The buck stops here

Indy Eleven fall to Michigan Bucks in US Open Cup
May 17, 2017 by
Buck Stops Here

Image credit: Michigan Bucks

The word ¨upset¨ is commonly used in these situations. Sometimes the clear favorite loses to the underdog, but Indy fans aren´t upset. They are fuming.

There will be no excuses and no media spin will sugar coat this sour taste. The Indy Eleven failed to advance against an amateur team on Wednesday night in the US Open Cup. The boys in blue with blue pinstripes traveled to Pontiac Michigan to face off against PDL side Michigan Bucks. The final score was 0-1 in favor of the home team.

Indy Eleven head coach Tim Hankinson and his ¨professional¨ team have had to deal with an unrelenting plague of injuries all throughout the 2017 season. Indy has struggled to generate much, if any, offense in recent weeks and this midweek fixture is smackdab in the middle of a home and away with the NASL leading Miami FC.

But…There is no justification for the lack of passion witnessed in the mitten-shaped state. There was a lot of walking around and there were a lot of stale ideas. There was a lack of finesse and a lack of almost everything needed to compete or win. The Indy Eleven did not play like a team that wanted to win and they squandered a golden opportunity to get momentum on their side. Or to get things back on track against a team entirely comprised of unpaid players.

Six consecutive league draws have now been chased bitterly by two consecutive loses when you account for this contest in the Detroit area.

Sure. One can point to moments or elements in Wednesday´s game when things started to look up for Indy, but the Bucks easily equaled that output. If there is a quota for lobbed balls into the box, then Indy surely met it. But if you want to talk about playing down to an opponent, Indy did that too. Jason Plumhoff did well a few times to get a good look at goal. One such shot managed to hit woodwork and we may never know what might have been had that shot gone in, but we know that he was missing from large chunks of the match. He was eventually replaced.

In 1v1 situations-I cannot recall a time that Indy Eleven had a distinct skill advantage. There were a few veteran plays featuring the strength needed to body someone off a ball, but not enough to really get excited about. Brad Ring and Lovel Palmer come to mind here as does Anthony Manning. To be honest though, it wasn´t enough.

At times in the first 25 minutes, Indy maintained possession and the Bucks couldn´t string two passes together in the attacking half. That Indy possession wasn´t all too menacing and the young PDL team was patiently waiting for their turn. Indy is so predictable and so toothless on offense that it becomes quite easy for defenses to game plan.

There were times that Justin Braun had to check to a ball and receive a pass just 35 yards from his own goal-and with pressure on his back. On the other side of the pitch, there was a time when three bucks collapsed on him defensively, but there were no outlets and Braun was dispossessed.

I want to take nothing from the Michigan Bucks. They had dangerous attacking flashes and some solid one-touch play, but they don´t matchup on paper and they certainly don´t get the edge on the scoresheet. I am actually surprised that the travelling team didn´t forget their uniforms. I really don´t know why they bothered to get off the bus.

Generally, Indy Eleven supporters are the type of hopeless optimists that make me sick to my stomach. However, their frustration is growing with each winless match. This is not the same team that won the spring in 2016 or held the New York Cosmos scoreless through 120 minutes of championship play. The 2017 season has been filled with more downs than ups but Indy fans have developed an appetite for winning that is not currently being satisfied.

It is a short turnaround for a downtrodden team, but Indy find themselves hosting Miami FC on Saturday in Indianapolis. It may be a tall order, but it may also be now or never. This season feels like its getting longer which I didn´t know was possible.

 

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