CFC Scoring Goals in Bunches to Start League Play

Chattanooga-(WDEF-TV) Ever since the first scrimmage of the year against Atlanta United, chattanooga FC has scored goals.Chattanooga has scored in every game this season,including 13 goals in four league games.

Said goal scorer Markus Naglestad: We have a bunch of guys that can hurt the opponent at any moment, and just a lot of guys have stepped forward and, and, and delivered.

Said striker Lenny Lopez: When your team is hot, they’re hot. So, you know, everything goes your way,the ball is bouncing your way.So trying to keep riding that wave.

Said head coach Rod Underwood: We’ve picked up a lot of balls in the attacking half of the field, and that’s something that we really want to try to do and something we really want to try to be part of who we are by pressing the ball, winning it back.If we can go fast, let’s go fast.If we can’t go fast, then we keep the ball.

Coach Underwood says pressing the opponent high up the field when CFC doesn’t have the ball has resulted in goal scoring chances.

Said Underwood:”Defending is really important and we don’t want to give up goals, but we take it from the perspective that if we can attack and keep the ball, we don’t have to defend much.”

Chattanooga knows you have to score goals to win,but that doesn’t mean the team has a set number of goals per game in their mind.

Said Naglestad: We don’t come out with a number in our mind or anything.It’s just one of those things that we just want to keep going and keep going and keep playing the way that we want to play, so that hopefully it leads to opportunities and hopefully players make plays.Ultimately, we want to win, and scoring goals is going to help us, and we don’t really focus on bringing it to six, seven or eight, but we just want to win ourgames and score the goals that are there for the taking.

The number nine or striker role is given to your best goal scorers who help lead the line,and CFC has talented strikers up front.

Said Lopez: As a striker, your job is to put the ball in the back of the net

Said Naglestad: something I’ve worked on my whole life, just finishing striking ball, both feet, different techniques.So at this point, it’s just kind of second nature for me.And I’m on a good run and I feel confident.So when the ball comes my way,I just try and find the back of the net.

And when your striker has extra attention paid to him, it opens up space and goal scoring opportunities for other players.

Said Naglestad: I do get a lot of attention from defenders,which will open up spaces for other guys.And it’s just been really good to see just how our wingers and how our midfielders have taken advantage of that space and punished our opponents.