When you don’t know who you are, you can’t be who you are. While that saying might sound out of a fortune cookie, the phrase fits the play of the last two weeks of Indy Eleven. After the last two weeks, Indy Eleven find themselves on the wrong end of a losing streak. Between the Jacksonville Armada game as well as last week’s Minnesota United game, Indy wants to get back on the positive side of this losing streak. The arguments can be made with what seems to be the issue with the boys in blue. Ottawa Fury, the Eleven’s next opponent, doesn’t afford them opportunity to test out new tactics, but eventually Indy will need to decide what they want their identity to be.
Both clubs certainly haven’t played in the manner they probably expected at the beginning of the season. Indy currently sits in 9th place in the Spring season, at 1-3-2 while Ottawa Fury rest in last place at 1-2-3. Indy has 6 points while Ottawa holds the least amount of points with 5. Fury are riding on a draw against the Tampa Bay Rowdies, but have been on a bit of a losing streak before that. Indy is on a two game losing streak and face a number of issues as well as finding their identity as they travel north of the border on Saturday to play the Fury in Ottawa
Indy Eleven Preview: An Identity crisis has hurt Indy this season
Formation:
Indy Eleven have employed between 2-5 different variations of formations from the beginning of the 2015 Spring season. This has saw defensive midfielders, two forwards, one forward, and other specialized positions out of what can be considered a traditional “4-4-2” formation. This has been one of the issues the club has faced. Last week at home in Montreal saw Indy mimic the Loon’s formation and place Wojeich Wojchieh the sole forward with the two other forwards, Brian Brown and LA Galaxy’s Charlie Rugg side on the wings.
“The changes for us were to made to demand more from our guys. We wanted to see more movement and more activity in the attacking third of the field. Defensively we made some adjustments as well because we have a lot of guys knocking on the door and competing in training. We picked up some injuries with Kleberson and Dragan (Stojkov), and we’re giving guys chances to step up and fight for their place in the team. We wanted to be a little more aggressive tonight and come after them a bit. They did very well to absorb the pressure. Their goals forced us to do some things we didn’t want to do, but that’s what you have to do when you’re down a goal.” Coach Sommer said last week after dropping 3 points to Minnesota United 1-3 at the Mike last week.
Indy Eleven needs to eventually find a formation and stick to it. A 4-2-3-1 narrow/wide, that can see either two midfielders play narrow or out wide with an attacking central midfielder seems to be the most useful of the formations for Indy so far this year. While the club hasn’t produced an abundance of goals that they wanted, with four young forwards that all have skill but don’t have the experience you’d want from your goal scorers, you need a midfield and someone up top who can help lead them.
The midfield:
The issue with the midfield is exactly what Jose Kleberson, the midfielder for Indy Eleven who is now out indefinitely, brought to the table. While speed was never his forte, Kleberson could bring the ball up and move it creating space and getting either players set up for goals or, as he did in his first season in Indianapolis, score goals. No matter the length of his injury, this is a clear need for Indy going forward.
One of the struggling points this season might be the reason they lose Sunday if they don’t figure out a way to control and create in a midfield that has missed a leader in it for most of the season.
Pace:
One of the issues that came about during the Minnesota game was the issue of pace. Brian Brown, one of the clubs forwards, has no issues with keeping fast, but at least two of the goals if not all three that were given up by Indy Eleven because of keeping up on counter attacks. While the team’s defense (up until last week) had only given up a goal per game, the Minnesota match gave key evidence of the weakness facing Indy where at least two of the goals given up were due to being out ran on the attack.
Prediction:
While it wouldn’t be wrong to feel confident ahead of facing the last place, Indy by no means is overly confident heading into the match. Ottawa Fury haven’t won a match in a month, but have still scored goals in those loses which has been the issues facing Indy in terms of their “snatching a draw from the jaws of victory.”
The reason the midfield is lacking the most is due to one reason and one reason only. Indy Eleven is a young team. While they kept a large core of their first squad from last year, key positions like their forwards were brand new and are also extremely young. The oldest forward is 25, and that’s Charlie Rugg and when the choice for a midfield position sees two forwards slot in ahead of two midfielders, the issues are apparent.
This match gives a little more of a window for Indy to get a chance to turn things around in terms of their previous performances. With Ottawa Fury having given up 10 goals in a span of ten games it will sure to be close.
Score prediction:
1-1 draw
Photo by Mike Stobe/New York Cosmos via Getty Images
