Indy Eleven and the preseason
Indy Eleven during the 2017 preseason. Photo credit: GrandPark.org
There are varying opinions as to how much stock to place in preseason matches. Obviously there is offseason rust to remove and there are chemistry problems to work through, but preseason is more than that. Jobs are won and lost. Field positions can be tested and depth charts can be solidified.
So how important is the Feb. 24 clash between the Indy Eleven and Butler University? Hardly at all. Last season’s preseason matchup versus the Hoosiers was just a first glimpse at the team and it was just a first step toward preparing for the regular season. It was full of wholesale lineup changes and the outcome couldn’t be viewed as an indicator for things to come.
The preseason match against Butler last March was more telling. Indy Eleven failed to dominate a college team at a much later time during the training camp. Indy recovered during the Spring in the 2016 campaign, but a disjointed attack was present during these early friendlies and on into the first tests of the regular season. So preseason is important too.
Look for every healthy player to take the field at some point. Don’t get too caught up in positions or starting lineups either. Look for a massive change at halftime and look for players linking up well. The Eleven were designed as a “defense first” kind of club and that should be easier for them with so many familiar faces returning. Look for the new guys to be trying really hard. Even though there aren’t very many, they should be eager to play. This is their first graded performance in front of the coaching staff and the Indy Eleven faithful.
Don Smart in action at Jacksonville in 2016. Photo credit: Jacksonville Armada/NASL
There are currently 16 players officially rostered for Indy Eleven at this time. There were 23 players under contract at this same time a year ago. Watch for frustrated players. Are they frustrated with their teammates or themselves?
Don’t say that preseason doesn’t matter.
The score doesn’t matter at all, but breakdowns in communication surely do. Indy Eleven head coach Tim Hankinson will not be pleased when assignments are blown and that is nothing new. This game is insignificant. The performances are not. This first runaround will help to set the tone for the weeks to come.
Please let me know what you thought of the game in the comments section below. You can follow me on Twitter @AGunyon.
