PREFACE: Both the Fire and the Red Stars returned to league play after three weeks, yet both teams still have their problems and will need to rectify them if either are to see the playoffs this season.
THOUGHTS ON THE FIRE: Janusz Michallik wondered aloud on SiriusXM FC (Ch. 157) whether the organization should be looked at given the current underachievement of the Fire. Those sort of questions should have been asked a year ago at this time when it was apparent that the Fire were not going to make the playoffs on top of the other baggage that was dumped in Bridgeview.
You could say that there is too much talent here for this team to be where they are in the table, but you have also two wings who are posing as full backs out on the pitch and the teams as a whole short on ideas on how to convert “expected goals” into actual goals.
The first half of the season simply has not been good enough for the Chicago Fire. It needs to be fixed or the organization needs to get fixed from the outside because few if any trust Andrew Hauptman and/or Nelson Rodriguez to make the necessary changes.
At least Bastian Schweinsteiger will be part of the MLS All-Star Game in Orlando on July 31st.
THOUGHTS ON THE RED STARS: The Red Stars have different problems than the Fire. Life without Sam Kerr has yielded zero goals, three losses, and a seventh-place standing. Thankfully, Kerr will be back in time for Sunday’s match at Orlando and they have five-eighths the season left. However, they won’t have their US National Teams for at least another week.
The Red Stars need Kerr to be the player she is certainly capable of being like she was for the most part with Australia at the Women’s World Cup and like she was for the first part of the season. The last three matches for the Red Stars are proving too scary a prospect how they would fare without her on the pitch.
Chicago Fire
Chicago Red Stars
