As this weekend rolls around and the NPSL National Championships begin, we Chattahooligans are again reminded of the sad fact that our team is not in it. And as much as we dislike the Madison City field, it is a far better scenario to be playing on it than not. So, we’ll hang our heads low and look forward to next season…

The DC United game last week was a great deal of fun, with some entertaining play by both sides, but the result was not what we wanted. Sure, we looked very competitive — with as good a chance to win the game as the U23s had, and far and away better than we looked against them last year — but a third loss in a row was a tough way to wrap up the year. Especially after leading the league for 80% of the season.

So we’ll hold out with our hopes for a better turn of events in 2012. In the meantime, everyone should look in on the NPSL Semifinals going on tonight between the Southeast champion Jacksonville United FC and the Northeast’s Eerie Admirals and then between the West’s Hollywood Hitmen and the Midwest’s Milwaukee Bavarians. The odds seem to be stacked in Hollywood’s favor as they boast several ex-pro and internationally traveled players, but you play the game for a reason. It is interesting to note that none of last year’s Final Four teams returned this year — though all had pretty good seasons.

Some factoids from the Chattanooga FC 2011 season:

The team finished in third place with 17 points — as Georgia Revolution and Jacksonville United tied for first with 18 points, but since they were tied on head-to-head match ups, Jacksonville went through due to their 6 wins over Georgia’s 5…

Chattanooga FC finished with 5 wins, 2 ties, 3 losses in league play, and 8-2-5 overall.

On July 9, 2011, the team lost it’s first match at home in Finley Stadium since May 2009.

The team’s unbeaten streak in regular season league play (13 games) ended on June 4, 2011 in Jacksonville. The last regular season loss in the NPSL Southeast was on June 27, 2009.

In three seasons the team’s record is 20 wins, 5 ties and 10 losses. All under Head Coach Brian Crossman.

This year, the team won it’s first berth in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup by defeating Rocket City in the semifinals and Atlanta Silverbacks Reserves in the 118th minute in the finals.

The team won it’s second ever international match against CF Monterrey’s U20s.

The team played its first professional opponent, the Pittsburgh Riverhounds of the USL Pro, in the US Open Cup, losing in overtime by one goal (after leading 2-0 after 75 minutes).

Each of the five losses this season were by only one goal.

12 different players scored this season.

Post by John Q. Chattanooga | Chattanooga FC, National
2 Comments »

Chattanooga, let’s be sure to turn out in big numbers tomorrow night to send off the boys of Chattanooga FC in style as they welcome the DC United U23 team to Finley Stadium for the very first time! This is your last chance to see the guys play before most of them head off home or back to school for the fall. Let’s give them a great send off!

Now, this may be the first season that DC United has hosted a U23 team, but they should be very good — perhaps the best competition we have seen all season. Last year’s Super 20′s (a younger team) handled Chattanooga FC quite easily, beating us 3-0 up in RFK Stadium in Washington DC. Though were it not for great saves in each half by both Richie Masters and Thomas Hunter, the spread could’ve been a lot worse.

What should help swing some things in our favor:

There should be a couple thousand more fans for CFC at this game than the 50 or so than turned out at RFK last July. The DC team may not have played in front of an opposing crowd that big.

The temperature on the field should not be 101º F (with extremely high humidity) as it was last July in DC.

Our guys should not be as nervous as they were last season — several of them were in that game last year. Like going to the playoffs, that experience can help bring confidence.

And we’re playing on our home field (which isn’t exactly a great surface), and knowing the specific nuances of the turf that may help our guys out.

It should be a great night to celebrate the team and get the last of that $4 beer. Let’s turn out Chattahooligans!

Post by John Q. Chattanooga | Chattanooga FC, National
No Comments »

So, all our speculations and hypotheses turned out to be completely unnecessary. Chattanooga FC fought hard and played well, but the ball would not go in the goal. And so not even a draw was in the cards for the team as they fell 2-1 to the Knoxville Force on a very late goal. That loss means there will be no NPSL postseason for Chattanooga FC this year. After leading the league for most of the season — trading first occasionally amongst each other — Chattanooga FC, Atlanta Silverbacks Reserves and the Georgia Revolution all lose out to Jacksonville United (who clinched the Southeast Region title with their sixth straight win last night).

We don’t have much heart to rehash the game, but after a nice first goal by Knoxville in the 6th minute, Chattanooga FC seemed to take command of the game, pressing and attacking and missing opportunity after opportunity. In the last stoppage minutes of the first half Chris Ochieng won and then scored a PK to tie it all up. In the second half CFC started to throw everyone at the Force, again creating chance after chance, but never finding the goal — even with some very amazing opportunities. And all the offensive pressing led to a counterattack in the 89th minute that led to a bouncing header. 2-1 Knoxville.

Our Knoxville players are no doubt discouraged — forward Mark Sherrod played well but couldn’t find a goal, while midlfielder Cody McCoy seemed to have an off game and outside mid Tom Webster almost never got the ball. The rest of the guys played decently enough, and Nickson Odeny‘s presence in the back was helpful.

While result is certainly disappointing for us, it has to be much more so for the team as they had the chance to win the title in their grasp not once but three weeks in a row.

Well, it has certainly been a fun ride this season, with plenty of ups and downs. We have to encourage everyone to turn out for Saturday’s final match of the season against DC United’s U23 squad and let’s give our team a wonderful send off and thank you for another winning season!

Post by John Q. Chattanooga | Chattanooga FC, National
2 Comments »

While there is an extreme outside chance that Chattanooga FC could still win the division with a loss or a tie, it is very clear that the only way to ensure that title is by treating Saturday’s final regular season game at Knoxville Force as a playoff game — win or go home.

The scenarios as we know them:

1. We win, we win the division straight out with 20 points and no one can catch us. We’re off to the NPSL National Semifinals (just outside of Huntsville) for the second straight season.

We tie Knoxville: there are multiple scenarios…

2. If Georgia Revolution wins at Rocket City United (very likely as RCU has not won a home game this season), they win the division since the beat us in head-to-head competition (a tie at their place and that win in Finley last weekend).

3. If the Revolution tie Rocket City or lose, we win the division.

4. If Jacksonville United FC wins — and they have not lost at home — (and 3 happens), they would be tied with CFC. If that happens, we presume that CFC wins the division based on goal differential since our head-to-head is equal — we both won at home. CFC would have the leg up as we won 2-0 and lost only 1-0 (so +1 in head-to-head goal differential). And if CFC ties Knoxville our total goal differential would stay at the +6 it is now. The only way Jacksonville could beat us is if they beat Atlanta by 6 goals. Not very likely.

*BUT we do not know if this is how the NPSL would decide who wins if head-to-head competition is equal!

5. If JUFC ties or loses to Atlanta (and 3 happens) then CFC wins the division.

6. If Chattanooga FC loses and the Revolution and JUFC both tie or lose, CFC still wins the division.

Post by John Q. Chattanooga | Chattanooga FC
4 Comments »

While Chattanooga FC fans have alot to be worried about after Saturday’s crazy 4-3 loss to the Georgia Revolution, we can still console ourselves that the team remains in first place in the Southeast Division and can clinch a second consecutive title with a win in Knoxville next week.

Still, there is much to be concerned about. Would you rather hear the bad news first or the good news?

The Bad News:

Chattanooga FC lost its first game in Finley Stadium since May 2009 (when the team lost its inaugural season’s opener to Atlanta FC 3-1). Saturday’s first half was arguably the worst half of soccer since that game, and the first 60 mins most certainly were the worst ever in Finley for the team.

The defense gave up more goals in this game than it has in all the other NPSL game this season put together (4 in one vs 4 in the 8 previous games!). This is at a time in the season when you would hope the team is starting to peak, not fail…

Starting defender Nickson Odeny is injured (hence his lack of appearance), three season midfielder Ivan Heredia is not even on the bench (where is he?), and rumors are flying that a disagreement between wide mid Mark Beattie and Coach Crossman have made Beattie quit the team… Not good developments for play on the field or for team morale.

Stalwart defender Andy Stewart has taken a physical beating in the last two games… will he be full strength for the must-win game in Knoxville? What about if we win? Will he be 100% for the National title pursuit? What about sub and goal-scorer Luke Winter who came out with what looked like a not-good injury too?

Chattanooga FC has 17 points with one game left. Georgia Revolution and Jacksonville United have 15 with a game left. Both of them will most likely win next week, putting each at 18 points. If Chattanooga FC ties Knoxville Force, we’ll also have 18 — beating out Jacksonville in head-to-head, but losing to Georgia. Chattanooga FC has to win next week away to Knoxville.

Knoxville is coming off a tie with Monterrey and a win against Atlanta Silverbacks Reserves at home. They would love to end their less than stellar first season with a win against Chattanooga FC.

Thomas Hunter’s goals allowed average is shattered — going from 0.5 goals per game average in the first 8 games to now 0.89 goals per game average. Doubling total goals allowed: from 4 to 8!

However, there are a few high points worth noting…

The Good News:

Chattanooga FC came from 3-0 down after 60 minutes of play to tie the game 3-3 in less than 20 minutes. No matter what league you play in, you gotta admit that’s pretty damn good.

Two of the goals scored came from guys who had not scored yet this season: Luke Winter and Moises Drumond. By our rough count that makes 11 different scorers for Chattanooga FC this season.

The team played with heart and a never say die attitude that made all 2500 of the fans in Finley Stadium believe that we could come back and have a chance a victory… that’s pretty good when you’re team was down 3-0 with less than 30 minutes left in the game.

The offensive group that was in for the last half hour of the game was pretty dangerous. We averaged a goal every 10 minutes… maybe we should start the games with this offense?

For this game, we gotta name Men of the Match: Luke Winter and Moises Drumond — each for nabbing their first goals of the season and for making us believe that we could come back. Well done men!

So, one game left now. It’s win or go home. Let’s see what happens next week in Knoxville.

Post by John Q. Chattanooga | Chattanooga FC
5 Comments »