Independence fans have had the last month of the season circled all year.

We knew that in order to make the playoffs, we would have to pick up points in the middle of the season. During that crucial time, the team tied its club record of 12 games #beatless and set themselves up nicely to make the playoffs and potentially challenge for the top of the Eastern Conference.

Sadly, #beatless has come and gone and, particularly over the last few games, some have wondered if it was all a mirage. Was that streak solely based on weak opponents? Do we really deserve the second position in a hotly-contested Eastern Conference? Even as an Indy-Optimist, I have wondered these things over the last few games.

The question remains as to what has been going on recently… but there’s a certain midfielder that might have the answers.

The Spit

After going up by two goals against Toronto FC II at half on August 26th, the Independence seemed to be on the way to another victory at the Plex. Then, the spit. A red card and three second-half goals later, the Independence lost to the last place Baby Reds at home.

I won’t debate the rule book on whether or not Alex Martinez actually was spitting at Jordon McCrary. I was about 10 or 15 feet from the situation and didn’t feel like it was malicious. Regardless, it happened and we have sorely missed Enzo’s brother Alex since that time, as he has served a four-game suspension.

Losing a player of his caliber for four games is never easy. And being on the cusp of our toughest stretch of the season… it wasn’t good timing at all.

It’s hard to quantify what he brings to the table. His abilities don’t translate to filling the stat sheet. He hasn’t scored 16 goals like his brother. But that doesn’t mean he isn’t incredibly valuable. Where Alex is most valuable is threatening and creating chaos for the defense.

Tremendous Passion

When both Alex and Enzo are playing together, one thing is very apparent: They both play with tremendous passion and energy. Unsurprisingly, both Enzo and Alex lead the team in the “duels” department. For those wondering, Enzo has 344 duels this season while Alex has 296.

Another unheralded aspect of Alex’s game is his tackling ability. Even though he has missed our last four games, he is still leading the team with 54 tackles while winning 47 of those this season.

If I’m honest, the last few games have been tough to watch as a Charlotte fan. There have been positives to take from some of these games, sure. But it truly feels like we’ve been missing a key part of our team.

That part is luckily returning at a key part of our season. The return of Alex’s relentless motor throughout the pitch, his passion and energy, his chemistry with Enzo… he’s a perfect fit for Coach Jeffries game plan. That drive and his ball skills are precisely what we need at the current moment.

Help us Alex Martinez, You’re our only hope

These last few games will be tough to say the least for the Independence. We finish our season against two of the top four (away at Louisville and home to Charleston) as well as home this upcoming Friday against the always-rough FC Cincinnati.

The return of Alex Martinez (as well as the eventual return of Jun Marques Davidson) will be paramount for us to secure a top four finish. I think a home playoff game should be attainable regardless of our last few games, even if winning the East in the regular season might now be out of reach.

Reinserting Alex Martinez’s drive and passion onto the pitch will be a catalyst for us; hopefully, he can help bring back the excitement of the #beatless summer and make it an October (and early November) to remember in Charlotte.