Note: This piece was written based on stats as of June 29, 2019.
The first half of the inaugural USL League One season is coming to an end with the Red Wolves sitting in third place in the league table. Although the Red Wolves are several points behind league leaders North Texas SC, taking a deeper look at the first half of the season’s statistics would suggest the Red Wolves have been one of the best teams in the league in certain areas.
The Red Wolves have been at their best in the attacking third of the pitch so far this season. Head coach Tim Hankinson demands clinical finishing from his attackers, and all of the extra shooting work in training has begun to pay off.
The Red Wolves have bagged 17 goals from 98 overall shot attempts through 13 games this season. That may not sound like a lot, but their 17.3% shot-to-goal conversion rate is second-best in the league. They are creating an average number of goal-scoring opportunities, but they capitalize on the chances they’re given, making them one of the most clinical attacking units in League One.
A huge part of the Red Wolves’ goal-scoring success has been their proficiency in the air. Chattanooga leads the league in headed goals with 6, with almost 40 percent of the team’s total goals coming from headers. Not an especially tall team, the Red Wolves prowess in the air may come as a surprise. But the quality of crosses coming in from wing players like Jonathan Caparelli and Vangjel Zguro give smaller attackers a chance to nod the ball goalwards.
One player who has especially benefited from this service is Red Wolves forward Steven Beattie. The Ireland international is just two goals back in the race for the USL League One golden boot. His seven goals are good for second-most in the league and make him the Red Wolves’ top scorer.
Fresh off a hat-trick performance in a 3-2 home win over Greenville Triumph, Beattie displayed his excellent ability to rise above the defense to slot home a headed goal in the face of a taller defender. His first of three goals on the night came from a well-placed corner kick from midfielder Ami Pineda, which Beattie headed home at the far post to give the Red Wolves a 1-0 lead.
Red Wolves’ goalkeeper Alex Mangels has played a key role in the Red Wolves recent success.
The California native has been a solid last-resort defender and shot-stopper for the Red Wolves this year and his stats back it up.
He sits atop the list of keepers with the most saves in League One with 42 shots stopped on the season. While he and Hankinson would prefer to face fewer shots, Mangels has proven that he is more than capable of stepping up when the defense is broken down.
These are just a few stats that provide a deeper look at this Chattanooga Red Wolves side. Although the league table is the ultimate deciding factor in crowning a League One Champion, these stats paint a clearer picture of how well the team is performing.
Hankinson and the Red Wolves will hope that at the end of the season, their picture will include the Inaugural USL League One Trophy.
The team is back in action Saturday, July 6 at David Stanton Field to host Lansing Ignite FC. The match marks the first-ever meeting between the two clubs and kicks off at 7 p.m. For tickets, visit chattredwolves.com/tickets.
