Indy Eleven vs Richmond Kickers - 05.27

- Opponent: Richmond Kickers
- Location: Indianapolis
- Attendance: 11,344
- Final Score: 1-1 D
- Starting XI: Fon Williams, Ouimette, Mitchell, Ferreira, Ayoze, Ring, Guerra, Mares, Speas, Saad, McInerney
- Substitutions:  Collier 59' (Saad); Watson 59' (Speas); Venegas 83' (Ouimette)
- Unused: Lundgaard, Rusin, Matern, Starikov
- Goals: Mares 14'
- Bookings: Ferreira81' (Yellow)
- Adage goals: One

I believe this game tells us everything we need to know about the Eleven's prospects in the playoffs, assuming that they make them. Richmond came into this game having not won a road game since July 9th against Penn FC. In that span of games, they were 1-6-0 on the road and were outscored 19 to 3. Their past two games, one at home and one on the road, were a 4-nil defeat to Nashville and a 6-nil drubbing to Louisville, respectively, both teams currently in playoff contention.

They scored within 5 minutes against the Eleven.

Granted, Dylan Mares pulled one back in the 14th minute and neither team scored after that, but the glimpses that we have seen from this team can't seem to be sustained for long enough stretches to separate themselves from the other playoff teams. Really, not even the non-playoff teams.

In the past four games, Indy has played Toronto (currently last in the conference), Atlanta (currently 2nd to last in the conference), Pittsburgh (3rd in the conference), and Richmond (currently 3rd to last in the conference) and managed a 3-2 win against Toronto after giving up a 2-goal lead, a 1-1 draw against Atlanta after giving up a 90'+6' goal, a 2-2 draw against Pittsburgh after getting a 90'+4' equalizer, and a 1-1 draw tonight against a team struggling to score goals and keep balls out of their own goal.

I found myself, once again watching the defense and their interplay and team defense was pretty good all night. It was, like Wednesday's game, an individual mistake that lead to Richmond's early goal. The ball was played out wide, which was one-touch crossed into the middle, where Gonzalez wasn't being properly tracked by Ferreira and was able to get in front of him to be able to deflect the ball towards the goal. Individual mistakes once again rearing their head.

Maybe the 6th game of the 7 in the 22 day stretch was a factor. When asked whether the guys were starting to feel the affects of the stretch, Coach Rennie replied, "I think tonight yeah. I think tonight was the first time I saw where I thought we were tired. ... It was a little bit lower tempo, a little bit of tiredness tonight."

Included in the above ellipses was something that I wanted to pull out separately. Around the 70th minute, there was an injury to one of the Richmond players. The injury became a pseudo hydration break as every single player seemed to get water, including the referee. Fans were partially sold on the move to Lucas Oil Stadium as the weather always being perfect for the games. While it's true that no games have been delayed due to rain and fans haven't had to exit the stadium and find shelter elsewhere to ride out thunderstorms, the operation of the stadium game day experience has left a lot to be desired. Twice this season, during a heat wave, there were actual hydration breaks in a stadium that has a roof. Other times, the stadium atmosphere is stifling hot because there is no air flow or breeze. Fans have seen some hot days at Carroll Stadium, but any kind of breeze was helpful. That is not the case in Lucas Oil Stadium.

"Today, the roof was closed but the window was open and it was, you could hardly breath because there's heat coming in, but there's no air. ... It was kind of humid almost, kind of hard to breathe. I've seen that a couple times when there's no circulation of air because it's such a big stadium and the air doesn't seem to flow."

It's nearly impossible to argue that Carroll Stadium is better than Lucas Oil Stadium. However, the way that LOS is being utilized is significantly and adversely affecting the promised experience.

Exit soap box...

I was asked after the game what players I thought performed well. I was quick to point out Mares, who I still feel has gotten better in every way since his first stint here, Ring, who was solid in the defensive mid role, and Ayoze, who seems to rarely have a bad game. I've thought about it more and I can't pinpoint any players that I think played poorly. They just played well enough. Or at least well enough to not beat a bottom of the table team, while playing at home.

One of my final thoughts is something that I scribbled down in the 32nd minute when McInerney made a foray into the box, which was poked away but found its way to Saad just inside the 18-yard line. Despite being surrounded by 4 Richmond defenders, Saad managed to carve just enough space to be able to get a shot that Spangenberg was forced to parry over the top. This is one of the examples of what differentiates the players on this year's roster with ones from the past couple. Where Indy Eleven fans routinely used to shout "Shoot the ball" in the past, McInerney and Saad know their roles and shooting the ball is a key component of that role. Coming into the game, Saad had taken 52 shots (most on the team), which is 3rd most shots in the conference and 7th in the entire league. They know they need to take shots and find ways to do so.

The team remained on their undefeated streak with the draw tonight, but I'm still concerned about its playoff prospects. Maybe Wednesday's game against the Red Bulls II will help sway me, but I'm not optimistic.

The Game Beckons Game Ball

Mares. For all the reasons I've been saying the past couple of weeks.

Photos

Highlights

Indy Eleven vs Richmond - 05.01

- Opponent: Richmond Kickers
- Location: Richmond
- Attendance: 4,756
- Final Score: 1-0 W
- Starting XI: Fon Williams, Ouimette, Mitchell, Ferreira, Pasher, Matern, Watson, Steinberger, Starikov, Saad, McInerney
- Substitutions: Guerra 72' (Starikov); Ring 82' (Matern); Braun 90'+1' (McInerney)
- Unused: Lundgaard, Rusin, Speas, Moses
- Goals: McInerney 41' (assist Saad)
- Bookings: Matern 60' (Yellow); Steinberger 68' (Yellow); Ferreira 90'+6' (Yellow)
- Adage goals: None

The Eleven start their USL campaign with a win. Given their late start on, well, everything, that's respectable. I'm going to temper my excitement until I see them in person because they were playing a Richmond team that was hammered in week one, was missing 4 players (2 starters) to international play, and had players playing out of position. So while the Eleven won the game and generally seemed to be the better team, they didn't get much to show for it. Three points, notwithstanding.

Yet the word that repeatedly jumped in my head throughout the game was "potential."

You can see it. They're not quite there yet on being consistently on the same page, but there were glimpses of where this team could potentially go. The interplay between guys. The quick passes. Their first touches. The potential isn't fully baked yet so I'm not willing to go on a limb to say that they are capable of beating Cincinnati this coming weekend, but if things continue to progress at the pace they have to date, the second meeting with Cincinnati might provide a completely different result.

USL Stats - Starikov Touchmap

Hopefully, McInerney's goal in the 41st minute from a very difficult cross by Saad is a sign of the growing relationship between the front line that will result in more goals. The work-rate of these guys was impressive too. Justin Braun may have some competition in this team for the hardest working guy on the field. McInerney and Starikov had touches in the defensive half; deep in the defensive half in the case of Starikov. The tactics seemed to change at halftime and the high press that the forwards employed against Richmond's backline in the first half was much more subdued in the second half. It was there in spurts, but did not seem to be as consistent. A lead on the road in your first game in a new league with a new coach and players likely still getting up to match fitness will do that though.

USL Stats - Pasher Touchmap

It didn't feel like it was as often, but Tyler Pasher is following in the footsteps of the guy who played his position last year. Vuko was a striker playing left back and Pasher doesn't quite have that feel, but I was surprised at how many times I noticed that he was pushing forward. Based on the touchmap, Ouimette on the right side pushed forward too, but I didn't notice it as much until I looked at the data. Both of those guys could make those runs as the centerback pairing of Ferreira and Mitchell were solid all game.

USL Stats - Fon Williams Distribution

One last graph for the recap that seemed to happen more often than the data indicates, but it was still more than Indy Eleven fans are used to seeing the past two years from their goalkeeper. The reliable Jon Busch typically put balls in places where the team could do something with them. Periodically, under significant duress, his balls would go astray, but it was a regular occurrence to see Fon Williams' clearances to find the sidelines. His distribution chart indicates there were five balls that were in this category, but I would have sworn there were more than that. If this continues to be a trend, the Eleven are going to see teams put additional pressure on him to get him to rush his kicks and turn it over to them. We'll see if it was a first game issue or whether it remains a trend.

The Game Beckons Game Ball

Like last year, I'm going to give out my Game Beckons Game Ball. I think there were several guys that were deserving, but for the first goal in the first game in a new league, I'll give it to Jack McInerney. I have a feeling it won't be his last.

Highlights