From the kickoff in Saturday’s game between Knoxville Force and Chattanooga FC it was obvious that it was a different CFC squad than the Hooligans have grown accustomed.

As I watched the game and then broke down the game film, I noticed several things that need to be corrected and quickly. If CFC drops the upcoming match this Saturday, any shot at the final four playoffs would be faint at best.

The game’s lone goal, scored by the visiting “tangerines” was a well-served corner that sailed beyond the back post. At first glance, it was difficult to see how the ball was put back into the middle and headed in. The film showed that it was a head-to-head assist. Even though CFC were short-handed at the moment, the defense had marked up on all offensive players. Sometimes, the other guys just make a great play.

Greg Hartley made one spectacular save in the second half but essentially went untested, a tribute to how stout the defense played.

Considering how well the looked on the back line, one wonders why Russell Courtney was substituted out for another defender late in the game. That decision still boggles my mind, since putting someone into an attacking midfield position getting another striker in there may have made more sense.

The formation also comes into question and begs for a solution. Chattanooga had trouble maintaining possession in the mid-field for much of the game, relying on more dribbling and long passes than should be expected. Often, two of the three forwards were simply standing by a defender, hoping to get a high ball over the top. I’d prefer that strategy be left with the Welsh. It makes one wonder what could have happened had Chattanooga pulled a man back into the mid and worked more of a possession game.

Perhaps the formation and the flow of the game was why the chemistry looked off. At no time did it appear as though eleven men were working together. Well, maybe there were moments of it, but in the long run, it seemed like there were eleven individuals.

CFC only had a few real opportunities. I saw a stat that said they had 19 shots. Not sure about that. I DO know they were NOT on goal. The one true chance was a breakaway that was lost with a heavy touch by the striker.

There is some talent on this team, but it needs to find some unification, lest they see their playoff hopes grow dim in the fading glow of the Knoxville Sun Sphere next weekend.

Post by John Q. Chattanooga | Chattanooga FC, Local
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In addition to the NPSL schedule, Chattanooga Football Club has announced cleverly hidden a few non-conference games on the schedule. According to the recently released season calendar posters, the club will play a pre-season match vs. PDL whipping boy, Nashville Metros, April 28, and a mid-season match against provisional PDL team, DC United U23 squad. Also, we’ve heard rumors of a scrimmage match vs. Carson Newman College, Saturday, April 21, at 5PM.

So, here’s the educated fan’s best guess at the, always mysterious, CFC schedule:

April 21 – Home vs. Carson Newman College (scrimmage)
April 28 – Home vs. Nashville Metros (PDL vs. NPSL friendly)

May 5 – Home vs. Knoxville Force
May 12 – Away vs. Knoxville Force
May 19 – Away vs. Mississippi Storm
May 26 – Home vs. Rocket City United
June 2 – Home vs. Atlanta Silverbacks Reserves
June 9 – Home vs. Myrtle Beach FC
June 16 – Home vs. DC United U23 (PDL vs. NPSL friendly)
June 22 – Away vs Rocket City United
June 23 – Home vs. Mississippi Storm
June 30 – Away vs. Georgia Revolution
July 7 – Away vs. Jacksonville United FC

July 13/14 – TBD – Conference Championship Game

Post by John Q. Chattanooga | Chattanooga FC, Local
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Before addressing the final third of the season, we need to discuss the ramifications of the schedule change made recently*. According to this announcement on Rocket City United‘s website, the Friday, May 11th away game in Madison has been moved to Friday, June 22nd. The main effect of which will be a slightly more forgiving CFC schedule right out of the gate. The underlying fear most interested CFC observers are expressing is the team might not gel soon enough. Several of our college players will probably miss the first two weekends, which under the initial schedule, featured 3 key divisional matches. By moving one of those to June, CFC will have a bit more time to get its full personnel ready and integrated. Moving the match also takes some pressure off CFC to not break the (now 2-years-and-counting) home win-less streak RCU is cultivating.

So, to recap our two previous season analyses:

• Winning the division is our first goal
• The Southeast Conference’s West Division figures to be the less competitive division
• CFC has a chance to take a commanding divisional lead as the only club facing all division opponents initially (4 matches against all 3 Div. opponents)
• The middle of the season features a 3-game home stretch that will, at best, solidify CFC as the Western front-runner, or at worst, provide the opportunity to draw even with the front-runner
• The June 2 home date against the Atlanta Silverbacks Reserves will be the “must-see” game of the year

After the open league date in June, CFC should be refreshed and focused on the closing four games of the regular season. The rescheduled RCU away game Friday, June 22 will probably be a hard fought contest between the top two teams in the West. Fortunately for CFC, the following night’s game is a home contest against league rookie, Mississippi Storm. Playing back-to-back matches is always tough, but CFC gets the best of this situation since the Storm will also be playing their second match in as many days (the other being a visit to the Knoxville Force). This match will also mark the end of the CFC home season, so finishing with a strong home win would be a nice gift to the CFC faithful.

Leaving the friendly confines of Finley Stadium, Chattanooga ends the league season in what will probably prove to be the team’s two toughest tests. On June 30, CFC pays a visit to second-year club, the Georgia Revolution, the only returning Southeastern club Chattanooga hasn’t beaten… yet. The Revolution figure to be in the hunt for their division, and by this point in the season will be looking for any points they can get to gain a lead in a tightly-contested Eastern Division. After visiting the Revs, CFC travels down to the Sunshine State to take on reigning NPSL Champion, Jacksonville United FC. Last season, JUFC finished their season with 6-straight wins (plus and additional 2 in the NPSL Final Four). Much of this streak was due to the young club building a team chemistry to complement their well of energy. Beating JUFC in the final match of the season, on the road, would be the exclamation point to an exciting CFC season.

After the Jacksonville game, Chattanooga will hopefully be qualified for the conference’s first ever, championship match. There’s been no word yet on a format, whether it will include 2 or 4 teams, and where it would be played, but in my opinion, it will likely be a single game from the two divisional winners, at the top seed’s home field. Other foreseeable options would be a 3-game, 4-team tournament with the Div. Champs as #1 and #2 seeds, and the next two highest ranked teams seeded third and fourth. It’s also possible that a centrally located club like CFC, Atlanta, or GaRevs could ask to host the game to reduce travel costs, but if money is tight at the end of the season (and when isn’t it?), we’re more likely to see a single game, highest-seed-hosted championship than anything else. And after that, one fortunate team will be jetting off to beautiful San Diego to represent our conference in the NPSL Final Four.

So, where will CFC end up? Well, revising my earlier estimates due to the rescheduled RCU game, I predict CFC will finish the regular season with a 6-3-1 record, 19 points, and the Western Conference Championship. Also, 19 points should guarantee Chattanooga hosts the Conference Championship match July 14; which I’m going to go ahead and predict we’ll win. So grab your suntan lotion and book those tickets out west, cause CFC’s heading to the Golden State in July!

*No official confirmation on CFC’s schedule page yet, but that’s not too surprising.

Post by John Q. Chattanooga | Chattanooga FC, Local, National
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May 5 – Home vs. Knoxville Force
May 12 – Away vs. Knoxville Force
May 19 – Away vs. Mississippi Storm
May 26 – Home vs. Rocket City United
June 2 – Home vs. Atlanta Silverbacks Reserves
June 9 – Home vs. Myrtle Beach FC
June 22* – Away vs Rocket City United
June 23 – Home vs. Mississippi Storm
June 30 – Away vs. Georgia Revolution
July 7 – Away vs. Jacksonville United FC

July 13/14 – TBD – Conference Championship Game

*This match was originally scheduled for May 11, but has been moved.

Post by John Q. Chattanooga | Chattanooga FC, Local, National
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In an earlier post, we examined the first 4 games of CFC’s league schedule. Considering those contain half of our road games, we declared anything better than a 1-2-1 record and more than 4 points in the standings would be a good start. Here’s why: all of those games are against our Western Division opponents*. With returning co-champions Jacksonville United FC and Georgia Revolution both residing in the Eastern Division (along with the perennially solid Atlanta Silverbacks Reserves), it’s a foregone conclusion that the East will be stronger than the West. And aside from the slight to our pride, that’s exactly how Chattanooga wants it. Even though there’s been no official word, I’d be shocked if the Conference Championship game(s) didn’t provide an automatic invite to each division’s champion. (It’s possible the Conference Championship will be a 4-team tournament, but even then, the Western Champion would HAVE to be invited.) Therefore, CFC’s goal isn’t really to amass the most points in the conference, just in our (probably weaker) division. That’s why holding serve at home, and stealing at least 1 tie in our three divisional road games would be an acceptable setup to the upcoming series of home games.

Returning to the friendly confines of Finley Stadium, May 26 vs. Rocket City United, brings us to our first critical match of the season. Should we be trailing in the western standings, it will likly be to RCU, as Knoxville Force will have only played 3 games, and Mississippi Storm will have undegone an absolutely murderous fist half-schedule vs. JUFC, ATL, GaRev, CFC, and Mrytle Beach FC. Defeating the Rockets in Finley would likely send us into the lead in the West.

The next two matches are against cross-divisional foes Atlanta (June 2) and Myrtle Beach (Jun 9), and provide an opportunity to extend what we hope will be our lead in the divisional standings. Our games against Atlanta are always dramatic, and this one will probably be the pinnacle of our season. Any fan thinking of skipping this game should have their head examined. The following week will see us give a proper welcome to NPSL newcomer, Myrtle Beach, which will likely be playing their first match ever in front of more than a few hundred fans (they don’t visit follow large fanbase clubs Knoxville or RCU this season). Beating MBFC would send a nice signal that Chattanooga’s not quite ready to concede its southeastern dominance to a bunch of upstarts.

Seven games through the league schedule, we’d obviously LOVE to be 7-0-0, and bragging to anyone who’ll listen about our manifest destiny, but a 4-2-1 record would be acceptable heading into our bye week. Thirteen (or higher) points would probably keep us abreast with either Knoxville or RCU in the western standings, and setup a tough (but manageable) final leg to the season.

*Chattanooga is the only team facing exclusively divisional foes in their first 4 games (and we actually don’t play a cross-divisional opponent until game 6). This provides a unique opportunity to grab the divisional lead if we can get hot right out of the gate.

Post by John Q. Chattanooga | Chattanooga FC, Local
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