Photo credit: Don MacGregor)
Injuries and errors at the back proving costly for the Fire in recent days.
BRIDGEVIEW, IL—For the Chicago Fire injuries have played a key role to what they’ve been battling through in recent games. It all starts on the backline with Brandon Vincent, Jose Meira and Matt Polster all had to sit out against one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference and Major League Soccer.
The effort was left on the field by the Fire, but the result was a 3-1 loss to Toronto FC at Toyota Park, which was their first loss at home this season and with the banged-up defense others had to step into a situation of taking on one of the best defenses in the league.
“Brandon (Vincent) was close to returning,” Chicago Fire head coach Veljko Paunovic said. “He started normal training with the group so we’ll how it goes with his fitness and sharpness. So we can see if he can be available for the next game (hosting Minnesota FC next Saturday night.”
Still, the Fire has been in a slump of sorts with a number of mistakes in games that have cost them and something that the club must overcome in the coming weeks.
“There’s no excuse and the team knows that and understands that,” said Paunovic about the Fire giving up three goals against Toronto FC. “This is like a marathon, you just have to stay positive and every season has it’s moments. You just have to believe and keep working I think with these guys we have a very good locker room. I’m not happy with the loss. They also know we will bounce back and will go back to the performances we had at one point this season. We need to build another momentum. We still have time and are capable bouncing back in the next two months.”
From the back of the field, Chicago Fire keeper has a pretty good view of what has been going on lately. Some of it is good and some of it has been costly.
“I think we’re getting time of possession and we’re obviously a team that likes to play the ball and keep the ball,” Lampson said. “One of the problems that we’ve been having is that teams sit and counter attack. Our outside backs clog the field and our center backs are out wide. In the last past few games if you the ball in bad spots (other teams) will punish us. Defensively, I just think we’re just too weak and it stinks that it happened at home. It’s a place that we’re very good defensively.”
The Fire had been a great run this season going unbeaten for 12 games and now seems to be coming back to an even level. Lampson knows that with the injuries there hasn’t consistency set up in front of him and it has caused problems defending on the defensive side of the ball.
“I think the changes in the back are tough,” Lampson said. “Because it’s always tough when you have constant changes. We haven’t had a solid line up for a long time and quite a few games. These types of spells happen in a season. Unfortunately, it happens to the best of teams. We just have to focus on next week. We want to play against teams like Toronto, but we’re not there and have to keep working fix on the things we need to work on. When we have our normal guys in the back then we’re at our best. Hopefully, when they do come back we will be stronger and stronger defensively.”
Chicago Fire
Toronto FC
