Red Wolves must learn to finish chances
The Chattanooga Red Wolves’ postseason aspirations are still attainable.
But only if they can find someone — at least someone other than Greg Hurst — to score some goals.
The Red Wolves dropped a 2-1 decision to South Georgia Tormenta last Saturday, a match that they controlled for much of and won the shot-on-goal battle 6-5. But not being able to take advantage of chances came back to haunt the Red Wolves, as has been the case for much of the year for anyone other than Hurst, who has five goals scored — which is tied for the USL League One lead — on 11 shot attempts.
The rest of the team has one goal — scored by Mark Hernandez in a 2-2 draw against North Texas on Aug. 8 — on 37 chances, 19 of which have been on target.
The result is a two-match losing streak and a 1-2-2 record heading into this Saturday’s matchup against New England Revolution at CHI Memorial Stadium. Chattanooga is currently ninth in the 11-team league, and while there is still over half a season remaining, the issues with finishing chances — and finishing games — is one that will need to be solved immediately.
“We’re not scoring goals,” Red Wolves head coach Jimmy Obleda said. “The reality is that these games would be easier if we just would put them away. You know, we had plenty of time for any opportunities in the first half and plenty of opportunities in the second half. And if we don’t score goals, you allow teams to hang around. And that’s our problem right now.
“We’re just we’re not putting them away.” The Red Wolves are tied for eighth in the league in goals scored. They’re tied for seventh in turning shot attempts into goals, converting at a 12.5% rate.
The team has been suffering from the loss of midfielder Amirgy Pineda, who has missed the past two games since suffering an injury against North Texas on Aug. 8. That has cost the team one of its top playmakers, although the club did bring veteran forward Steven Beattie back Saturday. Beattie played 21 minutes in his first action of the season against Tormenta FC.
“That kid is a different level,” Obleda said of Beattie. “He brings nine goals from last year in his back pocket.
“Once he gets himself back in the groove, he’ll be scoring those goals.”
“You just can’t teach that ruthlessness and we’re trying our best,” Beattie said Saturday. “It’s different guys every week and someone just needs to step up because Greg can’t carry the weight himself. Hopefully I can contribute; I’ve been working my socks off every day, trying to get fit and trying to get back out there.”
Hurst did note that the team is creating chances. Now it’s up to someone, anyone, to finish them.
“I think it would be more of a worry if we were going through games with no chances created,” Hurst said. “The talent is there, I just think as forwards we need to get more ruthless. We need to be the ones to take the responsibility to go in and finish chances and finish off the game.”