Matches Thread 2018

The first half has been played almost entirely in the Indy attacking half. Yet the game is still tied at 1–Indy let Richmond score far too easily about five minutes in.

 

What an incredibly frustrating evening. With tonight’s draw, Indy has taken only five points (one win, two draws) from a possible nine against the bottom three teams in the East in the last eleven days. And I blame Ersal Ozdemir for this one, at least in part. With the players understandably tired, facing their sixth game in 18 days, the roof at LOS was left closed (opening it costs money), and the air conditioning was left off (turning it on costs even more money). Only the north window was open, a move insufficient to circulate air with the roof closed. The result was a stifling atmosphere inside the stadium, uncomfortable for fans (I dripped sweat through the first half), and more so for the players already drained from so many games in a short span. Indy created little in the last 30 minutes of the game (including stoppage time), and the conditions could not have helped.

Thank goodness for Dylan Mares, who scored Indy’s only goal, had a few nice passing combinations with Ayoze, and looked lively.

 

The last game of this grueling stretch is finally upon us, with Indy taking on Red Bulls II. I'm not at LOS tonight--school night for my kids--but for the sake of the fans and players, I sincerely hope that the roof and window are closed and the air conditioning is on. Otherwise, it's going to be brutal in there.

 

The boys in blue are ripping NYRBII to shreds. Where the heck did this come from? I wouldn't have thought Starikov would make this much of a difference.

 

Thanks for that. I wasn't able to watch last night--I was overseeing homework--but I did record the game and will watch it over the weekend.

 

Maddening. It means the roof is only useful to keep fans and players dry in the event of rain. Not a trivial concern, to be sure, as those of us who were occasionally drenched at Carroll know. But it should never be less comfortable inside than out.

 

Indy's home win on Wednesday was vital, because the last three opponents sit first (away), fifth (home), and third (away) in the conference standings. There are no easy games left. Cincinnati doesn't have much left to play for in the regular season, but both Louisville and Bethlehem are fighting for playoff positions, as are the Eleven.

For what it's worth, fivethirtyeight.com gives Indy a 96 percent chance of making the playoffs but only a one percent chance of winning the USL Cup. That seems about right. Indy hasn't shown anything like the consistent strength needed to win the championship. Thanks to the three points against Tampa Bay, though, it would take a wild combination of utter collapse by Indy and a miracle finish by New York, North Carolina, or Tampa Bay to keep Indy out of the playoffs. Indy still needs points, though, as they really don't want to face Cincinnati in the first round.

 

The most we can hope for from tonight's drubbing in Cincinnati is that it has no lingering effects going into the last home game, against Bethlehem Steel. With the 7th, 8th, and 9th place teams just four points behind Indy (and with two of those teams having a game in hand, Indy needs at least a point, and preferably three.

 

Indy's loss at Louisville tonight marked a sad end to the Eleven's first USL season, an end that saw Indy lose four of its final six games (winning one and drawing one of the two remaining games). Nashville's draw tonight means that Indy at least avoids Cincinnati in the playoffs. But whether Indy finishes fifth, sixth, or seventh will depend on how New York and Bethlehem do tomorrow. Indy certainly hasn't done anything to deserve an easier playoff opponent.

 

Well, that was depressing. Saad scored a nice goal, and there were a few more moments here and there. But 4-1. Geez.

Including tonight's embarrassment, Indy lost five of their last seven games (and only won one). That's no way to finish a season.

Maybe it's too early to point finers, but my initial inclination is to blame Rennie. There were some talented offensive players on this team, moreso once Mares joined, yet they never looked like they had any idea how to work together. That's a matter of coaching. Rennie came into the season with a reputation of being a defensive-minded coach whose teams underemphasized the attack. That made me uneasy when he was hired, and it makes me more uneasy now--especially since the defense wasn't all that good, either (13 goals allowed in those last seven games, with only one clean sheet). It's minor league soccer in the US, so there are clear limits to what we can expect in terms of precision and pace. But we surely can expect better than this.