Indy Eleven injury report

There is no question about it. If this were the Oregon Trail, the Indy Eleven would have snake bite. Teams get injuries and players need rest, but this season’s injury list has been off the charts already through six games.

The best news out of all of this is that Indy has managed to stay unbeaten. Seemingly held together with duct tape and slightly chewed bubble gum, the Eleven have extended their record-setting home unbeaten streak. And simultaneously cycled five “best eleven” starters onto the injury report through the teams early weeks in 2017.

There is good news. Don “Bae” Smart and Ben Speas have been cleared medically and they will travel with the team tomorrow as Indy heads to Miami. Both broken wingers have had to miss the last several matches for separate injuries. Smart had a quad strain and Speas required surgery for a sports hernia.

While they are cleared by the teams medical staff, they are not likely cleared by the coaching staff. Players that can’t go the full 90 don’t get many starts on Coach Hankinson’s squads and that probably won’t be changing anytime soon. A return to game fitness is typically a slow process that coach likes to work in methodically.

This guy.

📷: @PRFootballClub pic.twitter.com/sTTvoPnTOK

— Soc Takes (@SocTakes) May 9, 2017

The monkey wrench for that philosophy is the US Open Cup which starts next week for Indy. A team this thin has a lot of decisions to make about health and fitness. With a midweek game on the horizon, I expect Hankinson will want his two returning midfielders to make an appearance on Saturday in Florida.

Super Striker Nemanja Vukovic will not be available this weekend. He is still recovering from a kidney contusion that has had him shelved for the last two matches. He is improving and it is possible that he gets the medical nod next week, but I would not be counting on him in Michigan for the USOC.

The Marco Franco Fan Club had a bit of a game-time scare last Saturday when the club’s namesake was suddenly and inexplicably left off the gameday roster. What was originally reported as a shoulder problem, was actually a hamstring strain that worried the team enough to prevent further injury. Franco will be travelling with the team and I would cautiously place him as a starter against Miami.

Anthony Manning is a player that we haven’t seen a lot of this year, but did you know he was hurt? He was but now he is back and available for selection.

Craig Henderson is new to the injury report. It seems he was not to be outdone by Franco and has picked up his own hamstring issue.

Although it isn’t an injury, Brad Ring will be missing the action this weekend. He picked up a second yellow at home against the Eddies and the subsequent red card carries with it a one game suspension.

If the Indy Eleven are going to make it this year, they will have to keep up this grueling pace on meager rations and hope no one dies of dysentery.

You can follow Soc Takes and Aaron on Twitter @SocTakes and @AGunyon.