Indy Eleven’s unbeaten streak was snapped Saturday in an ugly match, a 1-0 loss to Jacksonville Armada. The night was rather lackluster on quality, with minimum movement from Indy until after going down in the 49th minute. Indy struggled on the road, failing to get any momentum going that would result in an equalizer. The match as an eye opener for both fans and the club, but three things can be taken from this match going forward in the Spring and looking to the fall.
1. Long Ball:
One of the things the match against Jacksonville showed was Indy’s difficulty getting the ball close to the box. Many supporters know, but Indy’s excessive use of the “long ball” and attempting to create goal scoring opportunities from 40-45 yards out either saw the ball touch a forward in an odd spot which prevented a shot on goal, or an obvious offside. While the ability to be able to create from that far out is positive, the fact it wasn’t working after the first half should have been a clear indication that a change was necessary in the second half.
2. Kleberson…Kleberson… Where art thou Kleberson?:
The last few matches a lack of power and control in the midfield has been the thorn in Indy’s side. Struggling against New York and Carolina during key portions in the match, Jacksonville saw Indy get pushed past that, losing a number of battles and during the first half, and allowing Jacksonville Armada 9 corner kicks. Kleberson, who led the team with 8 goals in it’s freshman season, has been out on injury since the beginning of the season with a few nagging issues that have prevented him from playing during the Spring season. Juergen Sommer said that Indy might bring in a few more players. With Kleberson out, finding a strong force in the midfield to help control the pace of the game may be paramount.
3. Greg Janicki and the backline:
Silly mistakes continue to hurt a backline led by Greg Janicki. Overly aggressive tackles, poor positioning, and communication breakdowns have been the cause of a goal per game average that Indy has conceded this season. While most clubs would be happy with a goal per game average, the issue is magnified by the club’s difficulty in scoring.
Greg Janicki playing like a bash brother. #JAXvsIND pic.twitter.com/JWqhgVRaVh
— Brian Cook (@SoccerwithBrain) May 10, 2015
The verdict is still out on what seems to be the issue with Greg Janicki. While his leadership, skill, and ability are valuable and have helped Indy this season, the timing of his choices have damaged the flow of the match. A number of times during the Jacksonville match his pursuit of the ball led to clear fouls and an eventual yellow card. While plays like that on their own don’t necessarily hurt the team, they don’t help when the team struggles to score on the other end of the pitch.
The match left a lot to be desired. Indy is struggling with few options up front and a backline that collapses under pressure late in games. The positive to take away is Keith Cardona, who comfortably slipped into the goal keeper position in place of the departed Kristian Nicht.
Indy return home to take on a fast paced Minnesota United FC who just secured their first win of the season this past week. That match will take place at Michael A. Carroll Stadium at 7:30 pm EST. You can watch it locally on WISH-TV or nationally on ESPN 3!
Photo courtesy of IndyEleven.com
