tonight was no different. Throw in a weather delay before the game could even get started and a game on a baseball field, and my concern about how this game would go was already skewed to the pessimistic side before it even reached 9:00 EST.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr7c_wKDs4zLo3l5uHeoQFBarEbLccUch9W_GenabY6zmJfuBMpNarSfkdRHLk5LXvAOworKJZWcVCNyHvHNlGhEoYq6UGiIf4y7xVOZuFWDFsJ-Sd6zDtsGfT2J2s_OWdBkS7kJikWPWRLx36crIifVTb3p_wt-AdAuQp_AAsO8ceqhoMepzFhwhklKr9/s2800/IndyEleven-2023RankingsWk27.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2037" data-original-width="2800" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr7c_wKDs4zLo3l5uHeoQFBarEbLccUch9W_GenabY6zmJfuBMpNarSfkdRHLk5LXvAOworKJZWcVCNyHvHNlGhEoYq6UGiIf4y7xVOZuFWDFsJ-Sd6zDtsGfT2J2s_OWdBkS7kJikWPWRLx36crIifVTb3p_wt-AdAuQp_AAsO8ceqhoMepzFhwhklKr9/w400-h291/IndyEleven-2023RankingsWk27.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Amazingly, with the loss, Indy proved my pessimism to be founded and, at least temporarily, could have found themselves in 4th place in the table. Memphis, Louisville, and Birmingham still have games to play this weekend that could have a say in that ranking, but with the way Indy has hovered around the playoff cut line this season (never higher than 7th starting in week 6 until week 23, with 6 of those weeks sitting out of the playoffs), the fact that 4th place was attainable at all demonstrates the run-of-form this team had been on in recent weeks and the absolute unpredictability of results in the league.</div><div><br /></div><div>I appreciate the need to play out of the back, but the field at Isotopes Park is too narrow to make some of the plays Indy were attempting early in the game after the first goal when NM were trying to immediately claw one back. With the compactness of the field, defenders don't have to go very far to press the ball, and as more defenders get into the press, it's okay to lob the ball up the field to release the pressure. Trilk and the CB duo of Jerome and Diz Pe put the team in some nervy positions early.</div><div><br /></div><div>In the 26th minute, Indy were awarded their first penalty kick of the season where Quinn was unavailable to take it. Lindley did what he normally does and held onto the ball like he was going to be the one to take the kick, and then proceeded to hand the ball off to another player. Tonight, in Quinn's absence, that player was Guenzatti. Guenzatti is more than capable of scoring from the spot, and having scored once tonight and each of the previous two games, it seemed Indy would be up 2-nil within the first 30-minutes of the game. However, Thomas guessed the correct direction and was able to collect Guenzatti's shot, keeping NM in the game. </div><div><br /></div><div>Just before halftime, Indy had a wayward pass find its way to the feet of a NM player, and despite Indy being in good defensive shape at the start of the loss of possession, NM quickly countered through some lunging Indy defenders to find Rivas on the right side of the goal. Trilk managed to get something to it, but it still found its way behind him and into the goal, leveling the evening's affairs right before the halftime whistle. The missed penalty kick from Guenzatti in the 26th minute now loomed large as the two teams were level heading to the locker rooms with another half to play, at elevation, with just one forward and one midfield attackers left on the bench for Indy to make in the second half to try and get a win on the road.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuyUUJv3fO9UA94bsf2iV8L94iJP8jULqszqw08VjnnZiNGV4agd-zPL_URBK8hAxn02caJSrUMD4j4Zq0DfIu5rBgh2VPYtTXPyVUUOpb4LRhW_Gi_iP9PxXyaKH6Nqu3K0IMOWvmfFhx2Vq55Q7Dq_KOCCJYak_VvZOch_H46TJgGEcAd8em-Sd5n6U3/s798/AvgPositions.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="582" data-original-width="798" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuyUUJv3fO9UA94bsf2iV8L94iJP8jULqszqw08VjnnZiNGV4agd-zPL_URBK8hAxn02caJSrUMD4j4Zq0DfIu5rBgh2VPYtTXPyVUUOpb4LRhW_Gi_iP9PxXyaKH6Nqu3K0IMOWvmfFhx2Vq55Q7Dq_KOCCJYak_VvZOch_H46TJgGEcAd8em-Sd5n6U3/w400-h291/AvgPositions.png" width="400" /></a></div>Twenty minutes after the teams returned from the locker room, NM completed the comeback, getting a goal from Hernandez, who had streaked forward. As he received the ball, he had acres of space before Lindley came rushing back to defend. Hernandez put Lindley in the spin cycle, took another touch, and placed his shot nicely out of reach of Trilk who was leaning the wrong way. Indy then had 26 minutes to find their own equalizer. Unfortunately for Indy fans, Indy went 50 minutes without a shot (on or off target) going from the 30th minute to the 80th minute. Indy's only shot in the second half was the 90'+4' goal from Vazquez. New Mexico's high press worked perfectly. They allowed Indy to pass around the back line trying to probe for the next pass through the NM front line, but were slow enough about it to allow the NM team to organize their press. When the press worked, NM went at the Indy goal fast and with numbers. Those numbers led to goals.</div><div><br /></div><div>New Mexico finalized the important part of the evening's proceedings in the 86th minute with a penalty kick goal after Trilk was forced to make a play on the ball and caught more of the man than the ball. Portillo calmly put his attempt in the goal and the game out of reach. Indy found a stoppage time goal in the 90'+4' to make the scoreline look a little better, but it didn't matter as the ref blew the whistle shortly after the restart. </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY91ZfLs-Wpmk9rhLXH9J8VZqLVeS9xwYAD5NuWeCNxVCkliAnL4es6mKLz7kLRT9SiuI--spYs5RyQwhARP-YwcicdZ1Qu3YvfE2rappH_HheM3ULlaBP7kXbRlk-IZOONn6RPN3mNXEvtqwMXWwTIazK-euYRmPUiELZju2c6Lu1cZXZTU7MhldfEM8n/s2802/2023-29-IndyResultsTimeline.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2018" data-original-width="2802" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY91ZfLs-Wpmk9rhLXH9J8VZqLVeS9xwYAD5NuWeCNxVCkliAnL4es6mKLz7kLRT9SiuI--spYs5RyQwhARP-YwcicdZ1Qu3YvfE2rappH_HheM3ULlaBP7kXbRlk-IZOONn6RPN3mNXEvtqwMXWwTIazK-euYRmPUiELZju2c6Lu1cZXZTU7MhldfEM8n/w400-h288/2023-29-IndyResultsTimeline.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>The loss brings the undefeated streak to an end with a disappointing thud. Indy's magic number remains at 10 with just five games remaining. Playoffs are still achievable, but this was a game were Indy could have found points to help their cause. As it stands, Indy didn't move up or down the conference table, but Birmingham could have something to say about that by the end of the weekend. </div><div><br /></div><div>Indy return to action on Wednesday on the road to take on the Juan Guerra-led Phoenix Rising, with former Indy striker Arteaga near the top of the league in goals behind only his teammate, Trejo, and Pittsburgh forward Dikwa ahead of him. Arteaga and Trejo by themselves have combined for 29 goals for Phoenix, or 78% of Indy's total. The Indy defenders are going to need to have good games on Wednesday.</div><div><br /></div><div><u style="font-size: xx-large;">The Game Beckons Game Ball</u></div><div>This is another one of those games where I have a hard time picking the GBGB. Players had moments, some good, some bad. Guenzatti stands out due to his amazing first goal, but then also his failed penalty kick goal. He also managed 3 of the teams 4 shots on goal. By a thread, Guenzatti gets tonights GBGB in the loss.</div>Drewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09042600014262648084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6202431216472879565.post-72584890543281481752023-09-03T21:30:00.001-04:002023-09-03T21:32:51.392-04:00Indy Eleven vs Miami FC - 10.28<p><u><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></u></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><u><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipkUZ3yh2KOnAb5UhKl-UR0K75XpyMbxsSbbmxuqGYoQtK3ybh0IHTZD2ICJTU7yiSqZshM4TnaiKy9VGGTovbVaLhGt7x4M2U7f6AAP8FNElDlwxbKdqG3zhllQ2KgBGDawuNxoqc2tWCzC8-LzKEi4f6Aw2kzLbvDoqKzKMrJH3NvbBIVGtC4wMHsVHM/s2425/2023IndyElevenLineup28.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2370" data-original-width="2425" height="391" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipkUZ3yh2KOnAb5UhKl-UR0K75XpyMbxsSbbmxuqGYoQtK3ybh0IHTZD2ICJTU7yiSqZshM4TnaiKy9VGGTovbVaLhGt7x4M2U7f6AAP8FNElDlwxbKdqG3zhllQ2KgBGDawuNxoqc2tWCzC8-LzKEi4f6Aw2kzLbvDoqKzKMrJH3NvbBIVGtC4wMHsVHM/w400-h391/2023IndyElevenLineup28.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></u></div><u><span style="font-size: x-large;">Summary</span></u><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>- Opponent: Miami FC<br />- Location: Carroll Stadium<br />- Attendance: 10,175<br />- Final Score: 1-0 W</p><p></p><p>- Starting XI: Trilk, Boudadi, Jerome, Diz Pe, Dambrot, Blake, Lindley, Quinn, Asante, Velasquez, Guenzatti (C)</p><p>- Substitution: Rebellon (Dambrot 76'); Pinho (Velasquez 76'); Vazquez (Diz Pe 77'); Robledo (Blake 85'); Reveno (Asante 90'+6')</p><p>- Unused: Walker, Molina</p><p>- Scoring Summary:<br />IND – Guenzatti 72’ (assist Boudadi)<br /></p><div>- Bookings:</div><div>MIA - Segbers 20’ (Yellow)<br />IND - Boudadi 27' (Yellow)<br />MIA - Salazar 33' (Yellow)<br />MIA - Akinyode 36' (Yellow)<br />MIA - Stanley 88' (Yellow)<br />MIA - Neal 89' (Yellow)<br />IND - Robledo 90'+2' (Yellow)<br />MIA - Craig 90'+3' (RED)<br />IND - Quinn 90'+9' (Yellow)</div><div><br /></div><div>- Referee: Elijio Arreguin</div><div>- Adage goals: None</div><p><u><span style="font-size: x-large;">Thoughts and Opinions</span></u></p><div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc-JREbBwqjEspmTgKyZDqMTYzJQwfYWhzWvnpRy3gvyQB8dr7tvogMqHqPDs6YSqkVM6ALWYIqtnAgJu0vuOqwtvjYNMFS52vODwkjnvukvJZGdrrooq5sCoAbGDgbx__diSSSjQ1jVcXlNWCrQIKzzpKbq4vlgn3tYHYj-qy1c2hqhL-EdVG-XZkUakY/s2738/09022023_INDvMIA_m9860.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1825" data-original-width="2738" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc-JREbBwqjEspmTgKyZDqMTYzJQwfYWhzWvnpRy3gvyQB8dr7tvogMqHqPDs6YSqkVM6ALWYIqtnAgJu0vuOqwtvjYNMFS52vODwkjnvukvJZGdrrooq5sCoAbGDgbx__diSSSjQ1jVcXlNWCrQIKzzpKbq4vlgn3tYHYj-qy1c2hqhL-EdVG-XZkUakY/w400-h266/09022023_INDvMIA_m9860.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo Credit: Matt Schlotzhauer</td></tr></tbody></table>In a week where the temperatures were relatively reasonable for late August, temperatures increased again for gameday to the point where first and second half hydration breaks were required. The heat slowed the game at times as players tried to make it through the game. Players, particularly towards the end of the game, routinely took every chance they could to stretch out calves trying to stave off the impending cramps and grabbed water whenever they could. One of those that that couldn't make it through the night due to an apparent, and hopefully minor, injury was Diz Pe. However, before he made way for Vazquez in the 77th minute, Diz topped the 10,000 minute mark in regular season USL Championship games. Joining him in that category was Lindley, who also broke the 10k minute mark, as he went the full ninety minutes. The two are now separated by just 20 minutes in league history.</div></div><div><br /></div><div>Diz has time to recuperate before the next game, which won't be until Friday the 15th at New Mexico, but not having guys available for selection is rearing its head again. Boudadi received a 27th minute yellow card, putting him out for the NM game. Callum-Page picked up a hip injury before the Miami game that might leave him out for a few weeks according to team sources. Martinez picked up a knock that kept him out. King is out indefinitely. If Diz is unable to go in two weeks, the backline is once again going to be light. Though getting Vazquez back helps, but he's only played 14 minutes since returning and probably still isn't fully match fit. </div><div><br /></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyi7KH57oAsPMTPBCiwVybuhLfE_RHPCodzOxnBXhoM5S_dxqCVPBepA4zEF2OhnVdNjkjEmJjqb4bagjlF6vKLHh7mwbZy1Osd8Ml9RCaX7T25F_4NB0zxcst7fC3zJ20pO0Nv81DDL7TTdSE_DztuWZHsduWCHUAL8nmx-q3HK-9ZhsFEkqGXzjDypjw/s2738/09022023_INDvMIA_m1922.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1826" data-original-width="2738" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyi7KH57oAsPMTPBCiwVybuhLfE_RHPCodzOxnBXhoM5S_dxqCVPBepA4zEF2OhnVdNjkjEmJjqb4bagjlF6vKLHh7mwbZy1Osd8Ml9RCaX7T25F_4NB0zxcst7fC3zJ20pO0Nv81DDL7TTdSE_DztuWZHsduWCHUAL8nmx-q3HK-9ZhsFEkqGXzjDypjw/w400-h266/09022023_INDvMIA_m1922.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo Credit: Matt Schlotzhauer</td></tr></tbody></table>Hopefully, Diz and the guys can stay healthy for this stretch run because they are playing some of their best soccer of the season, and within the league. Right now, they have the longest undefeated streak in the Eastern Conference (at 6 games) with Tampa Bay's 4-game win streak being the best behind them. Only San Antonio's 7-game undefeated streak, and Orange County's 8-game win streak are better than the run-of-form that Indy is currently experiencing. With the win against Miami, Indy move, at least temporarily, up to 5th place in the standings. As Indy rests the for the next 13 days, the table will change since the teams around Indy have games in hand on them. Indy's recent success means that only Memphis can bypass them in the standings as those teams catch up to be even in games. Indy currently have a 12-point cushion on the team sitting outside the playoff line with 6 games to go. What seemed like an improbable destination just a few weeks ago as the team hovered around or below the playoff line, now seems more likely. If Indy can get 10 points out of 18 in their remaining games, including a win against Tulsa, I think Indy make the playoffs. They would rather be higher up the standings when the dust settles, but as I've said before, making the playoffs is the first step. Ten points seems doable at this point.</div><div><br /></div><div>More to the point of this game though...</div><div><br /></div><div>Purely looking at the stats tells you that this was a close game. Same shots on target, 4. Basically 50/50 possession. The eye test tells basically the same thing. This was a close game, separated by a single goal that resulted from beautiful interplay between the Indy Eleven players. Guenzatti gets credit for the goal and Boudadi gets credit for the assist, but this goal started at half field with Jerome. </div><div><br /></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPFC5vZFlJEKU78F3HiQJjhsplbErl16wMcnZvf_A-7r2IuvNvY9U_kpSTz1tdU-nanJyq_tlwr0vdaLFC_83BALAgLy6yq4PIjodBZ0aQfKhs8IPZ8vv6lV8MrupId10LhXuzr86LqOpiRgGXpkqJYg31K1ITQKPZ3HdgjeOwM0lz7jZ5xfnFZSCPGlTz/s2738/09022023_INDvMIA_m0131.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1825" data-original-width="2738" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPFC5vZFlJEKU78F3HiQJjhsplbErl16wMcnZvf_A-7r2IuvNvY9U_kpSTz1tdU-nanJyq_tlwr0vdaLFC_83BALAgLy6yq4PIjodBZ0aQfKhs8IPZ8vv6lV8MrupId10LhXuzr86LqOpiRgGXpkqJYg31K1ITQKPZ3HdgjeOwM0lz7jZ5xfnFZSCPGlTz/w400-h266/09022023_INDvMIA_m0131.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo Credit: Matt Schlotzhauer</td></tr></tbody></table>Jerome sent a routine pass to Boudadi on the wing. Boudadi went forward a little before sending a pass to Lindley who was coming towards him. Lindley one-touched it back and continued his run to the touch line, leaving his defender and Boudadi's defender with Boudadi. Boudadi passed the ball to Velasquez, who sent the ball through a channel to Lindley that was created when the defenders stayed with Boudadi. Boudadi began running towards goal with Velasquez's pass, leaving the defenders behind him. Lindley, once again, one touched it just out of the reach of Boudadi, but the ball went directly to Asante, who one-touched it to Boudadi who had continued his run towards the end-line. Boudadi one-touch crossed the ball towards the opposite side of the six yard box on a string, preventing Zendajas from being able to leave his line, and Guenzatti beat his man to the spot where the ball was going to be and stretched out to get just enough to the ball to redirect it into the goal.</div><div><br /></div><div>The goal is everything fans expected to see from a team with this much talent. Crisp, one-touch passing. Quick, defined movements that forced defenders into bad positions. Effort. John Keats originated it, but Junior in <i>White Men Can't Jump</i> is how I hear it said, "A thing of beauty is a joy forever." That goal was a thing of beauty. That goal may also be what gets Indy into the playoffs by solidifying their tiebreaker status over Miami. </div><div><br /></div><div>Indy now have 13 days to get guys back healthy and prepared for a trip to the Land of Enchantment (and my birthplace). Indy only play two more games against Eastern Conference foes in their remaining six games, both against teams below them near the playoff cut line. So Indy are going to need to get points against teams from the Western Conference, something that's been hit-and-mostly miss during the first part of this season with a 2W-2D-4L record against those teams. Indy is in a different place, mentality and physically, than they were in the majority of those games, so I'm feeling more confident they can get points. </div><div><br /></div><div><u style="font-size: xx-large;">The Game Beckons Game Ball</u></div><div>The official stats say that Indy lost the Aerial Duel battle by a wide 85 to 15% margin. With Diz Pe on the field, I don't know how that is even possible. His stats indicate that he had 0 aerial duels won and 0 aerial duels lost. I'm not going to watch the entire game to prove either of those stats wrong, but I'm going to not accept that manufactured reality. I watched the game, and I've watched enough of Diz Pe this season to know that those stats are wrong. Diz took a hit from Trilk in the 28th minute and Trilk doesn't do anything half-assed, so I know Diz felt the brunt of that collision. It was also Diz's leg that seemed to be his issue when he left the game, which means he was probably fighting through a couple things before he exited the game. His effort remained throughout, and his effort was enough for me to give him the nudge for the GBGB.</div>Drewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09042600014262648084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6202431216472879565.post-6605419934480098762023-08-27T13:30:00.004-04:002023-08-27T13:38:59.269-04:00Indy Eleven vs Loudoun United - 10.27<u><span style="font-size: x-large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiItmkO0lbZ_xvncBaZiRijAPdRJIn3rxgqtSOnyDRxRSSr9m-M9ocvYHh2k5SVTQyJEUjw9HGCHY72ouE6ex2Ftp5JKLzq6yyVNZIl9TYBWPbIDaBU15wDBOhI4N3QL3L6ZLRiqMpPSToafpVglHVymvT0bWq_MhNvH6pY-J7oC--_-JRzkyljxcn8XzuD/s2412/2023IndyElevenLineup27.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2389" data-original-width="2412" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiItmkO0lbZ_xvncBaZiRijAPdRJIn3rxgqtSOnyDRxRSSr9m-M9ocvYHh2k5SVTQyJEUjw9HGCHY72ouE6ex2Ftp5JKLzq6yyVNZIl9TYBWPbIDaBU15wDBOhI4N3QL3L6ZLRiqMpPSToafpVglHVymvT0bWq_MhNvH6pY-J7oC--_-JRzkyljxcn8XzuD/w400-h396/2023IndyElevenLineup27.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Summary</span></u><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>- Opponent: Loudoun United<br />- Location: Carroll Stadium<br />- Attendance: 10,137<br />- Final Score: 2-1 W</p><p></p><p>- Starting XI: Trilk, Boudadi, Jerome, Diz Pe, Reveno, Blake, Lindley (C), Quinn, Velasquez, Martinez, Asante</p><p>- Substitution: Dambrot 45’ (Reveno); Guenzatti 45’ (Blake); Molina 68’ (Velasquez); Pinho 68’ (Martinez); Rebellon 86’ (Asante)</p><p>- Unused: Crawford, Vazquez</p><p>- Scoring Summary:<br />LDN – Williamson 1’ (unassisted)<br />IND – Quinn 73’ (Penalty Kick)<br />IND – Guenzatti 81’ (assist Asante)</p><div>- Bookings:</div><div><div>IND - Blake 22’ (Yellow)</div><div>IND – Asante 42’ (Yellow)</div><div>LDN – Landry 45’ (Yellow)</div><div>IND – Pinho 90’+4’ (Yellow)</div></div><div><br /></div><div>- Referee: Brandon Stevis</div><div>- Adage goals: One</div><p><u><span style="font-size: x-large;">Thoughts and Opinions</span></u></p><div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl9B4Gvq6VKS-aq6PDNZjhF-cyyiTXH0LzSswxSoJrHtEwNp6Y4QDlnCI-NLlfgGSV1LYGd48BSKjk-UnmL8SyESDOhCLJO_SYAj9jfu2GhYTjQzfiTslT_JQ1e35-oExM0lNP5TPMvI8xUKHOnkNHEJAkaBljoLONPeGlWOC3eTuHM5JzFJaoetgqsEj_/s1000/996A0713.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl9B4Gvq6VKS-aq6PDNZjhF-cyyiTXH0LzSswxSoJrHtEwNp6Y4QDlnCI-NLlfgGSV1LYGd48BSKjk-UnmL8SyESDOhCLJO_SYAj9jfu2GhYTjQzfiTslT_JQ1e35-oExM0lNP5TPMvI8xUKHOnkNHEJAkaBljoLONPeGlWOC3eTuHM5JzFJaoetgqsEj_/w320-h400/996A0713.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>As I mentioned after the Memphis game, Indy need to get points, preferably all three points, from every game against teams below them in the table. They also need the teams above them to take points from the teams below them to give Indy the best chance to make the playoffs. Getting to a top 4 place on the table to be able to host a game suddenly, and surprisingly given the up-and-down nature of this season, looks possible with a lot of math and results going for Indy, but their main focus just needs to be staying in a playoff position. Once the playoffs get started, where teams finished in the table becomes less important in a one-off win-or-go-home scenario. </div><div><br /></div><div>Indy needed to start this game strong so they could play this game they way they want to play; with possession and then put a team behind them on the table into predictable situations. It took all of 38 seconds for that plan to go out of the window as Loudoun scored another gifted goal when Diz Pe misplayed a ball allowing Williamson behind him and onto goal, which he slotted to the far corner past Trilk. In under a minute, the old Indy playing from behind scenario reared its head again.</div><div><br /></div><div>After the goal, Indy held possession and had the bulk of the chances, but couldn’t break through. In the 27th minute, Loudoun had another break opportunity that looked like Jerome was going to get put into the spin cycle to set up a second goal. Jerome found his footing and the right angle and managed to poke the ball away to keep the team within reach. As the ball started back towards the Indy offensive side of things, Martinez was put in 1v1 against Koanda, who had a heavy touch. The heavy touch forced Jacomen to make a decision to come out of his box to help. Koanda and Jacomen bungled the interaction putting the ball behind Jacomen. Martinez had enough time to walk the ball in, but instead one-timed the ball directly into the side netting. Indy’s best, and clearest chance at that point, went harmlessly out for a goal kick. Indy had a few more good forays into the Loudoun box, but they were unable to make good on their effort and the teams went into the halftime locker room with the regular refrain of being down a goal and needing to chase the game in earnest in the second half on tired legs and minds.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyOktF42Kfvwj3qRRopH1xT9BYaPkq3ofUlKhzB1HvOViFU2GXhgeqbZlGripy5QxrjC08dKZ09AUN4HUEKBGGkeY2GhEQhE9ekx8ZAeuRnzjgiFukXeb0tapgTtqcwuHeX-GUJr8_Y7rCy1mvDzFVLC-2W8vFybLfb3MVKdfZfJQcR09vF0mHchnE5qEE/s1000/647A1651.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyOktF42Kfvwj3qRRopH1xT9BYaPkq3ofUlKhzB1HvOViFU2GXhgeqbZlGripy5QxrjC08dKZ09AUN4HUEKBGGkeY2GhEQhE9ekx8ZAeuRnzjgiFukXeb0tapgTtqcwuHeX-GUJr8_Y7rCy1mvDzFVLC-2W8vFybLfb3MVKdfZfJQcR09vF0mHchnE5qEE/w400-h320/647A1651.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Needing the points, and needing to spread the tired legs around, Dambrot and Guenzatti came out of the locker room during halftime to start warming up, signaling an immediate change after the break. They replaced Blake and Reveno to create a more attack-minded lineup in an attempt to change the scoreboard into Indy’s favor. The move is right in line with a Mark Lowry tactical adjustment when he thinks Indy are the better team and wanting to put the pressure on the opposition as soon as possible after the break to make a multiple game second half more feasible.</div><div><br /></div><div>As the game neared the 60th minute, it felt like a goal was coming for Indy. Indy had tilted the field firmly in their direction and just needed the final touch beyond Jacomen. Attempt after attempt went wayward or was stifled by Loudoun’s defense or Jacomen. </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCd4q5k6UOFf1Djmv1pTm0pZjVNw3dcqmujfnHRFrYVYgzU8UK6iGY23XDwkLr9wGbKjDeni1jGxQYLBhA2QmJHxQeZZeMLMWlJPds9SClJwXCnUtnJNC_48TEP8MmsIJFr7EUjW-w_LKJ0G_eUpcSI6HnQB1L46EsTYdmhauZ4NZ9bN65SCvGhBRVKxJ6/s1000/647A1682.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCd4q5k6UOFf1Djmv1pTm0pZjVNw3dcqmujfnHRFrYVYgzU8UK6iGY23XDwkLr9wGbKjDeni1jGxQYLBhA2QmJHxQeZZeMLMWlJPds9SClJwXCnUtnJNC_48TEP8MmsIJFr7EUjW-w_LKJ0G_eUpcSI6HnQB1L46EsTYdmhauZ4NZ9bN65SCvGhBRVKxJ6/w400-h320/647A1682.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>That is until the 72nd minute when Boudadi was taken down in the box. Up stepped Quinn who calmly put the ball to the left side of the goal while Jacomen went the opposite direction. The penalty kick goal puts Quinn tied with Ayoze for the club lead in made penalty kicks in just the span of 27 games. For whatever reason, Indy has been really good at creating penalty kick opportunities this season and Quinn’s ability to finish them has been exceptional. Quinn's ability to connect from the spot is impressive at this point. It's not like there isn't film on him taking them, and yet, goalkeepers continually guess wrong, or he's just that good at disguising his direction, or he's just that good at reacting to wherever he thinks the goalkeeper is going to guess. Whatever it is in the penalty kick chess match, goalkeepers have proven this season that they can't keep up with him.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikj93-2BSpAmgtb4Dr5MJX4ztHesW2YFiZU8PYiqOrmJhL8FVKw7rLuA5_acECe26TlsU7M-XgD9xhYfVMD0qQkC89bCRWU61z6a_WSeMyZc0-OaTf1YMm-ngDNzBmnoy93DfAV7tCcKZ6ZeJB-hK90Zupb9yLO_0SRR51BAmHgtfvFP8VpF_B29Hu26J9/s3299/2023IndyElevenQuinnPK.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1855" data-original-width="3299" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikj93-2BSpAmgtb4Dr5MJX4ztHesW2YFiZU8PYiqOrmJhL8FVKw7rLuA5_acECe26TlsU7M-XgD9xhYfVMD0qQkC89bCRWU61z6a_WSeMyZc0-OaTf1YMm-ngDNzBmnoy93DfAV7tCcKZ6ZeJB-hK90Zupb9yLO_0SRR51BAmHgtfvFP8VpF_B29Hu26J9/w640-h360/2023IndyElevenQuinnPK.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>The goal was officially from the spot, but it was a well-deserved goal for Indy resulting from the constant pressure they were putting on Loudoun. Once the game became level again, the game became wide open for the remaining 20 minutes. It was fitting this game was played at the Michael Carroll <b><u>Track </u></b>and Soccer stadium because it became a track meet in the closing minutes as Indy attacked trying to get the game winner, and Loudoun looked to counter with Indy so stretched. </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgse1oTxUfy1XuN8-Q1smRGib6PJGZg26fvnctCX-FeBAclYChy5P0NOFa0dF5sTPnxOLdSLUwuA28_ZxLB8qWDTp_ZWTFHCayOQIu1DERUKI2YCVASbdQ3BPgUaDP1c2uuBjQUJxny4c0T78gmrUWY77Ztjl_HTp49W0BpMgCRbCYdMWmtFBkChfoLF380/s1000/647A1694.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgse1oTxUfy1XuN8-Q1smRGib6PJGZg26fvnctCX-FeBAclYChy5P0NOFa0dF5sTPnxOLdSLUwuA28_ZxLB8qWDTp_ZWTFHCayOQIu1DERUKI2YCVASbdQ3BPgUaDP1c2uuBjQUJxny4c0T78gmrUWY77Ztjl_HTp49W0BpMgCRbCYdMWmtFBkChfoLF380/w400-h320/647A1694.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Indy found that game winner in the 81st minute when another Indy attack allowed Solo to dribble straight down the middle of the pitch towards the Loudoun goal, which drew defenders towards him. Asante laid the ball off to his right to Guenzatti who had just enough space between him and the defender that had stepped towards Asante, and then rocketed a shot between Jakomen and the post that was so close to the post that it kissed off of it before going into the goal. The goal completed Indy's third comeback for a win in three games (2 at ELP & 1 vs LDN).</div><div><br /></div><div>After going down a goal within the first minute, Indy had found their game winner to keep themselves undefeated in 5 games and keep themselves in a good position on the table. If not for a 90’+8’ winner by Louisville against Oakland Roots, Indy would have found themselves in a 3-way tie (on points) for fourth place in the Eastern Conference (would have still be in 6th due to the tiebreakers, but to be even on points with Louisville and Memphis would be a huge boost to everybody’s confidence about the playoff push). With the injuries, the suspensions (Robledo missed this game due to his red card and Chapman-Page missed due to yellow card accumulation), and the defensive mistakes that have lost to dropped points in the early part of the season, the fact that 4th place is even a possibility is a testament to how this team has fought through diversity and are finally getting healthy and in form.</div></div><div><br /></div><div>The undefeated streak moves to 5 games and Indy return to The Mike next Saturday to face yet another team below them in the table, with a chance to further separate themselves from the team's below them. Another win over Miami would give Indy the season tiebreakers, further helping their playoff push. </div><div><br /></div><div><u style="font-size: xx-large;">The Game Beckons Game Ball</u></div><div>Goal scoring is great so it would be easy to give the GBGB to Quinn or Guenzatti. Jerome has also played at a much closer level in recent games to what I saw from him when I watched El Paso's games the past couple of seasons, so he would be a good one to give the GBGB. However, my eyeball test kept coming back to Boudadi. He was an absolute pest up the right side of the pitch, making the Loudoun defenders look silly, blowing by them, and looking like he felt he could do anything in this game. It was his attack on the Loudoun goal that set up the penalty kick. Coach Lowry indicated postgame that they were considering Boudadi as one of the second half subs, but that his confidence and what he was able to do on the field just made it difficult to take him off. For a "doing the dirty work" performance, Boudadi gets tonight's GBGB.</div><div><br /></div><div><u><span style="font-size: x-large;">Additional Photos (Don Thompson Photography)</span></u></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMJnouBZyynbUkEyZ--7CMe3FvExVEdwu7j61xEtsQmILOkMvS25kLJt9IzDnK903f4RoEm9xvEADGs5HFv0sewOoocBSDfAwjqPYcpwcqJMfKi_yK6aUl5_qYnvJmkADgCEbx4UDSTrB0tQ8KU68ahTc9UeABW0i0ELKkOOEO5B21GJiXOGGrgKwRjSJJ/s1000/647A1612.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1000" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMJnouBZyynbUkEyZ--7CMe3FvExVEdwu7j61xEtsQmILOkMvS25kLJt9IzDnK903f4RoEm9xvEADGs5HFv0sewOoocBSDfAwjqPYcpwcqJMfKi_yK6aUl5_qYnvJmkADgCEbx4UDSTrB0tQ8KU68ahTc9UeABW0i0ELKkOOEO5B21GJiXOGGrgKwRjSJJ/w640-h512/647A1612.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju31B0iOglYw2wdJPUei7qHnwboVO9Bvh8PJtDIGFUufYk3jUM9ijFdDgesncg7lna99qdxsqGsnkH8hFedpO-hMVGlpcJxP1_yi9bYhbGhKge6iXiFbL-j0p5wrYCP-FHxxIJ7jSZ5oJZDLn-z9EbAusSTUVFNp8BkFqDIJ-sbGRtzuxYVPTuRZx7s7vR/w512-h640/996A0754.jpg" width="512" /></a></div>Drewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09042600014262648084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6202431216472879565.post-39107745507761257652023-08-25T21:15:00.004-04:002023-08-25T21:22:31.181-04:00Indy Eleven vs Memphis 901 FC - 10.26<u><span style="font-size: x-large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2mVh6_tL8clB_FP9JFwPebc4oZhAk9X7-PjhMcj5gkFZNqXNAgKBKrFww8sHJ--t-Vm_mpQuaGR51oDKOkLcDllwBYbREq4FSjH4uURiSWbIumOpaNlTad6Pk-iYWIgGaQeSuWLSHAAkasNj1TgbW1Hif84gKkI8dfCcU1ML7wJHqBSC525t2nCAA0OQU/s2406/2023IndyElevenLineup26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2406" data-original-width="2391" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2mVh6_tL8clB_FP9JFwPebc4oZhAk9X7-PjhMcj5gkFZNqXNAgKBKrFww8sHJ--t-Vm_mpQuaGR51oDKOkLcDllwBYbREq4FSjH4uURiSWbIumOpaNlTad6Pk-iYWIgGaQeSuWLSHAAkasNj1TgbW1Hif84gKkI8dfCcU1ML7wJHqBSC525t2nCAA0OQU/w398-h400/2023IndyElevenLineup26.jpg" width="398" /></a></div>Summary</span></u><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>- Opponent: Memphis 901 FC<br />- Location: AutoZone Park<br />- Attendance: -<br />- Final Score: 0-0 D</p><p></p><p>- Starting XI: Trilk, Boudadi, Jerome, Chapman-Page, Dambrot, Blake, Lindley, Quinn, Robledo, Martinez, Guenzatti (C)</p><p>- Substitution: Pinho 71' (Guenzatti); Reveno 72' (Dambrot); Rebellon 86' (Blake); Vazquez 90'+4' (Martinez)</p><p>- Unused: Crawford, Asante, Velasquez</p><p>- Scoring Summary:<br />NONE<br /></p><div>- Bookings:</div><div>MEM - McFadden 44' (Yellow)<br />IND - Robledo 44' (RED)<br />MEM - Vom Steeg 54' (Yellow)<br />IND - Martinez 67' (Yellow)<br />IND - Chapman-Page 67' (Yellow)<br />MEM - Pickering 80' (Yellow)</div><div><br /></div><div>- Referee: Elvis Osmanovic</div><div>- Adage goals: None</div><p><u><span style="font-size: x-large;">Thoughts and Opinions</span></u></p><div>A midweek game on a week where my day job included my industry's yearly conference means that I didn't watch the game against Memphis until Friday. That doesn't mean, however, that I didn't see all of the discussion on social media about the garbage field conditions or Robledo's red card or that Indy managed, despite being down a man for 50 minutes (plus the 8 minutes of 2nd half stoppage time), to leave Memphis with a draw.</div><div><br /></div><div>Memphis should be ashamed of the field conditions. Every single player risked injury to play in this game and Memphis should be fined for thinking that the field was acceptable. I played on some horrible fields in my playing days, but I wasn't a professional thinking that I should be playing on professional pitches. As I watched this game and the regular occurrence of players falling as the turf gave way underneath them or having to take time to do some landscaping work mid game (and by the operation's crew during the hydration break and halftime and...), the thought occurred to me that if I was playing on that surface, I would rather play on the bare baseball infield than the turf that they put down. At least I would know that my footing was solid, even if it meant I had to adjust the way I passed or tackled. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYssq-VtqNZ1f1lONg0YlpYRcmxf_acZBPOLe7wDLnL3xVDwczW61dSxKzJ2uDP9qkoQ0Wg5ieOfAf7qxnGkCm0u12hL9-cnyskjK5-_mTckZfnA9bC1GYls3k3Sox9agwSVodUfffwELnT_MeGUS6i5g0Th_2nF0XO3Lhon99JIFHzL38E-Dtr7eYq9rC/s1917/SodPile.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="988" data-original-width="1917" height="330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYssq-VtqNZ1f1lONg0YlpYRcmxf_acZBPOLe7wDLnL3xVDwczW61dSxKzJ2uDP9qkoQ0Wg5ieOfAf7qxnGkCm0u12hL9-cnyskjK5-_mTckZfnA9bC1GYls3k3Sox9agwSVodUfffwELnT_MeGUS6i5g0Th_2nF0XO3Lhon99JIFHzL38E-Dtr7eYq9rC/w640-h330/SodPile.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Turf Monster rising...</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTNoE2WHz0loaD_eH65uzH5x2TMmV6s1k041mwHXfGKpsGOw5sb1NZu-t4T96ZN0Q2pRh923hhhTtTKYhEJmMg8CobrcWzP_f9k7OKhjIupDh_z7H67nn38JlEKlCulEfJJVT1-eKlSB5QnsFVzkfccUXOt_2svEa2qkN6gcGiY1DsBykFQWOYKrXBEGma/s1903/SodPile3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="977" data-original-width="1903" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTNoE2WHz0loaD_eH65uzH5x2TMmV6s1k041mwHXfGKpsGOw5sb1NZu-t4T96ZN0Q2pRh923hhhTtTKYhEJmMg8CobrcWzP_f9k7OKhjIupDh_z7H67nn38JlEKlCulEfJJVT1-eKlSB5QnsFVzkfccUXOt_2svEa2qkN6gcGiY1DsBykFQWOYKrXBEGma/w640-h328/SodPile3.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just doing some landscaping work mid game...</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>What could get lost in mess of a field was that Indy played about as well as they could under the circumstances. After a game last weekend in a hot El Paso, Indy had transportation issues on their way back, then had to jump on a bus just a few days later to make their way to a hot AND humid Memphis. Then they found themselves playing on a grass covered slip-n-slide. Robledo added to the difficulties by making a mistake that young, easily frustrated, players make by kicking out at an opposing player mere yards away from a linesman, making it an easy straight red card. </div><div><br /></div><div>Robledo's red card, Indy's fifth on the season but the first for a player not lined up as a defender, allowed Lowry to make tactical adjustments at halftime without having to use any of his substitutions. Martinez's frequent play at right winger this season allowed him to noticeably drop further back on the field to help defend. If Indy was going to have a player get a red card, Robledo's might have been the least detrimental to the team. Rebellon was able to rest through most of the game. Asante didn't have to play at all, and Vazquez saw his first minutes in ten games in mop-up minutes of stoppage time, but was able to break a sweat even if he didn't touch the ball.</div><div><br /></div><div>This game was one of the proverbial "draw feels like a win" kind of games. Forced to defend for much of the second half due to the man disadvantage, on the turf-covered infield side of the field, Indy's first half possession advantage vanished in a "bend but don't break fight for each other" effort from all the players. The Memphis crowd and commentators were not happy about Indy's end-of-game tactics to take the air out of the game, but Memphis forced Indy to play on one of the worst fields I've ever seen. So let's call it a wash and move on.</div><div><br /></div><div>Indy return home to play Loudoun in the midst of an actual undefeated streak. Indy need to continue their good run of results, and if I'm being honest, probably want the teams above them to continue to win as many games against the teams below Indy as possible. With what remains of the season, Indy need to create their own successes, but their appearance in the playoffs may depend on the top teams in the league beating the teams in the bottom of the league so as to not catch Indy. Saturday's game against Loudoun checks both those boxes.</div><div><br /></div><div><u style="font-size: xx-large;">The Game Beckons Game Ball</u></div><div>When you have sat the entire season, it's not easy to be thrust into a starting role due to an injury. Trilk has started six of the last seven games in goal. In that span, Indy have gone 4W-1D-2L with Trilk and the team getting a clean sheet in 3 of those games and a 0.83 goals against average. Tim made some key saves in this game despite being mired in the turf monster all around him. That kind of effort deserves the GBGB.</div>Drewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09042600014262648084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6202431216472879565.post-81273638187205969912023-08-20T00:45:00.002-04:002023-08-20T11:04:58.970-04:00Indy Eleven vs El Paso Locomotive - 10.25<u><span style="font-size: x-large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxRK8alA3qS-ZdXn8DTrYW4OfkA72i39LGjZmajmtkyNLxNNauhrz-lNc4fY5nflUf1ocTiADvz-S3xmL9WilvdhsJZbjF_eIYLy7fYdPMJ6_pTUFDqZjtPutTbrMQvGSzapybAbuAkRNuyMLYAKVxcSAJDn9j8aCumN3628vQe1KXy0NLtHVErKQhU9aP/s2410/2023IndyElevenLineup25.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2410" data-original-width="2362" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxRK8alA3qS-ZdXn8DTrYW4OfkA72i39LGjZmajmtkyNLxNNauhrz-lNc4fY5nflUf1ocTiADvz-S3xmL9WilvdhsJZbjF_eIYLy7fYdPMJ6_pTUFDqZjtPutTbrMQvGSzapybAbuAkRNuyMLYAKVxcSAJDn9j8aCumN3628vQe1KXy0NLtHVErKQhU9aP/w393-h400/2023IndyElevenLineup25.jpg" width="393" /></a></div>Summary</span></u><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>- Opponent: El Paso Locomotive<br />- Location: Southwest University Park<br />- Attendance: 6,684<br />- Final Score: 3-2 W</p><p></p><p>- Starting XI: Trilk, Boudadi, Diz Pe, Chapman-Page, Dambrot, Blake, Lindley, Quinn, Asante, Velasquez, Guenzatti (C)</p><p>- Substitution: Robledo 66' (Velasquez); Martinez 66' (Blake); Pinho 85' (Asante); Jerome 90'+3' (Guenzatti); Rebellon 90'+3' (Dambrot)</p><p>- Unused: Crawford, Reveno</p><p>- Scoring Summary:<br />ELP - Calvillo 21' (assist Navarro)<br />IND - Guenzatti 53' (assist Blake)<br />ELP - Navarro 55' (assist Petrovic)<br />IND - Chapman-Page 64' (assist Diz Pe)<br />IND - Martinez 71' (assist Boudadi)</p><div>- Bookings:</div><div>ELP - Zacarias 32' (Yellow)<br />ELP - Calvillo 45'+3' (Yellow)<br />IND - Blake 47' (Yellow)<br />ELP - Diaz 58' (Yellow)<br /><br /></div><div>- Referee: Gerald Flores</div><div>- Adage goals: One</div><p><u><span style="font-size: x-large;">Thoughts and Opinions</span></u></p><div>The month of August has been a case of multiple games in short windows. Indy started the month with a Saturday-Wednesday-Saturday series against Memphis, Birmingham, and Miami, respectively. After a week of training, Indy began another Saturday-Wednesday-Saturday series, starting with El Paso tonight, and continuing with Memphis and Loudoun, respectively. Indy finished the first August series with a 2W-0D-1L record and were wanting to match, or better, that record in the second series of August. With the win tonight, Indy start the second series of August on a good note and extend their win streak to three games.</div><div><br /></div><div>Indy also came into this game against Coach Lowry's previous team with their names all over the <a href="https://www.uslchampionship.com/news_article/show/1281717" target="_blank">league's News & Notes</a>. </div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Solomon Asante's three-assist night against Birmingham made him just the first player in league history to record three different three-assist games, two of which have occurred during his time here in Indy. The assist also meant that Solo became the first player in USL Championship league history to score 50 goals and have 50 assists. </li><li>Three days later, Aodhan Quinn assisted Diz Pe's goal against Miami to bringing the 50/50 club to two members. Both players, amazingly, sit at the same number of assists and goals at 103 (53/50 for Quinn and 51/52 for Asante). </li><li>In the BHM game where Asante moved into the 50/50 club, Guenzatti's goals on those assists put Guenzatti into sole place in 9th in the league's regular season goal scoring list.</li><li>Coming into tonight's game:</li><ul><li>Quinn needed 3 more appearances to reach the 250-game mark in regular season appearances.</li><li>Jerome needed 1 more appearance to reach the 150-game mark (which he achieved tonight with a late game substitution, as he and Rebellon were able to get a few minutes of action in their previous home field).</li><li>Diz Pe was 192 minutes away from the 10,000 minute mark (now needing just 102 minutes after going the full 90 in tonight's game).</li></ul><li>Callum-Page had one of his yellow cards removed under the Good Behavior incentive to remove him from the the potential of yellow card accumulation suspension.</li><li>Boudadi, however, is firmly at risk of being suspended after picking up his 8th card of the season against Miami (had previously had one card removed for Good Behavior), so he sits at 7 official yellow cards on the season.</li></ul><div>Indy started the game doing what everybody thought they would do; hold possession. It wasn't a surprise to Indy fans, nor was it a surprise to the El Paso players, coaches, or fans. Also not a surprise to Indy fans was that despite all of the possession, and the early chances, it was El Paso that opened the scoring in the game even though ELP was on a 9-game winless streak and 4-game losing streak. In their losing streak, ELP had been outscored 17-3, and yet they found themselves with the better chances and a lead going into the halftime locker.</div><div> </div><div>Indy has just not shown an ability to get consistent results. I don't know if you can blame it on the later start, or the difference in altitude, but the urgency wasn't there for Indy throughout much of the first half. They maintained their deliberate approach to possession without overtly dangerous attacks. I couldn't have been the only Indy fan who was thinking at that point in the game that we were in for another round of the "we were the better team, but didn't get a result" speech from Coach Lowry.</div><div><br /></div><div>Then the second half took a trip from El Paso to Crazytown. </div><div><br /></div><div>Indy equalized in the 53rd minute with a toe-poke goal from Guenzatti that slide under Diaz. About 90-seconds later, El Paso went back on top in the 55th minute from a rocket by Navarro that Trilk will likely think he could have done better parrying, after getting his hands to it, but unable to keep it out of the net. Chapman-Page redirected a corner kick that went through a swarm of people before finding its way to Callum who just needed to get his body in front of the ball to let it bounce off him into goal. Diz Pe was listed as the one who was credited with the assist, but I didn't see it touch anybody between Quinn's corner kick and Chapman-Page's touch. Finally, Boudadi sent a ball through the lines for second half substitute Martinez to run onto and toe-touch another ball under Diaz for the game winning goal.</div><div><br /></div><div>The game finished as a 3-2 win for Indy Eleven with Trilk being credited with zero saves. ELP had 2 shots on target and two goals. Indy had 7 shots on target and three goals. Indy went into the halftime locker room with 1 shot on target and no goals. The difference in attack from Indy between halves was stark. It's almost like Indy was saving themselves in the first half knowing that if they could weather ELP's first half attacks, then Indy could throw the kitchen sink at the game to get the three points in Coach Lowry's first trip back to El Paso. </div><div><br /></div><div>I would have preferred to see more of the second half effort from Indy in the first half, but they managed to get the result. With the win, and the other results around the league for the night, Indy maintain their position on the table, but are now, amazingly, within 3 points of Louisville City for 5th place, and a win on Wednesday against Memphis would put Indy tied on points with MEM and needing tiebreaker levels to figure out who is above the other on the table (admittedly with MEM still having games in hand). I said it on Reddit this week, but a win against ELP and a good showing against MEM and I would have to reconsider my pessimism on this team's chances to make, and succeed in, the playoffs. Indy upheld the first part of that scenario tonight with the win.</div><div><br /></div><div>Indy return to action on Wednesday against Memphis and then return home to face Loudoun who have lost 17 of the 27 games they have played. Indy squeaked by Loudoun in May thanks to a 73rd minute goal from Guenzatti and a 90th minute goal from Tejada. The teams are currently on different trajectories, but it's a game that Indy needs to win at home. </div></div><div><br /></div><div><u style="font-size: xx-large;">The Game Beckons Game Ball</u></div><div>In a game that went the way that this one did, there are a few guys who I think could get the GBGB. There were three goals scored from three different players, with each goal being assisted by three different players. Six different players were involved in the 3 Indy goals. The midfield trio of Blake, Lindley, and Quinn were pretty good too. I think, though, that I'm going to give Martinez the GBGB for the game-winning goal where he had to time his run well to get behind the defense and then get the ball past the keeper. The run was perfect, the shot wasn't ideal, but it was effective. His goal brings Indy home on a legitimate win streak. That's worthy of the GBGB.</div>Drewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09042600014262648084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6202431216472879565.post-13954430869121226922023-08-12T21:45:00.005-04:002023-08-13T13:44:39.517-04:00Indy Eleven vs Miami FC - 10.24<p><u><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></u></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><u><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNQNeT7sn9PGkzZP8jqKXgJFnp0lzxJ2hw2FyDGcrY4hZe-wwyFE4fLIXuQP8vdhZw0WuT8qfEl0vHNelr_-hn-dy4M6yoyIPIpKD9ovlWFLNLUfoNICX6MocPsouPzjJHj74BSo2ErFoN-BodOj23nWxm8Im_XnhXcrkPIdm4BpthSDsJzvXEPcbfHBTy/s2396/2023IndyElevenLineup24.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2396" data-original-width="2356" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNQNeT7sn9PGkzZP8jqKXgJFnp0lzxJ2hw2FyDGcrY4hZe-wwyFE4fLIXuQP8vdhZw0WuT8qfEl0vHNelr_-hn-dy4M6yoyIPIpKD9ovlWFLNLUfoNICX6MocPsouPzjJHj74BSo2ErFoN-BodOj23nWxm8Im_XnhXcrkPIdm4BpthSDsJzvXEPcbfHBTy/w394-h400/2023IndyElevenLineup24.jpg" width="394" /></a></span></u></div><u><span style="font-size: x-large;">Summary</span></u><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>- Opponent: Miami FC<br />- Location: Riccardo Silva Stadium<br />- Attendance: -<br />- Final Score: 1-0 W</p><p></p><p>- Starting XI: Trilk, Boudadi, Jerome, Chapman-Page, Blake, Lindley, Quinn, Velasquez, Robledo, Martinez, Guenzatti (C)</p><p>- Substitution: Diz Pe 45' (Jerome); Dambrot 64' (Velasquez); Asante 64' (Robledo); Pinho 82' (Martinez); Reveno 90'+1' (Blake)</p><p>- Unused: Crawford, Molina</p><p>- Scoring Summary:<br />IND - Diz Pe 51' (assist Quinn)<br /></p><div>- Bookings:</div><div>MIA - Akinyode 12' (Yellow)<br />IND - Boudadi 47' (Yellow)<br />MIA - Rivas 62' (Yellow)<br />IND - Lindley 66' (Yellow)</div><div><br /></div><div>- Referee: Rubiel Vazquez</div><div>- Adage goals: None</div><p><u><span style="font-size: x-large;">Thoughts and Opinions</span></u></p><div>Indy and Miami come into this contest with identical results from their previous game; Miami beat El Paso 4-nil last Saturday and Indy beat Birmingham 4-nil on Wednesday. Miami benefitted from an El Paso red card in first half stoppage time to get to their 4 goals, whereas Indy had to deal with a 2.5-hour rain delay and a full Birmingham squad to get to their 4 goals. In theory, Miami came into this game as the more rested team, but Indy started the game with some early possession to help them control the tempo of the game, forcing Miami to chase the ball and allowing Indy to save their effort in the hot 98-degree Miami weather.</div><div><br /></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmV4Hy2eZ6sv5Mc2wfWKijD7KpJdNopWGlfUEnDiMVvKgbWQbfbe6IPq8UH7i2wQrOWOBJ3TlZLQH705KDWz4VJSjl0CHl3cgmILYZUaZESTHN41lewQds6njwaUrb4EtN0MDdaFqCmoo3uEpY0Lfoi4mTWx4ySz1-Dmn2xFkexlwgmtF0TSUj04BnN-ci/s807/Half-MartinezDistribution.png" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="532" data-original-width="807" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmV4Hy2eZ6sv5Mc2wfWKijD7KpJdNopWGlfUEnDiMVvKgbWQbfbe6IPq8UH7i2wQrOWOBJ3TlZLQH705KDWz4VJSjl0CHl3cgmILYZUaZESTHN41lewQds6njwaUrb4EtN0MDdaFqCmoo3uEpY0Lfoi4mTWx4ySz1-Dmn2xFkexlwgmtF0TSUj04BnN-ci/w400-h264/Half-MartinezDistribution.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Martinez - 1st Half Distribution</td></tr></tbody></table>With some squad rotation due to this game against Miami being Indy's third game in eight days, Martinez dropped back to the wing back role he has played for a good portion of this season. I don't know if it was his most recent turn in his more comfortable role as a forward against Birmingham, but to me, Martinez looked like he had a different mindset in this game. He looked to attack more than than what I recall him doing in his other recent wing back games. Once he received the ball in the attacking half, he mostly did just that. Attack. </div><div><br /></div><div>At the hydration break in the first half, Lowry pulled out the tactics board as he is want to do this season. I don't recall a previous coach, himself included, making those kinds of tactical discussions using the board. Lowry indicated during an early game post-game that soccer is different than many other sports where it's difficult to make many adjustments from the sideline during the run-of-play. However, and it's a bit surprising to me given the talent level on this team, Lowry barks changes during the entire game and uses every hydration break or extended injury stoppage to move the little magnets around to talk about what he wants done. </div><div><br /></div><div>Indy nearly had a couple goals in the first half, but a fortunate bounce for Miami after a deflection kept the ball from closing the line in the 17th minute, a deflection from a Miami defender that pushed a Blake shot just over the goal in the 41st minute, and a shot from Velasquez that rattled the crossbar in the 42nd minute kept the game tied going into the halftime locker room break. Indy wasn't officially created with a single shot on target in the first half, but they were the more dangerous team from a possession standpoint and from dangerous opportunities on goal.</div><div><br /></div><div>Diz Pe replaced Jerome at halftime and within six minutes found his head to an Aodhan Quinn corner kick to finally put Indy ahead on the scoreboard. Quinn's assist allows him to join his teammate Asante in the 50 goal/50 assist club in the USL Championship record books, who put himself into that position with his 3 assist game against Birmingham. Quinn and Asante are the first two players in the history of the league to reach the milestone.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ns1fHfmF0y0U2SuOGA5wSQk74YI3P0ZJFE8svD24F7JL-_HP9Zv4qQWtgfQEfjuHAn5mBRcJ48vZj24BlZU5b3mWIXRf0YIFl2DZdUh4zKDi1IRX4DgkyI2vHzxbdFDCSFqgbw2HiQWYuiCewB8BHOwGryihvXosk9C_J1BmH9jizcdjM47KQ2JLPSPT/s2800/2023-24-IndyResultsTimeline.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2013" data-original-width="2800" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ns1fHfmF0y0U2SuOGA5wSQk74YI3P0ZJFE8svD24F7JL-_HP9Zv4qQWtgfQEfjuHAn5mBRcJ48vZj24BlZU5b3mWIXRf0YIFl2DZdUh4zKDi1IRX4DgkyI2vHzxbdFDCSFqgbw2HiQWYuiCewB8BHOwGryihvXosk9C_J1BmH9jizcdjM47KQ2JLPSPT/w400-h288/2023-24-IndyResultsTimeline.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>After a 66th minute scare from Miami when Salazar managed to get the ball into Indy's goal, but was deemed to have handled the ball before getting his foot to it, Indy was willing to concede some possession to Miami as they remained compact and disciplined in their defense to see out the game. It wasn't quite a park-the-bus situation, but with the lead, three games under their belts, and the Miami heat, Indy took the remaining air out of the stadium and forced Miami to try and break down the defense. Miami managed to get a couple shots off late, but Indy held on for their first win streak of the season, and their second consecutive clean sheet. Don't give up an early goal, score first, and hold on with good team defense. Seems like an effective strategy to push themselves higher up the table. Which it did, as the win pushed Indy up to 6th place on the table. </div><div><br /></div><div>Indy now head to Lowry's old stomping ground when they travel to El Paso. With the 11:00 ET start time, tonight's result for ELP isn't included in this, but after a 12 game undefeated streak for ELP in the middle of the season (7 wins in a row), they haven't been able to win since the undefeated streak ended. ELP are 0W-2D-5L in their last seven games (again, not counting whatever happens tonight against Phoenix). So they're susceptible to another poor performance when Indy visit, with a coach who knows the intricacies of Southwest University Park. If Indy can continue their recent run-of-form (minus the Louisville game), I might have to take back some of the things I've said about them recently.</div><div><br /></div><div>It would be nice, though, if the guys that are near the yellow card accumulation suspension level would stop picking up yellow cards. Both Boudadi and Lindley picked up cards against tonight, and it's going to cost the team, again, if they're not careful.</div><div><br /></div><div><div><u style="font-size: xx-large;">The Game Beckons Game Ball</u></div></div><div>Picking a winner for Wednesday's game was easy. Avoiding picking a winner on losses is easy too. Tonight it's a little harder because I thought a lot of guys played good, solid games. Quinn is edging his way towards Top 10 status in points in club history with his assist tonight. However, I think I'm going to give it to Diz Pe for his first goal of the season after coming in at halftime. Lowry doesn't often make a change with the CBs midway through a game so I don't know if it was a planned substitution at halftime because of the minutes on Jerome's legs, or if Jerome picked up a knock during the first half, but Diz Pe immediately fell into the rhythm of the game and was rewarded with a goal. Admittedly, not his best header in his career, but he directed it the right direction and it gave Indy the lead and the eventual win. So Diz gets the GBGB tonight.</div>Drewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09042600014262648084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6202431216472879565.post-11843449207876140522023-08-10T22:00:00.007-04:002023-08-12T19:00:20.759-04:00Indy Eleven vs Birmingham Legion - 10.23<p><u><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></u></p><u><span style="font-size: x-large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6mn_uvkOWpHPDfHydyfUm-Ad16TGQJGyfnjdXzLfGdelI_PVGLt6Sf8E2VQIURfoqVcvLPk0l5DMghTRk4UvDUgBciDId3PijifmJ9147ewhY6ISGNWQ5JVnfufb8xFupQq9PFjtvYiOqC5wrQFOk9XwBL0e9smUmxTrNir7UhbNBNF9mIWihTBJER86h/s2419/2023IndyElevenLineup23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2372" data-original-width="2419" height="393" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6mn_uvkOWpHPDfHydyfUm-Ad16TGQJGyfnjdXzLfGdelI_PVGLt6Sf8E2VQIURfoqVcvLPk0l5DMghTRk4UvDUgBciDId3PijifmJ9147ewhY6ISGNWQ5JVnfufb8xFupQq9PFjtvYiOqC5wrQFOk9XwBL0e9smUmxTrNir7UhbNBNF9mIWihTBJER86h/w400-h393/2023IndyElevenLineup23.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Summary</span></u><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>- Opponent: Birmingham Legion<br />- Location: Carroll Stadium<br />- Attendance: 7,194 (if you say so)<br />- Final Score: 4-0 W</p><p></p><p>- Starting XI: Trilk, Boudadi, Diz Pe, Jerome, Dambrot, Lindley, Quinn, Asante, Robledo, Martinez, Guenzatti (C)</p><p>- Substitution: Blake 71' (Robledo); Velasquez 71' (Asante); Chapman-Page 82' (Guenzatti); Pinho 82' (Martinez); Molina 89' (Dambrot)</p><p>- Unused: Crawford, Reveno</p><p>- Scoring Summary:<br />IND - Guenzatti 24' (assist Asante)<br />IND - Guenzatti 63' (assist Asante)<br />IND - Martinez 65' (assist Asante)<br />IND - Molina 89' (assist Velasquez)</p><div>- Bookings:</div><div>IND - Martinez 41' (Yellow)<br />BHM - Martinez 48' (Yellow)<br />BHM - Nwegbo 49' (Yellow)<br />BHM - Brett 61' (Yellow)<br />BHM - Smith 90'+1' (Yellow)</div><div><br /></div><div>- Referee: Adam Kilpatrick</div><div>- Adage goals: None</div><p><u><span style="font-size: x-large;">Thoughts and Opinions</span></u></p><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg87fRb3_RynThPm5j1-LgRPh0wPFgtaBMT53JnGWeGHSJLZ7Rh6ob2XYUZR_GTQhfXNVnfCubpmT5bYIAVtiusPJ8iyep8LqpAi7fyJ0Q-A7f1xVu_3VUhVdrYs2A74EAj_W101tJ7ZDcgQ6LEZa75BDjbxfKwNZrSykQ-AJ_4D07qqMv3qKq9V6om8AIP/s1731/08092023_INDvBHM_m6143.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1154" data-original-width="1731" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg87fRb3_RynThPm5j1-LgRPh0wPFgtaBMT53JnGWeGHSJLZ7Rh6ob2XYUZR_GTQhfXNVnfCubpmT5bYIAVtiusPJ8iyep8LqpAi7fyJ0Q-A7f1xVu_3VUhVdrYs2A74EAj_W101tJ7ZDcgQ6LEZa75BDjbxfKwNZrSykQ-AJ_4D07qqMv3qKq9V6om8AIP/w400-h266/08092023_INDvBHM_m6143.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo Credit: <a href="https://twitter.com/schlotz1" target="_blank">Matt Schlotzhauer</a></td></tr></tbody></table>When the U.S. Women's National Team were defeated in penalty kicks on Sunday morning, there were a lot of discussions about an unprecedented loss by them going out earlier than any other USWNT in any major tournament. Ever. However, there was also this underlying discussion and tone that the result didn't match the performance. As I listened to it over and over again as I tried to make sense of their exit, I kept hearing Mark Lowry's voice in my head. He said it the night before the USWNT's loss, after Indy lost to Memphis:</div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><div><p style="text-align: left;">"Only one team deserved to win that game, and unfortunately, the team that deserved it, didn't get it. Tactically, technically, we were the better team."</p></div></blockquote><div><p>He even reiterated it last night after the game against Birmingham:</p></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><div><p style="text-align: left;">"The results haven't reflected the performances this season."</p></div></blockquote><div><p></p><p>I've heard the refrain from him so often this season that I compare it to the old standby of "we need time to gel" as the reason why the results aren't happening. It's an excuse. </p><p>As I watched the RE-CAP show with Christen Press and Tobin Heath on Monday (a must watch if you want to see how former USWNT players took the loss compared to you, a fan, took the loss. Tobin was fired up...), <a href="https://youtu.be/jp0a8a7LJOU?t=670" target="_blank">Christen said</a>, "Aren't results part of the performance too? ... Can you say that's a good performance if you're not scoring?"</p></div><div><p>It's a valid and legitimate question. Performance doesn't get you out of the Round of 16 in the World Cup. Performance (so far) doesn't get you in the USL Championship playoffs.</p><p><u>Results</u> get you into the quarterfinals. <u>Results</u> get you into the playoffs. </p><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivcYEu3MCYk4kZ4aLlkrWN2OQoyrGHo0NQ2cagE_qGsc9rD5jDkvdYv0esRKY5Y5pK-Eqo44M7orBlmkd5CDbEgweFRJ3lptaTUvGhR8Tgpf2psVWoTi-qIVTE4bKH2NS0s_LnM1DM3FTfWdfG3WIZ58ZvG5GCLxaGKYb9YOiVH9FF0pwl58npR9ZnyAbd/s1731/08092023_INDvBHM_m6692.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1154" data-original-width="1731" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivcYEu3MCYk4kZ4aLlkrWN2OQoyrGHo0NQ2cagE_qGsc9rD5jDkvdYv0esRKY5Y5pK-Eqo44M7orBlmkd5CDbEgweFRJ3lptaTUvGhR8Tgpf2psVWoTi-qIVTE4bKH2NS0s_LnM1DM3FTfWdfG3WIZ58ZvG5GCLxaGKYb9YOiVH9FF0pwl58npR9ZnyAbd/w400-h266/08092023_INDvBHM_m6692.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo Credit: <a href="https://twitter.com/schlotz1" target="_blank">Matt Schlotzhauer</a></td></tr></tbody></table>Positive results are what happen when you have a <u>complete</u> performance. That, a complete performance, is what Indy fans saw last night as Guenzatti found the back of the net twice on very similar crosses and headers past Spangernberg. Martinez, playing more up top and unencumbered by his recent wingback role, looked much more comfortable and I had fewer concerns about his decision making. He did pick up a silly yellow after continuing to play the ball into the goal after being called offside. That gives him 7 on the season, but he might have had one of those taken off his record for a run of good behavior. After rattling off 4 yellow cards in 4 games, he had gone 9 games without a yellow. So he might not be on yellow-card accumulation watch just yet. <p></p><p>Indy looked like the better team for the majority of the game, despite the rare instance where Indy lost official possession battle. They put 4 goals on the board, and kept a clean sheet. That's a performance, and one the guys can be completely happy about.</p><p>It's just a shame that the boys put a complete performance together on a night when a 2.5-hour rain delay forced the game to start at just after 9:30 and not finish until 11:30. On a night where dozens of fans were in attendance instead of thousands. The game I saw last night against Birmingham is the kind of game, performance and result, that I had hoped we would see all season. </p><p>Birmingham have been a streaky team this year, coming into this game with a 9W-10L-2D record, where they lost 5 consecutive games in the month of May. They made the trip to Indy sitting on a two-game losing streak. They weren't rolling into The Mike with a ton of confidence, but Indy was on their own two-game losing streak so both teams needed the win as the season reached its 2/3rd mark.</p><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggFGy3kpjivPofAZSR-bZTKEuyJrt2WuB7HfTLbPln0OD971UhFhTfILM07wPRffBAyRfzsoeExIYJWfrdzDn6mqhyw20fikF50bW7ytsez3bHakRt90M-uWt6t_gjABUuy_zI1s933zCfO70JZtzOnEL82SJK4phawRns7zHhSRQbd4kK0lrG9nSC21On/s1731/08092023_INDvBHM_m6872.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1154" data-original-width="1731" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggFGy3kpjivPofAZSR-bZTKEuyJrt2WuB7HfTLbPln0OD971UhFhTfILM07wPRffBAyRfzsoeExIYJWfrdzDn6mqhyw20fikF50bW7ytsez3bHakRt90M-uWt6t_gjABUuy_zI1s933zCfO70JZtzOnEL82SJK4phawRns7zHhSRQbd4kK0lrG9nSC21On/w400-h266/08092023_INDvBHM_m6872.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo Credit: <a href="https://twitter.com/schlotz1" target="_blank">Matt Schlotzhauer</a></td></tr></tbody></table>At times this season, I have felt that you could time Indy's fast breaks with an egg timer. Indy were much more effective in this game in going and going quickly. I still think there were moments when the ball was pushed back when they had a chance to test BHM's defense, but it was better. Indy found multiple gaps in the BHM midfield as Diz Pe or Jerome sent crisp, direct passes through the first line of forwards/midfielders, and once Lindley or Quinn or Asante received the ball, they had space around them to turn and immediately break up field to find Martinez or Guenzatti. Add Robledo's effort into the mix and it was a lot for the BHM midfielders and defenders to handle. <p></p></div><div>Conversely, Indy's team defense was extremely effective as guys covered for other guys, and the defense started with the guys up top pressing the ball. Let's not forget Trilk who had to make three saves, each of them difficult, but that he dealt with perfectly. </div><div><br /></div><div>This was a good result for Indy from a complete performance. The win puts Indy back above the playoff line for the time being, with the team immediately on the other side of the line up next on the docket when Indy travels to Miami on Saturday. A win on the road would do wonders for Indy's confidence, and help them push through the final third of the season to stay above the playoff line or move up the table. Was last night a sign of things to come, or just another high note on the pogo season? We'll known in a couple of days if Indy can continue complete performances with positive results.</div><div><div><br /></div><div><u style="font-size: xx-large;">The Game Beckons Game Ball</u></div></div><div>Tonight's GBGB goes to the duo of Guenzatti and Asante. Solo has had his role adjusted lately to come off the bench and provide a late-game spark, but was in the starting lineup due to some squad rotation with 3 games in 8 days. Asante made full use of his minutes with a hat-trick of assists thanks to his superb crosses. Guenzatti regularly starts, but was rewarded for the effort he has shown all season with the team's third brace of the season, and first for a player not named Quinn. Asante became the first player in USL league history to reach the 50/50 mark (goals/assists), edging out Quinn who is an assist away from joining Solo at that mileston. Guenzatti took over 9th place in league history for goals scored. Those are some accomplishments worthy of the GBGB.</div><div><br /></div><div>But wait, there's more. </div><div><br /></div><div>The first ever FOGBGB (Front Office Game Beckons Game Ball).</div><div><br /></div><div>The below photo was the field during the heavy rains before the game, nearly completely submerged under water, with just a small strip of field down the middle that wasn't affected. Senior Director of Venue & Game Operations Morgan Kuehnle and her crew did an amazing job getting the field into a condition that was playable by the delayed 9:30 start time. When I walked into the stadium around 8:30, there was still an armada of operations staff in rain gear (except for Morgan who was in her standard suit) with squeegees, working hard to get the last of the persistent water off of the field. Without their effort, this game would not have taken place. Without their result, the team wouldn't have been able to get their result. Congrats Morgan for receiving the first ever FOGBGB.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjrbsPQudCkHg-rFHodiN_y3-jqTNom-meT20xXYOfPdLnEMyAILd75t6pgVGhMrt0Kh9-kp-IrEOC-1fdHsMUkwvZbocIQlb2sksRDmgQhfxfFvh05mCjoz_kHSvObGTKvZZePbRW_Zb8Dj_CbVHDKstUFN6Ud07m4eJZdWzWE1Bs1t01XhhWnwz-D0Uf/s3818/IMG_5778.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2248" data-original-width="3818" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjrbsPQudCkHg-rFHodiN_y3-jqTNom-meT20xXYOfPdLnEMyAILd75t6pgVGhMrt0Kh9-kp-IrEOC-1fdHsMUkwvZbocIQlb2sksRDmgQhfxfFvh05mCjoz_kHSvObGTKvZZePbRW_Zb8Dj_CbVHDKstUFN6Ud07m4eJZdWzWE1Bs1t01XhhWnwz-D0Uf/w640-h376/IMG_5778.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo Credit: <a href="https://twitter.com/schlotz1" target="_blank">Matt Schlotzhauer</a></td></tr></tbody></table>Drewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09042600014262648084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6202431216472879565.post-33044733513683234992023-08-06T01:00:00.031-04:002023-08-06T01:08:28.365-04:00Indy Eleven vs Memphis 901 FC - 10.22<u><span style="font-size: x-large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhgZGGh7KiQrSNspfCf2FtekeFik-6qlY5HETYs5EHv5ecyBYnihJx4egub1GcS2lxbVjLrItq-FP1uMdgBzHQIK2L4xKKmSe9cCS9uFF8RtT00XGTwVjAyieeMoaK1YCS1k1ibHx6sP9Td-6UszTHD8ChH0LTr9CVWMd0H2X1MbySFzmXWszA4Ps8u6_Z/s2405/2023IndyElevenLineup22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2376" data-original-width="2405" height="395" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhgZGGh7KiQrSNspfCf2FtekeFik-6qlY5HETYs5EHv5ecyBYnihJx4egub1GcS2lxbVjLrItq-FP1uMdgBzHQIK2L4xKKmSe9cCS9uFF8RtT00XGTwVjAyieeMoaK1YCS1k1ibHx6sP9Td-6UszTHD8ChH0LTr9CVWMd0H2X1MbySFzmXWszA4Ps8u6_Z/w400-h395/2023IndyElevenLineup22.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Summary</span></u><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>- Opponent: Memphis 901 FC<br />- Location: Carroll Stadium<br />- Attendance: 13,248<br />- Final Score: 2-1 L</p><p></p><p>- Starting XI: Trilk, Boudadi, Diz Pe, Chapman-Page, Lindley (C), Blake, Quinn, Asante, Velasquez, Martinez, Pinho</p><p>- Substitution: King 58; (Blake); Dambrot 59' (Boudadi); Pinho 59' (Guenzatti); Robledo 74' (Velasquez); Molina 88' (Chapman-Page)</p><p>- Unused: Crawford, Jerome</p><p>- Scoring Summary:<br />MEM - Turci 38' (assist Molloy)<br />IND - Quinn 57' (assist Asante)<br />MEM - Ward 81' (assist Kissiedou)</p><div>- Bookings:</div><div>IND - Boudadi 49' (Yellow)<br />MEM - Vom Steeg 90' (Yellow)</div><div><br /></div><div>- Referee: Eric Tattersall</div><div>- Adage goals: None</div><p><u><span style="font-size: x-large;">Thoughts and Opinions</span></u></p><div>I hung out near the BYB tonight and only wrote some basic notes along the way instead of writing a good portion of my article from the press box. Between that and not feeling like writing, this might be brief again. As I stood in the area, the general consensus from everybody around me was a bit of a "blah" feeling. Nobody, and I mean nobody, had a good feeling about this game. Not a single person predicted a win from this game for Indy. Results ranged from a 1-nil loss to a 1-1 draw, to a 2-1 loss (which was correctly predicted as a MEM goal followed by an IND goal followed by a MEM goal - well done Robbie "Nostradamus" Mehling...). </div><div><br /></div><div>As the game commenced and the early glimpses of how this game was going to end began to show themselves, glances around me all said the same thing; "who's surprised it's going this way?" </div><div><br /></div><div>Twenty-second verse, same as the first!</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio04ofRV9mrBpWN2gcCGqTqgXs1ZW0-oEk-BSULp8gxyU5dOPr7QhObJpAP_U3h7jQPKuO1r68qBNl-wNNHo1x9e69jAs7CWe7_ormnwGzPfZTUp9CsldIzABWU-f7uPMCscQGpZFow4NvIsghd6WYjTAR2iCXmWsjuF0oc4MFIjqJ6k0Gd1zLYCDpxd-w/s1000/647A0785.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="453" data-original-width="1000" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio04ofRV9mrBpWN2gcCGqTqgXs1ZW0-oEk-BSULp8gxyU5dOPr7QhObJpAP_U3h7jQPKuO1r68qBNl-wNNHo1x9e69jAs7CWe7_ormnwGzPfZTUp9CsldIzABWU-f7uPMCscQGpZFow4NvIsghd6WYjTAR2iCXmWsjuF0oc4MFIjqJ6k0Gd1zLYCDpxd-w/w400-h181/647A0785.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Indy controls possession. Indy can't score (despite a nearly walk-in chance for Blake that went wide of the post). Indy give up the first goal, forcing them to play from behind. Indy plays well and doesn't get a good result from the game.</div><div><br /></div><div>How many times have I written some version of that scenario playing out this year?</div><div><br /></div><div>It has become frustratingly predictable to watch. Which means it's probably also become enjoyably predictable to scout against. Indy will want to hold possession at any point in the field (including deep within their own box with attackers making passes around them difficult), will get the ball into the final third, and will have difficulty shooting the ball. So the opposition's game plan is easy. Let Indy relatively leisurely pass around in their own half or near the half line as much as they want, shift sides as the ball shifts maintaining the defensive shape, and get someone close to a shooting lane because Indy don't like to shoot without a clear opening. Adjust to the new personnel who are going to happen around the 60th minute mark, a couple more in the 75th minute, and a final one/two after the 85th minute. Rinse and repeat until the Indy defense makes a mistake. Then hold on to the win. </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC2kdsoKRFU6XjltWzA5gDNQx0psw5a8yT44uF-aE5t9f7j-lNWu1SefrsCUZHbuf49CsMi4t_97Y2b_jl0bi00eQtTpmo0QaYo1MjgU0gBXreGhyfDKDyxI4PydojlIVnkWYPNSBeSqKJNFDFqiHnwA-61rVSW6PCa7BNeeusr1HVMowyYEkYlkZoEnrG/s1000/647A0858.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="655" data-original-width="1000" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC2kdsoKRFU6XjltWzA5gDNQx0psw5a8yT44uF-aE5t9f7j-lNWu1SefrsCUZHbuf49CsMi4t_97Y2b_jl0bi00eQtTpmo0QaYo1MjgU0gBXreGhyfDKDyxI4PydojlIVnkWYPNSBeSqKJNFDFqiHnwA-61rVSW6PCa7BNeeusr1HVMowyYEkYlkZoEnrG/w400-h263/647A0858.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>I continue to get asked the question of whether Lowry is on the hot seat. I continue to say no, particularly at this point in the season. If the team misses the playoffs again, then I don't know. My question is, "what then?" Lowry is a proven winner in this league; albeit in a different conference, which I'm going to come back to in a minute. If Indy gets a new coach, they are going to want to rebuild the team with the players that they think can fit their system. Not sure what this year's roster contracts look like, but there have been a lot of 1 and 2-year deals with options for a 2nd or 3rd year, respectively. Assuming the former, much of this roster could be gone and we'll be back to the old "we need time to gel excuse." I believe that this team was hand-picked by Lowry as guys that he wanted to play in his system, and had been watching for awhile. He has said some version of that a number of times on Soccer Saturday, including about Chapman-Page. There is young talent, experienced veterans, and guys with proven track records at other places. Injuries and suspensions have forced a ton of adjustments this year, but this team should be getting better results.</div><div><br /></div><div>I watched a lot of El Paso's games the past few years when Mares and Lowry were there, as I would work on these game articles. El Paso was possession based, which Lowry has attempted to continue here. El Paso's players were attack-minded, which Lowry wanted to do. As Indy began to leak early goals, Lowry changed his preferred tactics to a back 5 to try and solidify the back so that Indy wasn't always playing from behind. When Lowry was in El Paso, he would like to have attack-minded players coming off the bench to be able to chase a result or put the foot on an opponent's neck. The leaked goals early in the season has led to a defense-minded Lowry, with a bunch of guys who seem hesitant to try and score goals through half-windows. None of it makes sense based on what I saw of Lowry in ELP or with the players that are on this roster.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT6O07OcdKr_JwqOKmQHb2mgbmEn9fugckQduAw71vDYTc7BFpaNvVm_O8FCiosz53uhxpLCp4AoRSGqpB7nhEa4Qsd1b8Ua9YxR0PJAtKUcpChJBXw53KN16L86EblHfLMHF7wdQTkMYL8WJdusFvcJc2ZdzVhkFpFZSAZMAc0DH7-YebOh-LALnzBotu/s4495/2023-Wk22-EastMap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1170" data-original-width="4495" height="104" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT6O07OcdKr_JwqOKmQHb2mgbmEn9fugckQduAw71vDYTc7BFpaNvVm_O8FCiosz53uhxpLCp4AoRSGqpB7nhEa4Qsd1b8Ua9YxR0PJAtKUcpChJBXw53KN16L86EblHfLMHF7wdQTkMYL8WJdusFvcJc2ZdzVhkFpFZSAZMAc0DH7-YebOh-LALnzBotu/w400-h104/2023-Wk22-EastMap.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>As I said a couple of games ago, at this point in the season, and they way they are playing, Indy need to be less concerned with the teams above them and more concerned with the results of the teams around and below them. Miami, for example, is on a 4-game undefeated streak (3 wins in a row), and have leap-frogged Indy for the final playoff spot. Indy play Miami next weekend in Miami and a positive RESULT, not just a good performance. </div><div><br /></div><div>Before that though, Indy return to The Mike on Wednesday to play Birmingham who are on their own two-game losing streak after beating Tampa Bay and Louisville before their recent skid. Both teams are going to want to get all three points out of the game. At this point, unless Quinn scores, I don't know where Indy gets the goals to do that though, and that's assuming the defense doesn't leak a goal on a mistake.</div><div><div><br /></div><div><u style="font-size: xx-large;">The Game Beckons Game Ball</u></div></div><div>I have to give it to somebody, right? The surprising team leader in goals scored again, right? How about if I just give Quinn the GBGB and move on with the night?</div><div><br /></div><div>Quinn, maybe by default, but that's who gets tonight's GBGB</div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><u>Photographs (<a href="https://www.twitter.com/dltphotog" target="_blank">Don Thompson Photography</a>)</u></span></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipzryuD9OP5bXhutd-3rKVqi-bbcHnEZcmK7ELCdvwtgkcaKRzZTj3vnrgsQ_WVwgusS1VcrOQfQTP5n41nsafMTc_rdsvLTZeNrOih14eU_MkLGEOVSOYFA6jk_PABrJ42yBsTnYbS9AkWATLS7dBnwSKxD36OtXR7GFR2mj3E6ATAKCfobKZ2EY0dznL/s1000/647A0768.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="842" data-original-width="1000" height="538" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipzryuD9OP5bXhutd-3rKVqi-bbcHnEZcmK7ELCdvwtgkcaKRzZTj3vnrgsQ_WVwgusS1VcrOQfQTP5n41nsafMTc_rdsvLTZeNrOih14eU_MkLGEOVSOYFA6jk_PABrJ42yBsTnYbS9AkWATLS7dBnwSKxD36OtXR7GFR2mj3E6ATAKCfobKZ2EY0dznL/w640-h538/647A0768.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ4gvxU66Vh81pYXoM4j5PF28guWW7iQVFBZ1pZh5H1UWBKl0aw2gxFB5NJjLTkm7_rBGSUBVSNSyl-UPcqjkI-aG_7_7FCA7RSODK77s4tPWbsUYx50ISI1vEB9TqHQUdZ-cgzyhK9OmLDIMtbWe6TDFyXfCRCZ1w5lcU3X8dt1gTzst8Iyr7Rgum4z4H/s1000/647A0946.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="763" data-original-width="1000" height="488" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ4gvxU66Vh81pYXoM4j5PF28guWW7iQVFBZ1pZh5H1UWBKl0aw2gxFB5NJjLTkm7_rBGSUBVSNSyl-UPcqjkI-aG_7_7FCA7RSODK77s4tPWbsUYx50ISI1vEB9TqHQUdZ-cgzyhK9OmLDIMtbWe6TDFyXfCRCZ1w5lcU3X8dt1gTzst8Iyr7Rgum4z4H/w640-h488/647A0946.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr7aP55Dh55EU093Y_6QRUcGlk61ttvg-iRkiemzwcHFlzqZm5BiYtiW0GvC2wB5kxGabIBYx1lIzKdBEqOBBYo5pTE4Skx-oCY3mFIVWB-TpViYmBXq-dqtMm9ZtsEQ0v73RyOfpk_Sct4UIPQW-c0gkdsP-YSFQu5Og4xTEXd-Y40PTvKGAvq51gA2qd/s1000/647A0949.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="916" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr7aP55Dh55EU093Y_6QRUcGlk61ttvg-iRkiemzwcHFlzqZm5BiYtiW0GvC2wB5kxGabIBYx1lIzKdBEqOBBYo5pTE4Skx-oCY3mFIVWB-TpViYmBXq-dqtMm9ZtsEQ0v73RyOfpk_Sct4UIPQW-c0gkdsP-YSFQu5Og4xTEXd-Y40PTvKGAvq51gA2qd/w586-h640/647A0949.jpg" width="586" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div>Drewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09042600014262648084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6202431216472879565.post-86858675382323071622023-08-04T19:00:00.029-04:002023-08-15T22:46:15.589-04:002023 Indy Eleven W League season - They Run This Mutha<p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOXeU6HIMyTP8mz4kWY2YUDlT10T_g7GuUa-zrb2iTPfgSTKdym6DXLjW0GLTyFQL3i-DNUCpffIV4VxOemV3FLyxtbeEAGfRnrzmtoLiZGjBiop-qcIBOu6rpq_H2CSjJwTFpJq291PveEQGRl7mdSedYhFpQXweM0muRgs914vwdF0ZjXtZ4cADO_S7F/s1000/996A0412.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="1000" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOXeU6HIMyTP8mz4kWY2YUDlT10T_g7GuUa-zrb2iTPfgSTKdym6DXLjW0GLTyFQL3i-DNUCpffIV4VxOemV3FLyxtbeEAGfRnrzmtoLiZGjBiop-qcIBOu6rpq_H2CSjJwTFpJq291PveEQGRl7mdSedYhFpQXweM0muRgs914vwdF0ZjXtZ4cADO_S7F/w400-h266/996A0412.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo Credit: <a href="https://www.twitter.com/dltphotog" target="_blank">Don Thompson Photography</a></td></tr></tbody></table>It's been a couple of weeks since the Indy Eleven W League team went into Carroll Stadium as Valley Division and Central Conference champions and left as the W-League's Champions after a 2-1 victory over the Southern Conference's North Carolina Courage U23 team thanks to a 99th minute goal from Alia Martin. In the league's and the team's second season, Indy Eleven joined Tormenta FC as the league's first two league champions. Going into the game, Indy had not been selected for a single one of the league's player/coach awards. <p></p><p>Not Coach of the Year. That went to Michele Krzisnik of Flint City.</p><p>Not the Golden Glove. That went to Bailey Herfurth of Tampa Bay United.</p><p>Not the Golden Boot. That went to Baylee Desmit of Christos FC.</p><div>Not the Assist Champion. That went to Katie Shea Collins of Tennessee SC.</div><div><br /></div><div>Not Defender of the Year. That went to Tianna Harris of Minnesota Aurora FC.</div><div><br /></div><div>Not Young Player of the Year. That went to Mia Oliaro of North Carolina Courage. </div><div><br /></div><div>And not Player of the Year (announced this week & not before the game). That went to Nadia Gomes of San Francisco Glens.</div><div><br /></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7SStQfRdt6Q2wo1gUJwK6GNKpfxCE6CHUQD_q-fyfOhHQFWxFhOMnvcQsPWuiMgcweeiMokRg_UV5VdbTM2OueD7vR_JxdllW6RrdJyuS3s23Fat-0MlPzMD5wTsmm76VuIPXjEMOexnk64dDS4JEKhTcbhV0jeGjptzFKaEP5J3CiKlkVGUbnR86yaJN/s1000/996A0202.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="697" data-original-width="1000" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7SStQfRdt6Q2wo1gUJwK6GNKpfxCE6CHUQD_q-fyfOhHQFWxFhOMnvcQsPWuiMgcweeiMokRg_UV5VdbTM2OueD7vR_JxdllW6RrdJyuS3s23Fat-0MlPzMD5wTsmm76VuIPXjEMOexnk64dDS4JEKhTcbhV0jeGjptzFKaEP5J3CiKlkVGUbnR86yaJN/w400-h279/996A0202.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo Credit: Don Thompson Photography</td></tr></tbody></table>Indy Eleven dispatched those last three players in the playoffs in route to the league title, proving that a collection of talented players don't have to win individual awards to be able to win the team award. [<i>Edit: there were 5 undefeated teams in the regular season; Tampa Bay United, Oly Town, Flinty City, Minnesota Aurora, & NC Courage; Indy beat three of those teams on their way to the league title and had to beat 2 of them just to win the Central Conference.</i>] Indy had four different players score at least 6 goals (Dewey - 7+2; Soderstrom, K. - 6+1; Whitsett - 6, Williams - 7+2), had 13 different goal scorers, and had a combined 10 shutouts in 14 games (Reason - 5+2; Edwards - 3). There were 6 players that scored at least two goals in a single game (Chester, Dewey, Kugler, Soderstrom, Whitsett (x2), Williams) and one hat trick (Dewey). Seven different players were credited with the game-winning goal. All that to say that this team thrived by being a team. It didn't matter who scored the goals or who saved the shots, but somebody was going to score the goal and somebody was going to save the shots. </div><div><br /></div><div>This was a true team and had success because they bought in to being a team and played for each other. Coach Dolinsky made some tactical adjustments throughout the season to put the team in a successful position, and the team had the talent and the desire to carry out those adjustments. Most notably, last year's leading scorer in Katie Soderstrom was asked to play a more defensive role in the game against San Francisco to help neutralize what the coaches had seen on video of Nadia Gomes, the league's player of the year. That takes a special player that is completely bought into the team-first aspect to play that role and a special coach to have faith in his players that they can carry out those tactics despite them not being their normal playing positions.</div><div><br /></div><div>It's not difficult to be a fan of this team. They are talented, exciting to watch, and clearly played for each other and the City of Indianapolis. Obviously winning helps, but they're just fun to watch. There are times when my coverage of the men's team feels like a grind, but I never have that with this women's team. The St. Charles loss just proved that they are human and can have an off game. It was sad to watch, but I also think that this group of women used that down game as motivation for the rest of the season and helped propel them to the League Final victory.</div><div><br /></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUR_rGA7vvyQjTb1xHF5sQXun4xwppFf7NTgle-Ae7qaQYgs3ux3RjsqYsr-2VqQCh9QIZypooVUEVLf2OPVKoZBP2AXO0rZOV5CilJRm6utTmt3XA-GuoaWGQuz0xOvFs6gKX_sU-uTnVg6nmxlCBKcACdVuVHpYbKl73F1d71PItaKE5KPiwCbaF2bMw/s800/647A6829.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUR_rGA7vvyQjTb1xHF5sQXun4xwppFf7NTgle-Ae7qaQYgs3ux3RjsqYsr-2VqQCh9QIZypooVUEVLf2OPVKoZBP2AXO0rZOV5CilJRm6utTmt3XA-GuoaWGQuz0xOvFs6gKX_sU-uTnVg6nmxlCBKcACdVuVHpYbKl73F1d71PItaKE5KPiwCbaF2bMw/w400-h320/647A6829.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo Credit: Don Thompson Photography</td></tr></tbody></table>Indy made their run through the playoffs without players that had helped get them there. When the playoffs started, Indy was without Trinity Watson, who had played in 9 of the 10 regular season games, playing both defense and offense, because she had signed a pro contract in the Cyprus First Division. Hal Hershfelt had to return to Clemson before the playoffs started, and she had helped hold down the midfield for 8 games. Kanna Matsuhisa had been an exciting and dynamic sub off the bench before being injured with two games remaining in the regular season. Players like Rachel Dewey, Karsyn Cherry, Cassidy Lindley, and Kristina Lynch looked like they would have significant roles when the roster was announced, but played very few games due to injuries. That's how deep this team was that they could still make their way through the playoffs without so many key and talented players unavailable. </div><div><br /></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBaTGwMYYnk4w4m1Op64nVkhq_rVdMHrxycBwVMCLETafBnQ5ReLHS-7Xsa8ynqGbTlx8ZTUwcnro8yOUJfvYVNEZY3cLeYtBUizVG7OibFcwW-0eT1MOIJxHAdnVLz9JbxKx8Ac9d8c9FwcZAxonimbVtghVhvzscC5nquNgo3dGhagvO_lMtweuqb_Fn/s800/647A6545.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBaTGwMYYnk4w4m1Op64nVkhq_rVdMHrxycBwVMCLETafBnQ5ReLHS-7Xsa8ynqGbTlx8ZTUwcnro8yOUJfvYVNEZY3cLeYtBUizVG7OibFcwW-0eT1MOIJxHAdnVLz9JbxKx8Ac9d8c9FwcZAxonimbVtghVhvzscC5nquNgo3dGhagvO_lMtweuqb_Fn/w400-h320/647A6545.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo Credit: Don Thompson Photography</td></tr></tbody></table>This year, Indy announced that they would be joining the USL Super League, which is slated to begin next year. The anticipated first division league is set to directly compete against the NWSL for talent, fans, and money. Once Eleven Park is completed, hopefully in the summer of 2025, Indy will begin playing in that league. It wouldn't surprise me if Coach Dolinsky isn't already in the ear of some of the players we watched this year, or both years. I think the midfield duo of Ella Rogers and Greta Kraszula are both juniors this year at Xavier and VCU, respectively, meaning that they should be scheduled to graduate in 2025. That's fortunate timing if they're interested in trying to play at the next level and like the idea of having the BYB behind them. We can only hope that they, and others, are interested in returning in the summer of 2024 to try and repeat as W League champions.</div><div><br /></div><div>So we know that the play on the field was good. What about off-the-field? Last year, I had some complaints about how the club handled the team as it related to the gameday experience. Obviously, Indy has one of the best television/streaming productions of any team I watched this year. Greg Rakestraw, Angela Berry-White, Brad Hauter, Ian Gilmore, and the ISC Sports crew are on a drastically different level than the other productions around the division, conference, and league. I didn't have any issues with that last year, and they didn't disappoint this year. I appreciate that the club has treated the games they way they have and use a professional production crew for the streams. Other teams (*ahem* Louisville) have a long way to go to get even close.</div><div><br /></div><div>Last year, though, <a href="https://www.gamebeckons.com/2022/07/soccer-supporther.html" target="_blank">I had some complaints about gameday posters and programs</a>, and spelled out my reasons for my, and my female family and friends', complaints. In essence, I felt that the team could do a better job of being equitable in their treatment, even when they couldn't be equal in their treatment. The club still only created <strike>a single</strike> two posters for the team for the regular season, plus one poster for the League Final. Not great, but I'm probably yelling into the wind on that one. I assume the USL Super League team will be afforded<a href="https://www.gamebeckons.com/p/indy-eleven-game-day-posters.html" target="_blank"> the same poster tradition</a> as the men's team.</div><div><br /></div><div>One of my other complaints was about the lack of a program for the women's games. I even spelled out how a program could work, even at its most basic level, including the idea of getting a sponsor to help defray costs. To the club's credit, the team did a much improved effort on this front. There were programs this year that very similarly matched my idea, including having a sponsor for the programs. They were double-sided 8.5x11 sheets of paper folded in half to create a four-page program, but they were in color, listed the players for the game, included the division standings and a schedule for the rest of the games, and listed upcoming men's games or club camps. The one for the Final was even printed on fancy paper. Overall, it wasn't "equal" to the men's team, but I'm going to give a good solid "A" for being an attempt at "equitable," and was a marked improvement from the first season. I don't know if my article last year helped, but I would like to think that it did.</div><div><br /></div><div>Attendance felt slightly down from last year, but there were still good crowds for all the game. Obviously the Final at Carroll Stadium was heavily attended due to the fact it was a final and that the club made it a doubleheader with the men's team's game later in the day, but the semi-final game was a packed house in the Grand Park Event Center, rivaling the attendance of the team's first game of last year. I hope that winning a league championship translates to a bump back up in attendance next year, but I don't foresee the team losing the core group of fans that have been supporting this team from the beginning.</div><div><br /></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEK7Y8ny0w4FXg8Kz9nMsLjNHzvmirkQUyPbN1rjZ9wgF6ES6c5xVbDhfyWvMpm34wKrEPapfpGoI_l0k20mwerRcHrDr4qgDtV_TV-EW-d9XJx2lv3JEDRrfFpAr_c9C7_iSaiIcx0GwTXcQfKZ80-38mcYzfOkBWxDl6a7vkicV3svlxGoYnWGYa8lx7/s1000/647A0392.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEK7Y8ny0w4FXg8Kz9nMsLjNHzvmirkQUyPbN1rjZ9wgF6ES6c5xVbDhfyWvMpm34wKrEPapfpGoI_l0k20mwerRcHrDr4qgDtV_TV-EW-d9XJx2lv3JEDRrfFpAr_c9C7_iSaiIcx0GwTXcQfKZ80-38mcYzfOkBWxDl6a7vkicV3svlxGoYnWGYa8lx7/w400-h320/647A0392.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Emma Thompson<br />Photo Credit: Don Thompson Photography (no relation)</td></tr></tbody></table>I look forward to next year to see what that iteration of this team will accomplish. I suspect Coach Dolinsky will try, once again, to bring back a core group of players that were on this year's squad to help facilitate the continuation of the culture that surrounds this team now. We saw flashes of what is to come from Susie Soderstrom (I believe who is also graduating in 2025 at the same time as Rogers and Kraszula so could likely be persuaded to return next year) and Emma Johnson, who is still in high school. Susie may continue the streak of having a Soderstrom on the roster since her big sister Katie signed a pro contract in the Danish Superliga. </div><div><br /></div><div>I hope Bahr recovers from her injury and can play again. </div><div><br /></div><div>I hope Alia Martin and Maddy Williams can squeeze in another season in between their day jobs. </div><div><br /></div><div>I can't wait to see what other players Coach Dolinsky finds to add to the players that will be returning and replace the players that have moved onto other things.</div><div><br /></div><div>2023 was an amazing season, and will be difficult to top, but I look forward to seeing what 2024 brings.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7nE2OUt_3lTmLsiz3jREx0D3Uy1wreQGGhs53FWJ89D7GwuuNTUzxnR4xC0oNu9RUTvjXUkxVJjawzXayB44kbtqT6b40wI55uturAC_M89p7nIn4gaem9eBZXyEpSmnV8vbYusOhYwnBz1CHBKVTZtvZF4ZexvwCR68Sy12IQmvon4LHbO5jyQKgTF6b/s1800/USLWLeagueTwitter-RunMuthaTifo.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7nE2OUt_3lTmLsiz3jREx0D3Uy1wreQGGhs53FWJ89D7GwuuNTUzxnR4xC0oNu9RUTvjXUkxVJjawzXayB44kbtqT6b40wI55uturAC_M89p7nIn4gaem9eBZXyEpSmnV8vbYusOhYwnBz1CHBKVTZtvZF4ZexvwCR68Sy12IQmvon4LHbO5jyQKgTF6b/w512-h640/USLWLeagueTwitter-RunMuthaTifo.jpg" width="512" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo Credit: <a href="https://twitter.com/USLWLeague/status/1682905522272436225" target="_blank">USL W League Twitter</a></td></tr></tbody></table>Drewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09042600014262648084noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6202431216472879565.post-65875519905725648102023-07-29T23:00:00.004-04:002023-07-29T23:02:20.615-04:00Indy Eleven vs Louisville City - 10.21<p><u><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></u></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><u><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLboVOf64YWsWwlY24SxfDN-v3eIMpeZ1CKdOBdBuYjQo4uHpUXlgrXR9DJfn7fjC_OMnUrEZJK4fyCTXMJqSOony9ggG6qlIvRskFprSifw_rZpjivlW5ounsENVwtLG2hwcbfEBcQ7NkS0fLVy3I7wMOVfylCWgpAypIuXWc5blnEfQ3KrP3LddGwEDM/s2467/2023IndyElevenLineup21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2413" data-original-width="2467" height="391" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLboVOf64YWsWwlY24SxfDN-v3eIMpeZ1CKdOBdBuYjQo4uHpUXlgrXR9DJfn7fjC_OMnUrEZJK4fyCTXMJqSOony9ggG6qlIvRskFprSifw_rZpjivlW5ounsENVwtLG2hwcbfEBcQ7NkS0fLVy3I7wMOVfylCWgpAypIuXWc5blnEfQ3KrP3LddGwEDM/w400-h391/2023IndyElevenLineup21.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></u></div><u><span style="font-size: x-large;">Summary</span></u><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>- Opponent: Louisville City FC<br />- Location: Lynn Family Stadium<br />- Attendance: 13,248<br />- Final Score: 2-0 L</p><p></p><p>- Starting XI: Oettl, King, Chapman-Page, Diz Pe, Dambrot, Blake, Quinn, Velasquez, Martinez, Pinho, Guenzatti (C)</p><p>- Substitution: Boudadi 58; (Pinho); Jerome 58' (Chapman-Page); Robledo 70' (Dambrot); Asante 70' (Velasquez); Molina 85' (Blake)</p><p>- Unused: Trilk, Sanchez</p><p>- Scoring Summary:<br />LOU - Wynder 28' (assist Jimenez)<br />LOU - Lancaster 65' (assist Jimenez)</p><div>- Bookings:</div><div>IND - Dambrot 58’ (Yellow)<br />IND - Quinn 68' (Yellow)<br />IND - Diz Pe 86' (Yellow)<br />IND - Boudadi 90'+4' (Yellow)</div><div><br /></div><div>- Referee: Ricardo Fierro</div><div>- Adage goals: None</div><p><u><span style="font-size: x-large;">Thoughts and Opinions</span></u></p><div><div>In the preceding three games before tonight's LIPAFC matchup between Indy and Louisville, Indy played Charleston (3rd in the table at the time), Tampa Bay (3rd in the table at the time), and Pittsburgh (1st in the table at the time), and have come out of stretch with one win and two draws, and a +2 goal differential. In the preceding three games before tonight's matchup, Louisville played Pittsburgh, Detroit, and Birmingham, and have come out of that stretch with zero wins, zero draws, and three losses with a -4 GD. Indy has been firmly rooted to 7th place in the table until recently where they dropped below the playoff line, but have found their way back above it with their recent run of form, while Louisville have made a steady decline down the table due to their form and came into this game in6th place. Louisville's three-game losing streak has happened just once in their club's history in league play, all the way back in their inaugural season in 2015. </div><div><br /></div><div>These were two teams coming into a rivalry game in completely different forms. </div><div> </div><div>Indy/Louisville started at the same time as the El Paso/RGV game. Within the first 20 minutes, Indy/Louisville was 0-0 with 3 shots (none on target and all by Louisville), while the ELP/RGV game was 2-2 with 11 shots (8 on target). To say that the IND/LOU game was a game between more defensive-minded teams is an understatement. Both teams are in the top of the league in goals conceded (5th and 8th best for Indy and Louisville, respectively), while also being at the bottom of the league in goals scored (19th for IND and second to last for LOU).</div></div><div><br /></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlpVYWjQyQ_LpS2E1viAuRdlkqeHOH_OgW6vl_fC_nLWeK07SLaT4vI-9ZRa0iPWz1ghBcfateLCa7fCg-RChZSgSqE1EtTKDUSAUka5ZUdgAoo76VYtvzH-pF6MFhry1IpMHwztF7iX6IMaTDqmvpUDYw5pF2geHbWcMhV9J6Cigz8jeKLOmOd0bcCxCz/s801/Half-HeatMap.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="535" data-original-width="801" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlpVYWjQyQ_LpS2E1viAuRdlkqeHOH_OgW6vl_fC_nLWeK07SLaT4vI-9ZRa0iPWz1ghBcfateLCa7fCg-RChZSgSqE1EtTKDUSAUka5ZUdgAoo76VYtvzH-pF6MFhry1IpMHwztF7iX6IMaTDqmvpUDYw5pF2geHbWcMhV9J6Cigz8jeKLOmOd0bcCxCz/w400-h268/Half-HeatMap.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First Half Heat Map, nearly all in Indy's defensive half</td></tr></tbody></table>Yet despite LOU's inability to score (amazingly, one of two of the top team's in the Eastern Conference with a negative goal differential on the season), it was LOU that found the first goal of the game. Indy held a 70/30 possession advantage at the time of the goal, but it was nearly all within Indy's defensive half of the field. Indy didn't get their first, and only, shot in the half until the 37th minute. The first half looked much like the early part of the season for Indy where they maintained possession, but couldn't do much with it. Another lapse in defending on Wynder put LOU ahead at the break. The two teams combined for a single shot on goal, though LOU put a free kick that doesn't count as an official shot on goal, but ricocheted off the crossbar indicating it was clearly a shot ON goal. If you were looking for high flying soccer, you should probably have been watching the ELP/RGV game that finished the first half at 3-2 with 17 shots (10 on target) and finished the game at 5-2 with 23 shots (13 on target). By contrast, this game had 21 shots (14 to 7 in favor of LOU) with 5 on target (all by LOU). While the Western Conference game was high octane, this game was a grind that LOU out-grinded.</div><div><br /></div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSHkyF6z9bxjVmIhkvovKos3i7yeN69lg2-QwVtOXNxgOVFhHwiV0HoHpUaFKg4tK6WcjEJLwOLg2KtwouN9bsYJkzRa96eNgOJLN1VsKHdmSq5vjevwLANNnviqFRwvP3088Bm90FJ2K7vKs0sPjH9cpQQmlbobFlgdl34W8kCl64RfcmnB0ASGcMTE1z/s1703/_DAM0034.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1133" data-original-width="1703" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSHkyF6z9bxjVmIhkvovKos3i7yeN69lg2-QwVtOXNxgOVFhHwiV0HoHpUaFKg4tK6WcjEJLwOLg2KtwouN9bsYJkzRa96eNgOJLN1VsKHdmSq5vjevwLANNnviqFRwvP3088Bm90FJ2K7vKs0sPjH9cpQQmlbobFlgdl34W8kCl64RfcmnB0ASGcMTE1z/w400-h266/_DAM0034.HEIC" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo: <a href="https://www.twitter.com/whatthemuck" target="_blank">David Mucker</a></td></tr></tbody></table>Indy love to play out of the back with Lowry calling Oettl the best all-around goalkeeper in the USL. With consistent pressure from perpetual pain-in-the-asses Ownby and Lancaster, Indy nearly paid for their inflexible desire to play out of the back through the LOU's forward's pressure on the ball. In a clear example of a desire to "play our game," it's also a complete refusal to consider that how you play every team shouldn't be the same way. Ownby's and Lancaster's pressing is on a different level than many teams and nearly cost Indy a couple of times including the chance captured by a Louisville photographer when Ownby's effort nearly took the ball directly off of Oettl's foot. Indy's defenders are seem so comfortable with Oettl's ability with the ball at his feet that they often put him in situations where things could go sideways really easily, particularly with a player like Ownby. </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-H-ApOEADFSCJVLGwKo0JSLkHWmHUvv7ldTUKhK_tUWL8T2ZQwf23mEo54l9Ojc2YZyhF9jkmVRV9W9JcfNDTzFlSeusWO2osxEHjzWa1Tg5nVU4AKukzBOqJgvyDhhn6Gsb17QzzvwJA49kNDTkIvIy56wTof7b5DKD56Vl467P31sfYAFY2riOxhikf/s2779/2023-21-IndyResultsTimeline.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1979" data-original-width="2779" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-H-ApOEADFSCJVLGwKo0JSLkHWmHUvv7ldTUKhK_tUWL8T2ZQwf23mEo54l9Ojc2YZyhF9jkmVRV9W9JcfNDTzFlSeusWO2osxEHjzWa1Tg5nVU4AKukzBOqJgvyDhhn6Gsb17QzzvwJA49kNDTkIvIy56wTof7b5DKD56Vl467P31sfYAFY2riOxhikf/w400-h285/2023-21-IndyResultsTimeline.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>In the end, it was the Wynder goal in the first half and a corner kick header from Lancaster that brought Indy's 3-game uptick in results to a screeching halt in a 2-nil loss. The loss also meant that The Barrel remained in Louisville after winning the season series of the LIPAFC.</div><div><br /></div><div>This game looked like the kind of game that exemplifies "how" Indy wants to play; with possession and in control of the tempo of the game. However, this game also exemplifies that Indy can't consistently create any chances from all the possession. There just isn't a constant ability to convert all of the possession, touches, and passes into legitimate shots, and definitely not legitimate shots on goal. Despite Indy having so much of the ball, there were really only a few times during the game when I thought they might turn it into chances on goal. There were even fewer moments when I thought that Indy was going to come away from this game with a win. The two teams looked like they were completely flipped on who was in the better form coming into this game.</div><div><br /></div><div>Given the 3 games in 8 days situation for Indy against the top teams in the league, the fact that this was the only loss of the week is impressive. Even with the loss, Indy continue to hover around the playoff cut line with games in hand. Memphis comes to The Mike next weekend, in their own stretch of rough results, with a 0W-2D-4L record in their last six games. Regardless of Memphis' form, Indy are going have to find a way to create more chances to score than they did tonight or they're going to see a similar result as they saw in Louisville.</div><div><br /></div><div><div><br /></div><div><u style="font-size: xx-large;">The Game Beckons Game Ball</u></div></div><div>I know I've done this more times this year than I have in the past, but as I think about this game, there isn't a single player that stands out to me as having an exceptionally good game, even in the loss. The closest I can come is Oettl's save on Totsch shortly after Louisville's second goal that would have made it 3-nil. That's about it, and I don't think that is worthy enough to be given the GBGB. So once again, we're going to forego awarding it tonight.</div>Drewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09042600014262648084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6202431216472879565.post-57877744799443268702023-07-26T10:30:00.002-04:002023-07-26T22:31:38.239-04:00Indy Eleven vs Pittsburgh Riverhounds - 10.20<p><u><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></u></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><u><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij_QMmwJJMnWs5ojfZ36fXtHZU-mToxIWvsUSrLWlK4cRoZCSx3Ebn-UbpN1PRaPrHTepHe8ACM6aweBmvKWZoa3OZ-9vF57xkmrfBkAOp4pLDMrgfXhnNnjTekbwtaqOKIr8bMgu-ip9oBnl09lUWseUteFzR_HqasPX879sE91wmo3Wygw_wFQdvgADZ/s2469/2023IndyElevenLineup20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2416" data-original-width="2469" height="391" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij_QMmwJJMnWs5ojfZ36fXtHZU-mToxIWvsUSrLWlK4cRoZCSx3Ebn-UbpN1PRaPrHTepHe8ACM6aweBmvKWZoa3OZ-9vF57xkmrfBkAOp4pLDMrgfXhnNnjTekbwtaqOKIr8bMgu-ip9oBnl09lUWseUteFzR_HqasPX879sE91wmo3Wygw_wFQdvgADZ/w400-h391/2023IndyElevenLineup20.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></u></div><u><span style="font-size: x-large;">Summary</span></u><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>- Opponent: Pittsburgh Riverhounds<br />- Location: Highmark Stadium<br />- Attendance: 4,218<br />- Final Score: 3-1 W</p><p></p><p>- Starting XI: Trilk, Boudadi, Jerome, Chapman-Page, Dambrot, Lindley, Quinn, Robledo, Asante, Pinho, Guenzatti (C)</p><p>- Substitution: Diz Pe 45' (Chapman-Page); Martinez 61' (Pinho); Velasquez 78' (Robledo); King 78' (Asante); Molina 90'+4' (Dambrot)</p><p>- Unused: Oettl</p><p>- Scoring Summary:<br />IND - Quinn 13' (unassisted)<br />IND - Guenzatti 35' (assist Lindley)<br />IND - Robledo 73' (assist Martinez)<br />PIT - Showunmi 89' (assist Ybarra)</p><div>- Bookings:</div><div><div>IND - Lindley 34’ (Yellow)<br />PIT - Ordonez 43' (Yellow)<br />PIT - Showunmi 90'+3' (Yellow)</div></div><div><br /></div><div>- Referee: Matthew Thompson</div><div>- Adage goals: None</div><p><u><span style="font-size: x-large;">Thoughts and Opinions</span></u></p><div><div>Three games in 8 days meant that Coach Lowry played with the starting lineup with Chapman-Page getting his first start since coming to Indy, as well as Trilk getting his first start of the season. Pinho and Asante remain in the starting lineup after getting the start against Tampa Bay. Pittsburgh also made 6 changes from the one that played, and lost to, Charleston last Saturday. Within the first minute, it looked like he was going to have to make another change when a Pittsburgh defender caught Asante square in the chest. Asante's lack of movement was concerning, but it slowly looked like he just had his breath knocked out of him and not something more concerning like a cracked rib, which was my initial concern when he didn't move.</div><div><br /></div></div><div>Indy had four players down on the Highmark turf requiring visits from head athletic trainer Josh Frankham within the first 10 minutes of the game, including an elbow to the throat to Pinho that wasn't called. For a team that has struggled with injuries this season, Pittsburgh must have decided that being physical with Indy was a good tactic to use.</div><div><br /></div><div>"The audacity to take the shot" from Quinn from a yard or two from the center circle as he blasted a shot from distance that was on rope. The last time Indy beat Pittsburgh, it was a stunner from Pasher that secured the victory. Apparently, Indy like to periodically make the highlight reels while in Pittsburgh. Indy finished the half with two shots on target and two goals. Playing in Pittsburgh, Indy will take that kind of efficiency, even if one of the shots was from ~40ish yards away. Kind of makes you think that maybe it's a good thing to put the ball towards the goal to see if something can happen from it instead of always trying to walk it into the goal, doesn't it? Lindley and Guenzatti combined later to give Indy a rare 2-nil lead going to the halftime locker.</div><div><br /></div><div> <iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZHH7KNZoLn0" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>
</div><div><div><br /></div><div>Anybody else not surprised that Indy will have to, once again, shuffle their lineup due to a suspension? Thanks to Lindley's late challenge and subsequent yellow in the 34th minute, he will miss the game against Louisville due to yellow card accumulation. Because of course Indy can't go more than two games in a row without having somebody unavailable.</div><div><br /></div><div>Indy weathered an early onslaught from Pittsburgh just after returning from the locker room as Pittsburgh made three immediate offensive-minded substitutions trying to get themselves on the board. Pittsburgh missed their best opportunity when Showunmi redirected the ball wide of the goal. The missed chance would come back to haunt Pittsburgh as Indy found their third goal of the game just minutes later. </div><div><br /></div><div>The third goal took all the air out of the game as Pittsburgh came to the realization that a win wasn't in the cards for the night, and Indy were playing for the clean sheet. Pittsburgh found a late goal when Ybarra sent a ball to Showunmi who had just given Boudadi just enough of a nudge in the back to clear the space for him to receive the ball. A step later and a deft outside-of-the-boot shot to Trilk's left side, and Pittsburgh found the goal to ruin Indy's clean sheet, but not their night.</div><div><br /></div><div>Indy went into a venue not known for conceding many goals and walked away with three well-played goals and are headed back to Indy with 3 vitally-needed points. The win moves Indy back into a playoff position with games-in-hand on the teams immediately on both sides of them. With the LIPAFC game on Saturday in Louisville, Indy still has their work ahead of them. However, Louisville is in the midst of a three-game losing streak, so it might be the right time for Indy to get some points down there.</div><div><br /></div><div><u style="font-size: xx-large;">The Game Beckons Game Ball</u></div></div><div>Despite his short time on the field, Chapman-Page was immense in the first half, with the telecast commentators routinely calling out his name in praise. Any number of guys could have been in line for this, including Quinn for his wonder goal, but given Indy's issues with defenders either not being healthy or not being available due to suspension, it's good to see another defender play solidly, even in a limited role. I know Indy scored 3 goals (or more) goals for just the second time this season, but I have to give the GBGB to Chapman-Page for his effort in such a short time in Indy.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Drewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09042600014262648084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6202431216472879565.post-52588105269978177302023-07-23T12:00:00.011-04:002023-07-24T15:18:38.169-04:00Indy Eleven vs Tampa Bay Rowdies - 10.19<p><u><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></u></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><u><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvj7mncqbNbJUk_IhHnh0xdFIEDA7cLm6KGYH6WMcj9XMI_PT3rKX2n5WT4J1Gmrc9QdA1h4ZYSWsZTPkb6cuYnnQIvDuISeVVWtG432LEXnqtakHPGwar2_mTt1Nz8PX9JOvYe4WJjMPYhxjGGLsGKeZ4V4flrbwF9FRv4FjOVCb4qNQmtWuVVj-e4UQw/s2398/2023IndyElevenLineup19.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2379" data-original-width="2398" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvj7mncqbNbJUk_IhHnh0xdFIEDA7cLm6KGYH6WMcj9XMI_PT3rKX2n5WT4J1Gmrc9QdA1h4ZYSWsZTPkb6cuYnnQIvDuISeVVWtG432LEXnqtakHPGwar2_mTt1Nz8PX9JOvYe4WJjMPYhxjGGLsGKeZ4V4flrbwF9FRv4FjOVCb4qNQmtWuVVj-e4UQw/w400-h396/2023IndyElevenLineup19.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></u></div><u><span style="font-size: x-large;">Summary</span></u><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>- Opponent: Tampa Bay Rowdies<br />- Location: Carroll Stadium<br />- Attendance: 11,117<br />- Final Score: 0-0 D</p><p></p><p>- Starting XI: Oettl, Boudadi, Jerome, King, Quinn, Lindley, Velasquez, Asante, Pinho, Martinez, Guenzatti (C)</p><p>- Substitution: Robledo 69’ (Velasquez); Chapman-Page 89’ (Pinho)</p><p>- Unused: Trilk, Molina, Sanchez</p><p>- Scoring Summary:<br />NONE</p><div>- Bookings:</div><div><div>TBR – Areman 12’ (Yellow)<br />TBR – Lasso 16’ (Yellow)<br />IND – Velasquez 27’ (Yellow)</div><div><br /></div></div><div>- Referee: Greg Dopka</div><div>- Adage goals: None</div><p><u><span style="font-size: x-large;">Thoughts and Opinions</span></u></p><div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyLUpLY63k5mxEC9hRiViip1HQE84yPD5xwC7lko0rzfahhX8y-PzB7Y2NDpqIcWm1NyARRx0e2MiDxaLbMUmjH9HCteqOowH7SPPmwosbQL-XDsCHLua6vURVn4ud0wdA3K5n5SwSL2AyBT5j0yrIf3eh1IjE1FSFcLH0TzT-_QyCcIttU3mYCSmVjbGf/s1000/996A0412.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="1000" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyLUpLY63k5mxEC9hRiViip1HQE84yPD5xwC7lko0rzfahhX8y-PzB7Y2NDpqIcWm1NyARRx0e2MiDxaLbMUmjH9HCteqOowH7SPPmwosbQL-XDsCHLua6vURVn4ud0wdA3K5n5SwSL2AyBT5j0yrIf3eh1IjE1FSFcLH0TzT-_QyCcIttU3mYCSmVjbGf/w400-h266/996A0412.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>The nightcap for a day at Carroll Stadium after a championship winning game for the women involved the men against the Tampa Bay Rowdies. However the game finished, the men's game was going to be anticlimactic after watching <a href="https://www.gamebeckons.com/2023/07/indy-eleven-vs-nc-courage-u23-0214.html" target="_blank">the women defeat the North Carolina Courage U23 by a 2-1</a> score line thanks to a 99th minute goal by Alia Martin in the first half of extra time. </div><div><br /></div><div>Due to the injuries and suspensions, Coach Lowry had to get creative with the starting lineup, with Martinez playing the right wing. Asante, who has been coming off the bench, also found his way into the starting lineup. There wasn’t much depth in this game with only four players on the bench not named Tim Trilk, and one of those four was Callum Chapman-Page who has been in town for just a couple of days, and another was Sanchez, an Academy player who has played a total of 2 minutes all season. It’s a good thing the game was the nightcap and not the afternoon heat that the women had to deal with in their game, because the majority of the starters were going to have to go the full 90-minutes tonight.</div><div><br /></div><div>Seeing the way the team lined up, and knowing some of Jerome’s mistakes this season, having him and Martinez on the same side next to each other kind of worried me. Much of Tampa Bay’s early advances up the field were coming up the left side of their attack, so they too must have noticed the change. After Tampa Bay’s second yellow in the 16th minute, Lindley dropped back into the defense as Martinez crept forward along the byline. Indy then put a ball long to Martinez that ultimately led to a cross, but nobody was able to latch onto it and it rolled all the way through. That’s the tactical advantage of having a player like Martinez sitting on the back line. His preference is to plow forward with pace and around the defenders.</div><div><br /></div><div>Early in the game, it seemed like the Indy men wanted to make sure that the women’s team wasn’t the only one with a victory in today’s doubleheader. Indy actually looked to be the better team in the first half, with more shots and shots on target than the Rowdies, but the teams went to the locker room in a nil-nil deadlock. However, given the roster issues of Indy Eleven and the required adjustments to the starting lineup, I think Indy was satisfied with, if not happy with, the empty score line. The question coming back out of the halftime break was whether the Eleven had the legs in them to play out the game with the limited substitutes available. </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuTAtU_vQ4gmH-7fza5FpZzEHuExwZzpeRgiFUqfecU0-L5mcmPi6iuUxxzRP4mgpgZ25w-yDsaD7qcbyNhKEQadzaLrbK1IEn4YQJyxcQHVksDpDimtBTyk72RNfWRXKk3DGoq0pKkpIrjcuhIBetgWda8Zz1I0D6bi_Jw_EgFBl4F_MW9t7xqqE0UKux/s1000/647A0511.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="955" data-original-width="1000" height="383" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuTAtU_vQ4gmH-7fza5FpZzEHuExwZzpeRgiFUqfecU0-L5mcmPi6iuUxxzRP4mgpgZ25w-yDsaD7qcbyNhKEQadzaLrbK1IEn4YQJyxcQHVksDpDimtBTyk72RNfWRXKk3DGoq0pKkpIrjcuhIBetgWda8Zz1I0D6bi_Jw_EgFBl4F_MW9t7xqqE0UKux/w400-h383/647A0511.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>There are teams where their first thought is to move forward towards their opponent’s goal. That is not this team's first thought for most of the players for most of the game. Velasquez was the only one tonight who reluctantly passed backwards as he wants to attack, not methodically break down Tampa Bay, which was the general effort from Indy for much of the second half. The urgency going forward just wasn't there for stretches of the game. Martinez continues to go forward, but as soon as he gets into a position to send in a cross or attack with the dribble, he stops, puts his foot on the ball, and passes backwards. I'm not sure why a guy of his ability goes backwards so frequently where there are players like Guenzatti and Pinho in the box eagerly waiting for a cross.</div></div><div><br /></div><div>I would like to tell you exactly how Coach Lowry thought of the performance, but he no longer comes back out to address the media. He did go Twitter to commend the BYB for their effort today in the doubleheader, where he also said he was happy with his team's effort. That's the extent of what I know from his perspective.</div><div><br />From my perspective, at this point in the season, Indy hasn't shown much chance of moving up the table into a better playoff position, and, in fact, dropped down after tonight's results. If Indy want to remain in a playoff position, they need to be as concerned with how the teams below them are performing and both Tulsa and Detroit have leap frogged Indy in recent weeks. There are some games in hand with those teams, but Indy is currently headed in the wrong direction from a playoff perspective.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitZ106w7-WCdC0D4iFkB6C95jLhM0ldj-kSxVl5viJhB5YsRqHAB9vcoSdsFUZuF4_pO0i11yQvRa8zcJaMIlyMxWt1AFPTpiH1uWrDjxCHqwJxDbojr4d3qBokGdWOXWwcofTzLkGN7RVZxFFSDWVulwAg4pWAecviXfyeQHUIsDpe1M5GjyuFTVZKOMq/s1000/647A0610.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="882" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitZ106w7-WCdC0D4iFkB6C95jLhM0ldj-kSxVl5viJhB5YsRqHAB9vcoSdsFUZuF4_pO0i11yQvRa8zcJaMIlyMxWt1AFPTpiH1uWrDjxCHqwJxDbojr4d3qBokGdWOXWwcofTzLkGN7RVZxFFSDWVulwAg4pWAecviXfyeQHUIsDpe1M5GjyuFTVZKOMq/s320/647A0610.jpg" width="282" /></a></div>After watching the women's team play an exciting game, winning a league championship in the process, the men's nightcap was always going to feel like a bit of a let down, regardless of the result. In front of 11,000+ fans, a nil-nil draw left me feeling like Indy managed the game despite having some opportunities to get more out of the game. Congratulations though to Quinn who became the league's all-time leader in minutes played.</div><div><br /></div><div>Indy head on the road on Wednesday to play Pittsburgh, and then follow that up with a road trip to Louisville next Saturday. Diz Pe and Dambrot will be back from their suspensions giving Lowry some additional options with the starting lineup and substitutions. How much they do with the returning players will be seen.</div><div><br /></div><div>One the downhill side of the season, Indy are going to need to start getting more points from games or Indy is going to be watching the playoffs from their homes yet again.</div><div><div><br /></div><div><u style="font-size: xx-large;">The Game Beckons Game Ball</u></div></div><div>Velasquez stands out for me in this game with his effort and ability (and desire) to attack the Tampa Bay defense. That, by itself, is enough for me to give him tonight's GBGB.</div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><u>Photos (<a href="https://www.twitter.com/dltphotog" target="_blank">Don Thompson Photography</a>)</u></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt2QXH1U0Nkhby2TRUuR-TkrolAlNjfyqGVqeZVaoOURf1k1uSNRo9ikJYFx0usV7ylfECxqBxHo2dV90g8HQFnjNlRU8kpDekmuzm52slY_lvaaF_UgxdwpcThbF4HuT4d_J-4qicAPBDFbJUdy_jqYMIjG4SiJVm8Zc0wOJx7fVZMH7WTu43irBkkce_/s1000/647A0486.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="808" data-original-width="1000" height="518" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt2QXH1U0Nkhby2TRUuR-TkrolAlNjfyqGVqeZVaoOURf1k1uSNRo9ikJYFx0usV7ylfECxqBxHo2dV90g8HQFnjNlRU8kpDekmuzm52slY_lvaaF_UgxdwpcThbF4HuT4d_J-4qicAPBDFbJUdy_jqYMIjG4SiJVm8Zc0wOJx7fVZMH7WTu43irBkkce_/w640-h518/647A0486.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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