Season 5 – Week 1 League Match
Screamin’ Seamen vs. Neon Genesis Evangelion
Date: November 16th, 2003
Venue: The Docks (Chicago, IL)
Attendance: 25,141 (43,750)
Weather: Rain
Today we unveil a few new things with regards to the Screamin’ Seamen, as we begin our fourth campaign in The Series Of The Beast [tm]. For starters, we opened the newly expanded Docks to the public today. The new stadium boasts nearly 44,000 seats, an improvement of almost fifty percent over last season’s capacity. Unfortunately, the lousy Chicago weather did not cooperate with our grand plans, and the crowd is small enough to have fit comfortably within the old 30,000 seat structure.
We also unveiled our new match kits. We’ve decided to stay with the traditional Seaman Black-and-Red, but with a twist. Our primary match kit jerseys are now a solid red, with two black vertical stripes (Reg Nichols says the new kit makes him “look faster), accented by black shorts, socks, and cleats.
But the most important “unveiling” to take place today are all of the new faces on the club. This will be the first opportunity for the local supporters to get a look at players like Chilean midfielder Javier Tejeda and Austrian U-20 hopeful Walter Bosch.
But the “new kids” face a tough test today, in the form of Neon Genesis Evangelion. NGE is a veteran 4th-Division side, embarking on their 7th campaign in The Series Of The Beast [tm]. They have turned into a very balanced club over the past couple of seasons, and boast a considerable attack led by striker and team captain Stanley Lachance ($452,000, ****).
Previous Meetings
(W) 12/22/2002 – Neon Genesis Evangelion 2, Screamin’ Seamen 3
(W) 3/09/2003 – Screamin’ Seamen 3, Neon Genesis Evangelion 1
(W) 5/11/2003 – Screamin’ Seamen 4, Neon Genesis Evangelion 2
(L) 6/1/2003 – Neon Genesis Evangelion 3, Screamin’ Seamen 1
(W) 8/10/2003 – Screamin’ Seamen 5, Neon Genesis Evangelion 0
(L) 10/12/2003 – Neon Genesis Evangelion 4, Screamin’ Seamen 0
The teams have met six times in the past, and we’ve managed to walk away with victories four times. However, after winning the first three, we’ve dropped two of the most recent three to NGE, due in large part to the rapid improvement of their midfield play. We’re sure to be at a significant deficit there, and will be looking to make up for it somehow.
Formation: 3-5-2
Tactics: Counter-Attack
Starters (# starts w/SSFC, *s last time out)
Keeper: #1 Cornelius “Corny” Jernigan (40th start, ***~)
Right Wingback: #22 Tyler Willard (38th start, ****~)
Central Defender: #2 Cameron “Big Mac” McDonald (17th start, ****)
Left Wingback: #5 Arlen “Headcase” Lucas (63rd start, *****)
Right Winger: #16 Reg Nichols (16th start, ***~)
Inner Midfielder: #8 Javier Tejeda (2nd start, **~)
Inner Midfielder: #7 Rune Kolberg (
1st start w/SSFC, **)
Inner Midfielder: #19 Gino Behling (2nd start, **~)
Left Winger: #20 Walter Bosch (2nd start, **~)
Forward: #11 Johannes Henriksson (47th start, ***)
Forward: #14 German Galvez (18th start, ***)
Team Captain: #11 Johannes Henriksson
Set Pieces: #11 Johannes Henriksson
Substitutes
-Keeper: #13 Darryl Read
-Defender: #17 Mattias Leier
-Midfielder: #6 Agustin Alustiza
-Forward: #12 Guido Metman
-Winger: #23 Ivan Richardy
We’ll be going with a 3-5-2 formation today, and are going to try our hand at a counter-attacking tactic. While the 3-5-2 formation may not be the best for this sort of thing, we’re almost certain to have a significant disadvantage in the middle of the field to the experienced midfielders of NGE. With a bit of luck, we may be able to catch them napping and hit them before they realize what’s going on, then fall back into a defensive mode and try to hold onto the lead.
That being said, we’ve instructed the players to take it easy out there today. It’s early in the season and, though the fans may not like to hear it (particularly after last season’s surprising 3rd place finish), our goal this season is very simple: avoid relegation. That means winning the four matches we have against the newcomers in the league, and perhaps stealing a match here or there. Frankly, we’re outmatched against the likes of Neon Genesis Evangelion (for now), and so we’re just going to have to take our lumps and make the best of it. (I don’t like it any more than the fans, believe me. I hate losing.
).
We’ve decided that Tejeda, Kolberg, Behling, and Bosch will accompany Reg Nichols on the pitch in the middle today. Tejeda had a magnificent debut on Wednesday, scoring two goals in our cup victory, and so earns himself a spot. As far as the rest are concerned, the decision to go with these kids is as much a gut decision as anything else. Overall the quality of the young talent is good, but Tejeda is the only one to do anything to make him stand out above the others thus far. We’re still trying to get a grasp on what these kids can and cannot do.
Missing from the starting lineup today is Guido Metman, still nursing an injured ankle suffered at the hands of the Gargoyles in the off-season. He’s not 100%, but is close to it, but will be held out just as a precaution. His place will be taken, as it was on Wednesday, by Johannes Henriksson, but Guido will be ready to substitute into the match if need be.
OK, enough of the long-windedness. Time to get the new season underway!
Match Report
PRE-GAME
Due to an all-day shower, 25141 paying spectators got to see a match on a pitch-turned-bog at The Docks.
Screamin' had chosen a strategic 3-5-2 formation. The following players had been chosen: Jernigan - Willard, Mcdonald, Lucas - Nichols, Behling, Kolberg, Tejeda, Bösch - Henriksson, Galvez.
EVA had chosen a strategic 3-5-2 formation. They fielded: Åkesson - Vick, Runesson, Mårtensson - Ayres, Taylor, Fortune, Stubbs, Tudela - Lachance, Kowalski.
FIRST HALF
Screamin' were relying on their passable ability to counter-attack.
EVA strategy involved pressing and cutting off attack angles of their opponents from all over the field.
This was a good period for the visitors with several opportunities to take the lead, in particular when Huey Kowalski slipped through the defense to come up alone with Cornelius Jernigan - but the home side´s keeper showed some lightning reflexes.
In the 27:th minute the visitors broke through on the right after some poor defending and Ed Vick put the ball away for 0 - 1.
Steven Fortune could have put his team up another one in the 34:th minute, after a rush down the left, but his closing shot hit the post.
Fine winger Frederick Ayres made one of his many passes from the wing into the middle in the 34:th minute. Huey Kowalski went to the air and hit the ball firmly with his forehead for 0 - 2.
EVA came close to extending their lead as Stanley Lachance delivered a long range shot from the right but the angle was too sharp, and the shot hit the side of the goal.
Reg Nichols of Screamin' received a yellow card in the 43rd minute for unsportsmanlike behaviour.
The teams went for a half-time break at 0 - 2. The fortyfive minutes were dominated by EVA, with an impressive 68 percent possession of the ball.
SECOND HALF
After several obvious shirt pulling incidents, EVA´s Sören Runesson got himself booked.
At this time in the match, EVA were using their poor skills at the press to successfully put pressure on their opponents.
In the 62nd minute Screamin's Javier Tejeda received a yellow card for going into a challenge studs first.
The boggy pitch disrupted the game, especially for technical players like Reg Nichols whose skills weren´t made justice at all.
Arlen Lucas of Screamin' received a yellow card in the 78:th minute for unsportsmanlike behaviour.
EVA held the ball, with a clear 70 percent possession rate.
POST-GAME
The most dominating Screamin' player was without a doubt Arlen Lucas. Rune Kolberg was a disappointment, however. The most dominating EVA player was without a doubt Sören Runesson. Frederick Ayres on the other hand, had a terrible day.
Final Score: Neon Genesis Evangelion 2, Screamin’ Seamen 0
Goals
None
Cards
Nichols – yellow (1)
Tejeda – yellow (1)
Lucas – yellow (1)
Player Ratings
Jernigan: ***~
Willard: ****~
McDonald: ****
Lucas: *****
Nichols: ***~
Tejeda: **~
Kolberg: **~
Behling: **~
Bosch: **~
Henriksson: ***
Galvez: ***
Team Match MVP: #5 Arlen “Headcase” Lucas
Team Ratings
Screamin’ Seamen
-Midfield: Weak (4)
-Right Defense: World-Class (13)
-Central Defense: Brilliant (11)
-Left Defense: Brilliant (11)
-Right Attack: Excellent (8)
-Central Attack: Excellent (8)
-Left Attack: Solid (7)
-Experience: Wretched (2)
-NSI: 70
Neon Genesis Evangelion
-Midfield: Formidable (9)
-Right Defense: Brilliant (11)
-Central Defense: Outstanding (10)
-Left Defense: Formidable (9)
-Right Attack: Passable (6)
-Central Attack: Formidable (9)
-Left Attack: Outstanding (10)
-Experience: Wretched (2)
-NSI: 82
Comments
Today proved to be a thoroughly disappointing day, from beginning to end. The rain put a damper on the Grand Opening ceremony for the expanded stadium, and also served to keep the fans away in droves (doesn’t sound much like Chicago sports fans to me
).
“Corny” Jernigan gave us hope early on with a spectacular save, proving once again why he has become a fan favorite among the supporters. But it soon became evident that the pressing tactics chosen by Neon Genesis Evangelion effectively eliminated any counter-attacking chances we had. 34 minutes in, “Headcase” and the defense allowed a rare header goal, and that would be all that NGE would need. That goal was extremely frustrating, both to the players and to myself (we had
three head specialists on the field, dammit!
).
The frustration quickly turned into bookings, as Reg Nichols, who was having a lot of trouble with the soggy pitch, and “Headcase” earned themselves yellow cards. Javier Tejeda, our Chilean youngster, earned a yellow card as well. At least the kid has proven to be active in his first two matches.
Series Scores and Standings
-Croats in Miami had an impressive showing, coming back from an early 2-nil deficit to defeat the defending series champion Ramblers, 4-2.
-Big Reds opened up a big, red can of whoop-ass, crushing Sweden Heights 6-1.
-WoM FC proved to be the superior of the two new clubs in the series, downing the Harrisburg harries 2-1.
No. Team Played Goals Pts. NSI
1. Big Reds 1 6-1 3 85
2. Croats in Miami 1 4-2 3 78
3. Neon Genesis Evangelion 1 2-0 3 82
4. WoM FC 1 2-1 3 63
5. Harrisburg harries 1 1-2 0 54
6. Ramblers 1 2-4 0 85
7. Screamin’ Seamen 1 0-2 0 70
8. Sweden Heights 1 1-6 0 78
A quick note regarding the new teams to The Series Of The Beast [tm]. The Harrisburg harries look destined for demotion, as they just don’t have the firepower to compete. WoM FC (a fellow Chicago club) is another matter, however. We expect WoM FC to be our main contenders for the #6 spot at the end of the season. If there’s any team that forces us down into demotion land, it’ll be them.
Week 2 Matchups
WoM FC vs. Screamin’ Seamen
Sweden Heights vs. Ramblers
Croats in Miami vs. Harrisburg harries
Neon Genesis Evangelion vs. Big Reds
Even though it’s early in the season, our cross-town derby against WoM FC could very well prove to be pivotal. We have to win our four matches against the two new clubs if we want to earn a qualification match this season, so this came is quite important.
NGE vs. Big Reds should be the one to watch next week, however, as two of the series powerhouses square off.
Up Next: A (delayed) look at the dearly departed Seamen, and their roles on their new clubs. Also, our 2nd Round U.S. Open Cup match. Stay tuned!