PREFACE: One team does not play until June 18th, and some feel that’s a good thing. One team plays four games in 12 days starting on Wednesday–the other three are at home. Let’s get to it:
FIRE: The optimist in me says that there are still 20 games left and things can turn around in MLS. In 2016, the Sounders at one point had more losses than the Fire when they made their move to replace Siri Schmid with Brian Schmetzer. The Sounders went on to win MLS Cup that year. The Fire had TWO ten-match winless streaks in the league in 2011, yet they weren’t eliminated from playoff contention until just before the final weekend of the season mainly because of a 7-2-1 finish (they would make the playoff the next season).
There’s also the fact that we’ve seen the same thing with different sets of players and coaches for the better part of the last 13 seasons (thus surprising no one apart from the announcers) and the lack of discipline that Jon Busch famously mentioned after a 2009 draw at home to Toronto FC and was mentioned by Ezra Hendrickson in his post-match comments last Saturday.
“We’ve got zero discipline right now,” said Busch in 2009. “The last two games, our offense has gotten us two goals a game. That should be enough to win games. We have zero discipline. Guys just want to go all over the field doing what they want to do. That’s not going to get us where we want to get to. People start needing to hold themselves accountable and hold each other accountable. We gave them two goals, tonight, because we’re not disciplined. It’s as simple as that. Everybody needs to get on the same f***ing page.”
Whether it’s that, being forsaken, the belief that this is the trademark now despite promises to rectify it, or whatever reason social media or Big Soccer puts out; it does need to turnaround. The Fire should dedicate this off-time to become a better team and solve their blocks both mental and tactical. If that requires a new formation, a new attitude, redoubled efforts, or whatever else; those steps need to be taken. Otherwise, Joe Mansueto will need to re-assess how the soccer side of the club operates because this still looks like a team that looks like Wolverhampton Wanderers teams of the 1990s and most of the 2000s where the club looked big in every way, shape, and form apart from the actual soccer.
If I may enter a personal opinion, there will always be that optimist in me if it means I chase naive hopes for the sole reason of not giving in to the cynicism. However, I consider problem-solving a strong suit and either the current players and technical staff solve the problems this season, or Joe Mansueto needs to find people who can and who will.
RED STARS: While the Fire are still befuddled as to how they lost to Toronto on Saturday, the Red Stars were encouraged by their play despite dropping a pair of leads themselves in a 2-2 draw to Portland. Mallory Pugh is healthy and scoring goals, the defense withstood (apart from a pair of corners) Portland’s attack, and younger players are filling into roles left by others.
The challenge for them now is four matches in 12 days starting with a trip to Northern Virginia to take on the Washington Spirit. The next three after that are at home including another match against Washington. There is optimism though that the Red Stars can withstand this sudden glut of fixtures and continue to contend for playoff places.
CHICAGO FIRE II: The calls for some players from CFII to join the senior team will grow louder. Josh Penn scored a hat trick and Erik Kosh-Washburn added two more in a 6-2 win over Toronto FC II. CFII next play Columbus Crew 2 at SeatGeek Stadium on Saturday at 7pm.
USL LEAGUE TWO: Chicago FC United got two goals from Kahveh Zahiroleslam in a 4-1 win over Chicago Dutch Lions, last Thursday. FC United will travel to Kansas to take on Kaw Valley FC on Friday. The Dutch Lions travel to play St. Louis Lions on Saturday. Chicago City SC played St. Louis to a 1-1 draw, last Saturday, and will host Springfield ASC at the Hope Sports Complex on Wednesday.
