Away vs. Indy Eleven Preview
Date: Saturday July 20, 2024
Kickoff Time: 7:00 pm EST at Michael A. Carroll Stadium in Indianapolis, IN
Records: Tampa Bay Rowdies (32 pts 9W-5D-4L); Indy Eleven (31 pts 9W-4D-5L)
Standings: The Rowdies are 3rd in the East and Indy Eleven are 4th.
Lightning delays would not prevent the Rowdies from getting a win against Orange County this past weekend. Despite the extra break during the first half, Cal Jennings was able to put Tampa Bay up shortly after kickoff and then again after the restart. That and two debuts will buoy the team going into an incredibly important game on the road vs. Indy Eleven. Come join RBLR at Barriehaus in Ybor City for our next watch party this Saturday!
Aren’t the Lightning our local hockey team?
Yes, and you should listen to RBLR Sports for coverage on them as well! However, it is not relevant to the discussion at hand. What is relevant is the good fortune of being back at home in front of a good fanbase. The Rowdies know how much of a difference there is between playing on the road and playing at Al Lang Stadium.
There was seemingly a little more skip in the step of everyone in Green and Gold on Saturday night. After Jordan Farr started the game with a good save off an Orange County shot, it was Cal Jennings who decided he would just have a go. His attempt, through a number of bodies, was able to squeak through the hands of the OC keeper, Colin Shutler. He’ll want that one back.
Sometimes you just need to try your luck. The Rowdies weren’t relying on that to get them through the match, though. There were a number of good chances created in between the first goal and the break in play. Being able to get back to basics for a team that plays a certain way is clearly key for them. Having a nice surface on which to do it doesn’t hurt, either.
While the players likely didn’t suffer through the same stuffy conditions that awaited fans in the concourses of Al Lang while the storm passed nearby, they needed to keep themselves ready for the restart. Jennings stated that the team had to keep themselves warmed up and focused on the game plan. They seemingly did a good job of that.
Once the match was kicked off again, the Rowdies quickly found themselves in on net again. This one was a higher-percentage chance after Eddie Munjoma’s quick thinking found Manuel Arteaga, whose header put the ball perfectly into space for Cal to run onto. He kept it under control and was able to slot it past Orange County’s netminder a second time.
While Tampa Bay was able to continue their pressure on the OC box, they were unable to find a third goal. The visitors seemed for long stretches to be out of the game mentally, seemingly wanting to get out of town and regroup back home. It didn’t look as though either team was thinking about the 2022 USL Championship Final. They were simply going about another USL Championship game, one doing well and one struggling in the heat and humidity.
Despite that, Rowdies fans will be encouraged to see their boys stepping up again. After a few weeks on the road, seeing another outburst of chances – if not actual goals – is good. There were multiple instances over the last month in which those came at a premium. Even getting a draw was a stretch at times and the offensive output seemed to point to deeper problems.
Just how tough will it be in Indiana?
If there aren’t necessarily any deeper problems, and the biggest opposition is passing the ball on a turf field, then look out, Tampa Bay fans. This week, the Rowdies travel yet again to a location that does not have a nice surface, that may not have proper soccer dimensions, and may prevent the squad from building in the patterns they’re most accustomed to.
Indy Eleven are not just the tenants at Indianapolis’ Michael A. Carroll Stadium, though. They also happen to be one of the most in form teams across the USL. Two draws in their most recent league matches belie this fact, as they were the bookends of an even bigger US Open Cup game. Indy actually traveled to Georgia, beat an MLS club, and booked a place in the semifinals.
They are now the lone side flying the flag of USL in the Open Cup this year. In that competition, they will have this columnist’s support. As for this weekend, the Rowdies game will be the only thing on the minds of those involved. It will present a stiff test for the home team – and possibly an even stiffer one for the boys traveling in from Florida.
In an interview after the game this weekend, Rowdies manager Robbie Neilson said that when the team travels to away games on these turf pitches, the ball bounces weirdly and that will often get in the way of their usual passing output. They can’t create the same way they otherwise would and so their ability to conjure up chances is stifled.
While this is undoubtedly true for anyone who has played on both grass and turf, the simple fact is that a large number of clubs in the USL Championship use stadiums with that surface. If a Plan A is not viable for, let’s say, 40% of matches during a season, another plan is necessary. This likely means a Plan C, assuming there is a Plan B already in place for tough games in normal conditions.
In particular, this comes into focus while the Rowdies go to Indianapolis, where the home team plays relatively similar to Tampa Bay. The formation is roughly the same, while there are even players in the same positions that will play like each other. Blake Bodily was tearing it up for the Green and Gold before his recent injury. Left wingback Aedan Stanley leads Indy in assists.
He and the right wingback, most likely Ben Mines, will be crucial for chance creation. Cam Lindley is a nearly identical analog for Lewis Hilton in the central midfield. Shutting him down for Indy would be the same as us having Hilton locked out of a game. If they can implement a Plan C that allows the home team to be the protagonists, without allowing goals, the Rowdies can win.
This would likely mean absorbing pressure and taking shots as they come. It would likely mean disrupting the main passers for Indy while playing a more long ball style ourselves. If they are so used to the turf field, Tampa Bay would be best to avoid trying to compete in the same way. It may not be pretty; but, maintaining the third place spot in the Eastern Conference is extremely important. Part of that now means holding off the team the Rowdies just overtook to get there.
Score Predictions from the RBLR Rowdies Podcast:
Carlos: 1-1
James: 2-1 L
Yurika: 1-0 W
Guest: 1-1 (Nick Porcelli)
