The Fire host the Colorado Rapids tonight in a match-up of two playoff contenders looking to avoid a two game losing streak. Chicago, of course, fell 1-0 to Kansas City last Sunday despite creating a hatful of chances. Colorado, surprisingly, fell 2-0 to MLS newcomers (kind of) San Jose who scored their first goals of the season in grabbing 3 points on the road.
Heading into tonight, Chicago appears to be the healthiest it’s been all season, so it should be interesting who Denis Hamlett prefers for his starting eleven. C.J. Brown will still miss tonight’s match with the hip injury that has plagued him all season, and Chris Rolfe and Brian Plotkin are listed as questionable. With the rest of the squad in full health, though, it will be enlightening to see who starts at pretty much every position not occupied by Cuautemoc Blanco, Justin Mapp, or Gonzalo Segares.
I still think that starting someone more defensive than Logan Pause at the midfield spot behind Blanco would be a smart move by Hamlett. I don’t feel like Pause contributes that much to the Fire’s offense, and there’s no question that guys like Wilman Conde, Diego Gutierrez, and Gonzalo Segares have more to offer from a defensive standpoint. My preference would probably be for Segares, Gutierrez, Bakary Soumare, and Dasan Robinson to start across the back with Conde appearing in midfield. So far though, Pause has started every match in that spot so we’ll have to see how Hamlett reacts to having more options than normal to choose from.
It will also be interesting to whether Hamlett goes with Chad Barrett and Tomasz Frankowski up front after watching them waste numerous chances in last week’s 1-0 loss. Hamlett had previously stated that his reluctance to use 2006 Fire MVP Andy Herron stemmed from an unwillingness to tinker with a lineup that was scoring goals and winning games. Neither of those things happened last week though, so it would be nice to see Herron and/or Rolfe (if he plays) get a chance to work up top.
Some might argue that the fact Barrett and Frankowski at least got in dangerous spots last week warrants their continued inclusion in the Fire’s starting lineup. I think, though, that any forwards playing in front of Blanco and Mapp will inevitably have chances to score. I’d rather see a finisher of the caliber of Rolfe in front of goal when the moment of truth arrives. It will be interesting to see what happens tonight.
The match is at 8:30 ET, on HDnet.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Fire miss chances in loss to Kansas City
Well, the Fire dropped their first match of the season this afternoon, falling 1-0 at home to Kansas City. Jack Jewsbury ran onto a precision Claudio Lopez long ball in the fourth minute, and rounded an out of position Jon Busch before slotting home the game’s only goal. From everything I hear, the rest of the match was an intense, back and forth affair with both sides missing a few golden chances.
The match wasn’t on TV here in Ann Arbor though (and wasn’t on sopcast, TVU, or p2p online, and I couldn’t go to it because I have final exams), so aside from watching the highlights, everything that I know about it was gathered from reading match commentary off of a few forums during play.
The Fire’s best chance of the day, apparently, came late in the first half when Chad Barrett missed a sitter from close range after being set up by Cuautemoc Blanco. According to everything that I read, Blanco tormented the Wizards’ defense throughout the match, but the Fire were let down by poor finishing – especially by forwards Barrett and Tomasz Frankowski. Midfielder Justin Mapp was noted by many observers as looking dangerous throughout the match, which is good to hear considering the mediocre performance he delivered last week.
Both teams created a number of good chances, and from everything I can gather the match was basically decided by Barrett’s miss and Busch’s goalkeeping error.
Chris Rolfe and C.J. Brown both missed the match through injuries, and John Thorrington got his first start of the season for Chicago. It will be interesting to see whether or not Barrett and Frankowski start next week in light of their reportedly poor performances.
Andy Herron saw his first significant playing time of the season, coming on as a 63rd minute sub in place of Frankowski, so perhaps he is on his way towards earning more opportunities in the side. I also think that head coach Denis Hamlett needs to consider giving Rolfe a shot up front once he returns to full health. I don’t think that anyone would even question the assertion that Rolfe is the team’s best forward – I would say he is by far. With Stephen King and Thorrington having filled in at least adequately on the right wing over the last two weeks, I really question whether or not it’s worth pulling Rolfe away from the opponent’s goal to fill that spot in the lineup. In my opinion, doing so is wasting the talents of one of the top forwards in MLS. And from what it sounds like Barrett and Frankowski didn’t exactly tear it up today in his place.
Anyway, I will probably have more on the team during the week, but likely it will be less than sometimes given that I didn’t get to watch today’s game.
Scoring Summary:
KC -- Jack Jewsbury 2 (Claudio Lopez 1, Michael Harrington 2) 4
Misconduct Summary:
CHI -- Brandon Prideaux (caution; Reckless Foul) 46
KC -- Michael Harrington (caution; Dissent) 57
KC -- Ivan Trujillo (caution; Pushing, Holding) 76
Referee: Jair Marrufo
Referee's Assistants: Nate Clement; Eric Boria
4th official: Hilario Grajeda
time of game:
attendance:
weather: Sunny -and- 69 degrees
The match wasn’t on TV here in Ann Arbor though (and wasn’t on sopcast, TVU, or p2p online, and I couldn’t go to it because I have final exams), so aside from watching the highlights, everything that I know about it was gathered from reading match commentary off of a few forums during play.
The Fire’s best chance of the day, apparently, came late in the first half when Chad Barrett missed a sitter from close range after being set up by Cuautemoc Blanco. According to everything that I read, Blanco tormented the Wizards’ defense throughout the match, but the Fire were let down by poor finishing – especially by forwards Barrett and Tomasz Frankowski. Midfielder Justin Mapp was noted by many observers as looking dangerous throughout the match, which is good to hear considering the mediocre performance he delivered last week.
Both teams created a number of good chances, and from everything I can gather the match was basically decided by Barrett’s miss and Busch’s goalkeeping error.
Chris Rolfe and C.J. Brown both missed the match through injuries, and John Thorrington got his first start of the season for Chicago. It will be interesting to see whether or not Barrett and Frankowski start next week in light of their reportedly poor performances.
Andy Herron saw his first significant playing time of the season, coming on as a 63rd minute sub in place of Frankowski, so perhaps he is on his way towards earning more opportunities in the side. I also think that head coach Denis Hamlett needs to consider giving Rolfe a shot up front once he returns to full health. I don’t think that anyone would even question the assertion that Rolfe is the team’s best forward – I would say he is by far. With Stephen King and Thorrington having filled in at least adequately on the right wing over the last two weeks, I really question whether or not it’s worth pulling Rolfe away from the opponent’s goal to fill that spot in the lineup. In my opinion, doing so is wasting the talents of one of the top forwards in MLS. And from what it sounds like Barrett and Frankowski didn’t exactly tear it up today in his place.
Anyway, I will probably have more on the team during the week, but likely it will be less than sometimes given that I didn’t get to watch today’s game.
Scoring Summary:
KC -- Jack Jewsbury 2 (Claudio Lopez 1, Michael Harrington 2) 4
Misconduct Summary:
CHI -- Brandon Prideaux (caution; Reckless Foul) 46
KC -- Michael Harrington (caution; Dissent) 57
KC -- Ivan Trujillo (caution; Pushing, Holding) 76
Referee: Jair Marrufo
Referee's Assistants: Nate Clement; Eric Boria
4th official: Hilario Grajeda
time of game:
attendance:
weather: Sunny -and- 69 degrees
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Fire close to signing Marmol, other notes
Despite winning 1-0, last week’s match against San Jose revealed some definite chinks in the proverbial armor of the Chicago Fire. Most of the side’s midfielders were either invisible or giving the ball away too often, Chicago’s forwards were wasting chances and making bad touches, and the overall energy level of the side was not always what it could have been. More than anything, though, the Fire struggled mightily to close down San Jose’s attacks. By the latter stages of the contest, the Earthquakes seemingly always had the ball and were enjoying way too much time and space to operate in the Fire’s end of the field.
I remarked in my analysis of the match a few days later that the Fire need to find a way to change their lineup in order to provide better resistance to their opponents’ advances. News out of Chicago this week is that the Fire are extremely close to signing a player that could provide them with that extra bit of defensive presence that the team needs.
Numerous sources have reported that coveted Paraguayan defender/midfielder Lider Marmol is training in Chicago and is close to signing with the 4-time U.S. Open Cup champions.
I remarked in my analysis of the match a few days later that the Fire need to find a way to change their lineup in order to provide better resistance to their opponents’ advances. News out of Chicago this week is that the Fire are extremely close to signing a player that could provide them with that extra bit of defensive presence that the team needs.
Numerous sources have reported that coveted Paraguayan defender/midfielder Lider Marmol is training in Chicago and is close to signing with the 4-time U.S. Open Cup champions.
"We feel like we're close to a deal… It's in the works" Fire head coach Denis Hamlett was quoted as saying on Chicago Tribune reporter Luis Arroyave’s blog.
Marmol, of course, had a brief stint training with the Fire at the end of last season and the Fire filed a discovery claim on the player with MLS. As a result of that discovery claim, the Fire acquired the right to sign Marmol before any other MLS side. Juan Carlos Osorio’s departure from Chicago, however, led to the New York Red Bulls also trying to sign the 22-year old and he trained with Osorio and the Red Bulls up until this week.
Once it became clear, though, that the Fire were not willing to deal Marmol’s rights, Marmol decided to give training with the Fire another shot.
"I hope we can reach an agreement," Marmol was quoted as saying in the same article. “Both sides have said they want to make this work. Now we just to need to figure out a few more details and then sign.”
If Marmol does indeed join the Fire, he will provide the Fire with a talented young player capable of playing a holding midfield role or of filling in as a center back. Reports out of Red Bull practices this season had Marmol down as a very impressive prospect. Marmol’s inclusion in a Fire starting XI could provide the side with the ball-winning presence in midfield that it’s been missing, and his ability to play center back also gives the Fire the flexibility to let guys like William Conde, Diego Gutierrez, or Bakary Soumare play the role of covering behind playmaker Cuautemoc Blanco.
For more on Marmol, click here.
Conde apologizes to team, could be in Chicago long-term
I said before last week’s match that we might find out more about the status with the team of Columbian defender Wilman Conde, who had previously asked for an off-season trade to New York. Conde ended up starting last Saturday’s match, and put in 79 solid minutes before leaving with a slight injury.
The Chicago Tribune reported this week that Conde apologized to his teammates before the match, and it now appears more likely that Conde will last for the rest of the season in a Fire uniform.
Injuries still affecting Fire lineup
Fire captain C.J. Brown’s season debut might have to wait still another week. The center back is listed as doubtful for tomorrow’s match against the Kansas City Wizards. Defenders Brandon Prideaux and Diego Gutierrez are also listed as doubtful and questionable respectively, so the Fire could be a little thin in the back.
Forward/midfielder Chris Rolfe, another starter, is listed as questionable, and if he can’t go I’m guessing that Stephen King will once again get the nod at right mid.
The match is at 3 p.m. eastern time, 2 central on telefutura.
Marmol, of course, had a brief stint training with the Fire at the end of last season and the Fire filed a discovery claim on the player with MLS. As a result of that discovery claim, the Fire acquired the right to sign Marmol before any other MLS side. Juan Carlos Osorio’s departure from Chicago, however, led to the New York Red Bulls also trying to sign the 22-year old and he trained with Osorio and the Red Bulls up until this week.
Once it became clear, though, that the Fire were not willing to deal Marmol’s rights, Marmol decided to give training with the Fire another shot.
"I hope we can reach an agreement," Marmol was quoted as saying in the same article. “Both sides have said they want to make this work. Now we just to need to figure out a few more details and then sign.”
If Marmol does indeed join the Fire, he will provide the Fire with a talented young player capable of playing a holding midfield role or of filling in as a center back. Reports out of Red Bull practices this season had Marmol down as a very impressive prospect. Marmol’s inclusion in a Fire starting XI could provide the side with the ball-winning presence in midfield that it’s been missing, and his ability to play center back also gives the Fire the flexibility to let guys like William Conde, Diego Gutierrez, or Bakary Soumare play the role of covering behind playmaker Cuautemoc Blanco.
For more on Marmol, click here.
Conde apologizes to team, could be in Chicago long-term
I said before last week’s match that we might find out more about the status with the team of Columbian defender Wilman Conde, who had previously asked for an off-season trade to New York. Conde ended up starting last Saturday’s match, and put in 79 solid minutes before leaving with a slight injury.
The Chicago Tribune reported this week that Conde apologized to his teammates before the match, and it now appears more likely that Conde will last for the rest of the season in a Fire uniform.
Injuries still affecting Fire lineup
Fire captain C.J. Brown’s season debut might have to wait still another week. The center back is listed as doubtful for tomorrow’s match against the Kansas City Wizards. Defenders Brandon Prideaux and Diego Gutierrez are also listed as doubtful and questionable respectively, so the Fire could be a little thin in the back.
Forward/midfielder Chris Rolfe, another starter, is listed as questionable, and if he can’t go I’m guessing that Stephen King will once again get the nod at right mid.
The match is at 3 p.m. eastern time, 2 central on telefutura.
Friday, April 18, 2008
Fire - San Jose: final thoughts
The Fire escaped San Jose with a 1-0 win Saturday afternoon. It wasn’t pretty, but then again something should be said for winning the ones that aren’t. In soccer leagues all over the world, it’s the teams that get results even when they don’t deserve them that win championships. In MLS, given that the league has a postseason, the same principle doesn’t apply exactly. Even so, in a league with as much parody as MLS, getting three road points is always huge and this early in the season I would definitely prefer for the Fire to win ugly than look good in a loss. We can worry about our form come playoff time, but at this stage of the season it really is all about the points.
Here are a few storylines to consider in the aftermath of the match:
Fire attackers show promise, lack consistency
Going into Saturday’s match I praised the fine form of Cuautemoc Blanco, but said that it might be telling to see how midfielder Justin Mapp, and forwards Chad Barrett and Tomasz Frankowski performed in their first match since dismantling New England 4-0. Instead, the performances put forth by all four players left me with as many questions as I had before Saturday’s win.
Don’t get me wrong, each player that I mentioned looked brilliant at times against San Jose. Barrett scored the game’s only goal, showed a few flashes great skill on the ball, and combined really well at times with his other colleagues – especially Frankowski. Mapp, who was once again allowed a high degree of attacking freedom, contributed a number of mazy runs through the San Jose defense and a couple of passes from midfield that nearly unlocked the Earthquakes’ backline. Frankowski, in his third game with the side, played perhaps a bigger role in the Fire’s attack than we had previously seen. His most impressive moment from Saturday was probably his clever give and go with Barrett that could have put him in for an easy goal on 33 minutes. And finally Blanco, as expected, provided his usual array of backheels, deft passes, and cheeky flicks. He was the architect of the game’s only goal when he eluded a couple of San Jose defenders to play a perfectly weighted ball that set Frankowski in alone on Joe Cannon in the 19th minute (Frankowski’s effort was saved but Barrett swept in the rebound). Not only that, but Blanco also pulled his patented jump-between-two-guys-with-the-ball-stuck-between-his-ankles move and drew what should have been an obvious foul, only for the official to deny him a free kick. Suffice to say, Saturday’s performance included quality moments.
The problem, however, is that for every moment of genius contributed by one of these players, there were probably 4 or 5 inexplicable turnovers, horrible touches, shamefully poor dives (actually more by Mapp than by Blanco), or missed scoring chances. On one occasion, I remember Mapp taking on literally 4 or 5 San Jose defenders successfully and weaving all the way into the box. He was wheeling and dealing and looked more than at any other point this season like the guy who tormented Eastern Conference defenders on the way to an MLS Best XI selection in 2006. Obviously I was thrilled by Mapp’s run, and I leapt from my seat and yelled for him have a go. Just as I did, however, Justin tragically decided to end his foray with a flop that would’ve made Manu Ginobli look like an Academy Award winner. I, for one, could not believe my eyes.
Mapp’s dive at the end of such a scintillating run was perhaps the most disappointing moment of Saturday’s match, but he was no guiltier of inconstant play than any of the other three players I’ve been talking about. Frankowski shot straight at Cannon a couple of times when he had really good chances to score, and all of these guys were guilty of some bad giveaways and too many moments of wastefulness. From Blanco, a certain level of inconsistency is expected, and even on Saturday his one moment of brilliance won Chicago the match. For Barrett, Frankowski, and Mapp, however, we can only hope that improvement is in store. All three footballers showed on Saturday the type of great play that they are capable of. If they don’t remind everyone of that reality a little more often, though, they may not keep getting the chance.
Fire defense pitches shutout, still looks vulnerable
Well I had planned on writing a comprehensive analysis of head coach Denis Hamlett’s tactics following last Saturday’s win, but it’s exam time here at the University of Michigan, and that’s just not going to happen. The gist of what I was going to say, though, is that the Fire have to change something to find a better way of closing down their opponents’ attacks. By the end of Saturday’s match, San Jose, who has yet to score a goal yet in MLS this season by the way, was seemingly progressing at will to the Fire 18, but fortunately for the Fire, failing to convert their chances.
Granted, Hamlett’s hands were tied with C.J. Brown and Diego Gutierrez missing out on Saturday’s match due to injury. The starting XI that he put out was pretty similar to the one I would’ve picked to face the Earthquakes, and for most of the match his lineup did pretty well. However once Brown and Gutierrez return from injury, which could be as early as Sunday against Kansas City, I would look to slide someone into the defensive midfield slot currently occupied by Logan Pause. Pause is a solid all around player and certainly will play a significant role for the Fire this season. With that said, he’s never really been seen as a midfield destroyer, and considering the way that Blanco and Mapp have been defending lately, Chicago needs somebody to provide more cover in front of the back line.
My suggestion would be for either Gutierrez or Conde to play defensive mid, with Brown (once healthy), Conde/Gutierrez, Dasan Robinson, and Gonzalo Segares manning the back line. The other option would be to bench Mapp and insert Segares on the left wing, but in spite of Mapp’s erratic performances thus far in 2008, I still feel as though he has too much to offer offensively to start off as a substitute.
The other issue I was going to raise is that I really think Hamlett’s decision to leave Blanco and Mapp in for 90 minutes on Saturday played a significant part in the Fire struggling so much to hang on at the end. I would’ve benched one, if not both of Chicago’s playmakers with 15 or 20 minutes left because neither player offers the Fire much at all defensively. Again, Hamlett’s options were severely limited by the fact that Conde had to come off hurt with 11 minutes left in the match. Still, considering the fact that neither player even looked fit to go the full 90 (which is pretty disappointing from Mapp’s standpoint), I would’ve much rather benched one of these two players instead of Barrett who at least brings a lot of energy to the side. The last ten or so minutes of the match saw Blanco and Mapp essentially posting up as target forwards, a role both are extremely ill-suited for, because neither had the energy to track back and contribute to the side’s defensive effort. I would’ve much rather seen someone like Andy Herron in the place of either of these two to bring some energy and pace to the Fire lineup, especially with San Jose pushed up and looking for the equalizer.
One more issue to consider is the fact that Blanco is 35, un-athletic, and yet by far the Fire’s most valuable player. I truly think that the Fire are going to have to rest him more often this season to make sure he’s healthy come playoff time. Whether we are in the midst of a 4-0 blowout or hanging on to a 1-0 nail biter, I’d probably rather see someone spell Blanco for the end of the match.
Here are a few storylines to consider in the aftermath of the match:
Fire attackers show promise, lack consistency
Going into Saturday’s match I praised the fine form of Cuautemoc Blanco, but said that it might be telling to see how midfielder Justin Mapp, and forwards Chad Barrett and Tomasz Frankowski performed in their first match since dismantling New England 4-0. Instead, the performances put forth by all four players left me with as many questions as I had before Saturday’s win.
Don’t get me wrong, each player that I mentioned looked brilliant at times against San Jose. Barrett scored the game’s only goal, showed a few flashes great skill on the ball, and combined really well at times with his other colleagues – especially Frankowski. Mapp, who was once again allowed a high degree of attacking freedom, contributed a number of mazy runs through the San Jose defense and a couple of passes from midfield that nearly unlocked the Earthquakes’ backline. Frankowski, in his third game with the side, played perhaps a bigger role in the Fire’s attack than we had previously seen. His most impressive moment from Saturday was probably his clever give and go with Barrett that could have put him in for an easy goal on 33 minutes. And finally Blanco, as expected, provided his usual array of backheels, deft passes, and cheeky flicks. He was the architect of the game’s only goal when he eluded a couple of San Jose defenders to play a perfectly weighted ball that set Frankowski in alone on Joe Cannon in the 19th minute (Frankowski’s effort was saved but Barrett swept in the rebound). Not only that, but Blanco also pulled his patented jump-between-two-guys-with-the-ball-stuck-between-his-ankles move and drew what should have been an obvious foul, only for the official to deny him a free kick. Suffice to say, Saturday’s performance included quality moments.
The problem, however, is that for every moment of genius contributed by one of these players, there were probably 4 or 5 inexplicable turnovers, horrible touches, shamefully poor dives (actually more by Mapp than by Blanco), or missed scoring chances. On one occasion, I remember Mapp taking on literally 4 or 5 San Jose defenders successfully and weaving all the way into the box. He was wheeling and dealing and looked more than at any other point this season like the guy who tormented Eastern Conference defenders on the way to an MLS Best XI selection in 2006. Obviously I was thrilled by Mapp’s run, and I leapt from my seat and yelled for him have a go. Just as I did, however, Justin tragically decided to end his foray with a flop that would’ve made Manu Ginobli look like an Academy Award winner. I, for one, could not believe my eyes.
Mapp’s dive at the end of such a scintillating run was perhaps the most disappointing moment of Saturday’s match, but he was no guiltier of inconstant play than any of the other three players I’ve been talking about. Frankowski shot straight at Cannon a couple of times when he had really good chances to score, and all of these guys were guilty of some bad giveaways and too many moments of wastefulness. From Blanco, a certain level of inconsistency is expected, and even on Saturday his one moment of brilliance won Chicago the match. For Barrett, Frankowski, and Mapp, however, we can only hope that improvement is in store. All three footballers showed on Saturday the type of great play that they are capable of. If they don’t remind everyone of that reality a little more often, though, they may not keep getting the chance.
Fire defense pitches shutout, still looks vulnerable
Well I had planned on writing a comprehensive analysis of head coach Denis Hamlett’s tactics following last Saturday’s win, but it’s exam time here at the University of Michigan, and that’s just not going to happen. The gist of what I was going to say, though, is that the Fire have to change something to find a better way of closing down their opponents’ attacks. By the end of Saturday’s match, San Jose, who has yet to score a goal yet in MLS this season by the way, was seemingly progressing at will to the Fire 18, but fortunately for the Fire, failing to convert their chances.
Granted, Hamlett’s hands were tied with C.J. Brown and Diego Gutierrez missing out on Saturday’s match due to injury. The starting XI that he put out was pretty similar to the one I would’ve picked to face the Earthquakes, and for most of the match his lineup did pretty well. However once Brown and Gutierrez return from injury, which could be as early as Sunday against Kansas City, I would look to slide someone into the defensive midfield slot currently occupied by Logan Pause. Pause is a solid all around player and certainly will play a significant role for the Fire this season. With that said, he’s never really been seen as a midfield destroyer, and considering the way that Blanco and Mapp have been defending lately, Chicago needs somebody to provide more cover in front of the back line.
My suggestion would be for either Gutierrez or Conde to play defensive mid, with Brown (once healthy), Conde/Gutierrez, Dasan Robinson, and Gonzalo Segares manning the back line. The other option would be to bench Mapp and insert Segares on the left wing, but in spite of Mapp’s erratic performances thus far in 2008, I still feel as though he has too much to offer offensively to start off as a substitute.
The other issue I was going to raise is that I really think Hamlett’s decision to leave Blanco and Mapp in for 90 minutes on Saturday played a significant part in the Fire struggling so much to hang on at the end. I would’ve benched one, if not both of Chicago’s playmakers with 15 or 20 minutes left because neither player offers the Fire much at all defensively. Again, Hamlett’s options were severely limited by the fact that Conde had to come off hurt with 11 minutes left in the match. Still, considering the fact that neither player even looked fit to go the full 90 (which is pretty disappointing from Mapp’s standpoint), I would’ve much rather benched one of these two players instead of Barrett who at least brings a lot of energy to the side. The last ten or so minutes of the match saw Blanco and Mapp essentially posting up as target forwards, a role both are extremely ill-suited for, because neither had the energy to track back and contribute to the side’s defensive effort. I would’ve much rather seen someone like Andy Herron in the place of either of these two to bring some energy and pace to the Fire lineup, especially with San Jose pushed up and looking for the equalizer.
One more issue to consider is the fact that Blanco is 35, un-athletic, and yet by far the Fire’s most valuable player. I truly think that the Fire are going to have to rest him more often this season to make sure he’s healthy come playoff time. Whether we are in the midst of a 4-0 blowout or hanging on to a 1-0 nail biter, I’d probably rather see someone spell Blanco for the end of the match.
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Barrett goal powers Fire past Earthquakes 1-0
Phew. That sound you just heard was a huge sigh of relief coming from every Fire fan in Chicago after San Jose’s Shea Salinas skied his three yard effort over the bar – almost unbelievably – in stoppage time of today’s 1-0 Fire victory.
Chad Barrett put Chicago in front 19 minutes into today’s match and Chicago somehow held on for a rather lucky victory. The San Jose Earthquakes managed to find woodwork twice in the game’s final minutes before Salinas’ miss on a wide open net, and the Quakes certainly outplayed the Fire in the second half. Still, the Fire’s performance wasn’t without its bright spots and at this stage of the season getting three points on the road is huge whether or not they come in convincing fashion.
Cuauhtemoc Blanco once again played a part in the Fire’s only goal. It was his weighted ball that put Tomasz Frankowski in on the keeper in the 19th minute, and after Joe Cannon saved Frankowski’s effort, Barrett arrived in front of a pair of Earthquakes defenders to force the rebound in from close range. Frankowski, Barrett, Blanco, and Justin Mapp all delivered inconsistent performances, with any of the Fire’s four main attacking options looking brilliant one moment and then quite mediocre the next. This match certainly didn’t answer all the questions that I have of Chicago – after all no one match ever does – but there will be a lot more from this afternoon to talk about in the coming days. For now, the Fire can just enjoy sitting atop the Eastern Conference. At least until the Kansas City and New England games end later tonight.
Scoring Summary:
CHI -- Chad Barrett 2 (unassisted) 19
Misconduct Summary:
CHI -- Bakary Soumare (caution; Reckless Foul) 55
SJ -- Ryan Cochrane (caution; Reckless Foul) 65
SJ -- James Riley (caution; Pushing, Holding) 94
Referee: Kevin Stott
Referee's Assistants: Corey Rockwell; David Bragg
4th Official: Yader Reyes
Time of Game: 90:00
Weather: Clear -and- 77 degrees
Attendance: 20,038
Chad Barrett put Chicago in front 19 minutes into today’s match and Chicago somehow held on for a rather lucky victory. The San Jose Earthquakes managed to find woodwork twice in the game’s final minutes before Salinas’ miss on a wide open net, and the Quakes certainly outplayed the Fire in the second half. Still, the Fire’s performance wasn’t without its bright spots and at this stage of the season getting three points on the road is huge whether or not they come in convincing fashion.
Cuauhtemoc Blanco once again played a part in the Fire’s only goal. It was his weighted ball that put Tomasz Frankowski in on the keeper in the 19th minute, and after Joe Cannon saved Frankowski’s effort, Barrett arrived in front of a pair of Earthquakes defenders to force the rebound in from close range. Frankowski, Barrett, Blanco, and Justin Mapp all delivered inconsistent performances, with any of the Fire’s four main attacking options looking brilliant one moment and then quite mediocre the next. This match certainly didn’t answer all the questions that I have of Chicago – after all no one match ever does – but there will be a lot more from this afternoon to talk about in the coming days. For now, the Fire can just enjoy sitting atop the Eastern Conference. At least until the Kansas City and New England games end later tonight.
Scoring Summary:
CHI -- Chad Barrett 2 (unassisted) 19
Misconduct Summary:
CHI -- Bakary Soumare (caution; Reckless Foul) 55
SJ -- Ryan Cochrane (caution; Reckless Foul) 65
SJ -- James Riley (caution; Pushing, Holding) 94
Referee: Kevin Stott
Referee's Assistants: Corey Rockwell; David Bragg
4th Official: Yader Reyes
Time of Game: 90:00
Weather: Clear -and- 77 degrees
Attendance: 20,038
Gameday: Chicago Fire at San Jose Earthquakes
The Fire play their second road contest of the season today and this time they make their first visit to the expansion San Jose Earthquakes. Of course the Quakes were also an MLS franchise from the league’s first season until 2005 (when they moved to Houston and became the Dynamo), and it was that outfit that knocked off the Fire 4-2 in the 2003 MLS Cup final.
The Fire hold a 9-6-7 record against that side, but this year’s edition looks even less dangerous. Given the Fire’s 4-0 demolition of the Revs last week and San Jose’s 2-0 loss to the Galaxy, the Fire and their faithful will be extremely disappointed with anything less than a win. Here are a few things to think about come game time:
-The Fire have eight players on their injury report, but none of them are Wilman Conde, who played 90 minutes in last week’s reserve match. Conde, of course, told the media back in February that he wanted out of Chicago but supposedly missed this season’s first two games due to injury concerns. It looks like he’s fit to play, so whether or not he does today will shed some light on what his status with the team is.
- It will also be interesting to see if C.J. Brown and Dasan Robinson make their season debuts (Brown is listed as questionable, Robinson as probable). Brown was appointed team captain heading into this season, but has yet to wear the armband because of a left hip injury.
- Cuauhtemoc Blanco has been in fantastic form over this season’s first two games. He has scored two goals and played a big part in the buildup of the Fire’s other three tallies this season. It will be interesting to see what the Fire get out of Justin Mapp today, however. He only saw 60 minutes or so in the Fire’s opener against RSL, but flourished last week against a ten man New England side. It was his great ball that Chad Barrett slotted home to open the scoring, and he later drew a (soft) penalty after getting behind the Revolution back line. Mapp looked the best that he has since the beginning of last season, and I thought he benefited from the attacking freedom that head coach Denis Hamlett allowed him after Jeff Larentowicz’s sending off. With Gonzalo Segares frequently getting up the wing from his position at left back – and doing so with great effect – Mapp was free to roam wherever he pleased in attack. We’ve seen over the last few seasons what a dangerous passer Mapp is when he’s located in a more central position and with him and Blanco in midfield our forwards should get great service. Two weeks ago, on the road against Real Salt Lake, Hamlett pulled Mapp after 60 minutes to give the team a more defensive look and probably regretted his decision after Salt Lake went ahead late. We’re on the road again today, so it will be interesting to see how Hamlett employs Mapp, and what type of form the former MLS Best XI selection is in. By the way, Mapp is the only player on either team who appeared in the 2003 MLS final – he came on as a late substitute in that match.
- Chad Barrett and Tomasz Frankowski figure to start today after the way they played in last week’s drubbing of New England. Both players' forms seemed to be at an all time high (okay Frankowski has only been here for a few weeks, but still) so it will be interesting to see whether the good performances continue today. Fire fans are certainly all hoping that these two don’t revert to their old ways. They should have plenty of chances against a mediocre San Jose back line, but Earthquakes keeper Joe Cannon has been known to frustrate attackers so it could be an interesting afternoon.
- The Fire and general manager John Guppy have parted ways. Guppy hasn’t been very popular with fans over the last couple of years but he has also been responsible for bringing in a number of great players – most notably Cuauhtemoc Blanco. Still, fans have complained about a number of bad signings made while Guppy was in charge (does Pascal Bedrossian ring a bell?), the fact that we’ve gone since Andy Williams' departure a couple years ago without a true right midfielder, and the fact that Guppy lost head coach Juan Carlos Osorio to the New York Red Bulls this off-season. All in all, I don’t think that any fans are going to be too disappointed by Guppy’s departure.
The Fire hold a 9-6-7 record against that side, but this year’s edition looks even less dangerous. Given the Fire’s 4-0 demolition of the Revs last week and San Jose’s 2-0 loss to the Galaxy, the Fire and their faithful will be extremely disappointed with anything less than a win. Here are a few things to think about come game time:
-The Fire have eight players on their injury report, but none of them are Wilman Conde, who played 90 minutes in last week’s reserve match. Conde, of course, told the media back in February that he wanted out of Chicago but supposedly missed this season’s first two games due to injury concerns. It looks like he’s fit to play, so whether or not he does today will shed some light on what his status with the team is.
- It will also be interesting to see if C.J. Brown and Dasan Robinson make their season debuts (Brown is listed as questionable, Robinson as probable). Brown was appointed team captain heading into this season, but has yet to wear the armband because of a left hip injury.
- Cuauhtemoc Blanco has been in fantastic form over this season’s first two games. He has scored two goals and played a big part in the buildup of the Fire’s other three tallies this season. It will be interesting to see what the Fire get out of Justin Mapp today, however. He only saw 60 minutes or so in the Fire’s opener against RSL, but flourished last week against a ten man New England side. It was his great ball that Chad Barrett slotted home to open the scoring, and he later drew a (soft) penalty after getting behind the Revolution back line. Mapp looked the best that he has since the beginning of last season, and I thought he benefited from the attacking freedom that head coach Denis Hamlett allowed him after Jeff Larentowicz’s sending off. With Gonzalo Segares frequently getting up the wing from his position at left back – and doing so with great effect – Mapp was free to roam wherever he pleased in attack. We’ve seen over the last few seasons what a dangerous passer Mapp is when he’s located in a more central position and with him and Blanco in midfield our forwards should get great service. Two weeks ago, on the road against Real Salt Lake, Hamlett pulled Mapp after 60 minutes to give the team a more defensive look and probably regretted his decision after Salt Lake went ahead late. We’re on the road again today, so it will be interesting to see how Hamlett employs Mapp, and what type of form the former MLS Best XI selection is in. By the way, Mapp is the only player on either team who appeared in the 2003 MLS final – he came on as a late substitute in that match.
- Chad Barrett and Tomasz Frankowski figure to start today after the way they played in last week’s drubbing of New England. Both players' forms seemed to be at an all time high (okay Frankowski has only been here for a few weeks, but still) so it will be interesting to see whether the good performances continue today. Fire fans are certainly all hoping that these two don’t revert to their old ways. They should have plenty of chances against a mediocre San Jose back line, but Earthquakes keeper Joe Cannon has been known to frustrate attackers so it could be an interesting afternoon.
- The Fire and general manager John Guppy have parted ways. Guppy hasn’t been very popular with fans over the last couple of years but he has also been responsible for bringing in a number of great players – most notably Cuauhtemoc Blanco. Still, fans have complained about a number of bad signings made while Guppy was in charge (does Pascal Bedrossian ring a bell?), the fact that we’ve gone since Andy Williams' departure a couple years ago without a true right midfielder, and the fact that Guppy lost head coach Juan Carlos Osorio to the New York Red Bulls this off-season. All in all, I don’t think that any fans are going to be too disappointed by Guppy’s departure.
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Fire forwards need to build on performance against Revs
While the Revolution will probably look to forget about Thursday night’s match and move on, the Fire gained more momentum in just one game than I would’ve thought possible. Chad Barrett, who notched the game’s opening goal and later added an assist, was probably flying the highest of any member of the team after the win. His fourth minute tally came on an excellent left footed finish and the match may have played out entirely differently had he not delivered on that chance. That goal, combined with Tomasz Frankowski’s brace, is very encouraging considering that perhaps the team’s biggest concern heading into this season was whether or not our forwards could produce goals consistently.
For me, however, that question is still a serious concern and I think that the jury is still out on the forward partnership of Barrett and Frankowski. After all, Barrett is still better known for squandering quality chances than he is for scoring goals, and even Thursday night’s performance won’t make fans forget the truckloads of opportunities he wasted last season. I still think that his touch is mediocre for a starting forward in MLS (although it was much better than normal against New England), and it shouldn’t be ignored that he never even looked like troubling Real Salt Lake’s defense in week one.
With that said, I have never seen Barrett play as well as he did Thursday night. When you consider that in his four most recent games dating back to last year he has scored two superb goals (his other one was a great left footed finish in the second leg against DC), I would at least say that things are looking up for the guy.
Actually, in my opinion the most important aspect of Thursday night’s win was not that Barrett played as well as he did. Instead, I would argue that the amount of confidence that he can take away from the win over New England may turn out to be the most important outcome from this match. Barrett has been widely regarded as a player possessing loads of untapped potential, so hopefully the confidence he takes away from this game will allow him to elevate his performance to the level he showed Thursday with much more consistency as the season goes on. If he doesn’t, look for Chris Rolfe or Andy Herron to see a lot of starting time up top.
I also think that after two games it’s too early to judge Frankowski. Scoring two goals over the first two games of the season is impressive, but his first finish was just the tap in of a messy goal-mouth scramble. His second goal was much better – he delivered an excellent ball to pick out Barrett in the box and then made an intelligent run to coolly slot home the resulting cross – but aside from those two moments, the Fire’s biggest off-season acquisition has been nearly invisible over two matches. Overall, Frankowski’s performance on Thursday was a solid one, but I still don’t know whether Fire fans should expect him to perform consistently game in and game out over the course of the season. Only time will tell.
For me, however, that question is still a serious concern and I think that the jury is still out on the forward partnership of Barrett and Frankowski. After all, Barrett is still better known for squandering quality chances than he is for scoring goals, and even Thursday night’s performance won’t make fans forget the truckloads of opportunities he wasted last season. I still think that his touch is mediocre for a starting forward in MLS (although it was much better than normal against New England), and it shouldn’t be ignored that he never even looked like troubling Real Salt Lake’s defense in week one.
With that said, I have never seen Barrett play as well as he did Thursday night. When you consider that in his four most recent games dating back to last year he has scored two superb goals (his other one was a great left footed finish in the second leg against DC), I would at least say that things are looking up for the guy.
Actually, in my opinion the most important aspect of Thursday night’s win was not that Barrett played as well as he did. Instead, I would argue that the amount of confidence that he can take away from the win over New England may turn out to be the most important outcome from this match. Barrett has been widely regarded as a player possessing loads of untapped potential, so hopefully the confidence he takes away from this game will allow him to elevate his performance to the level he showed Thursday with much more consistency as the season goes on. If he doesn’t, look for Chris Rolfe or Andy Herron to see a lot of starting time up top.
I also think that after two games it’s too early to judge Frankowski. Scoring two goals over the first two games of the season is impressive, but his first finish was just the tap in of a messy goal-mouth scramble. His second goal was much better – he delivered an excellent ball to pick out Barrett in the box and then made an intelligent run to coolly slot home the resulting cross – but aside from those two moments, the Fire’s biggest off-season acquisition has been nearly invisible over two matches. Overall, Frankowski’s performance on Thursday was a solid one, but I still don’t know whether Fire fans should expect him to perform consistently game in and game out over the course of the season. Only time will tell.
Forwards shine as Fire beat Revs 4-0
Well another Chicago Fire home opener is in the books, and Thursday night’s demolition of the New England Revolution made the 2008 edition one for the ages. The Fire struck early and often in a dominating and extremely sharp performance, and to beat the team who knocked us out of the playoffs last fall by four goals was supremely gratifying for the Chicago faithful. Without question, our supporters should be very excited by how the team performed and I am sure that all of us will remember this win for a long time.
The biggest heroes of Thursday night were probably forwards Chad Barrett and Tomasz Frankowski, who combined for three goals and an assist between the two of them. Cuauhtemoc Blanco also had an excellent night and extended his scoring streak to two games by converting on a 37th minute penalty kick. Justin Mapp and Gonzalo Segares were two more players who showed particularly well, and their work down the left wing gave New England fits all night.
The Fire were dealt a dream hand when the Revolution’s Jeff Larentowicz was sent off after only seven minutes and with his team already trailing by a goal to nil. Larentowicz’s tackle of Fire defender Brandon Prideaux was reckless to be sure, but the sending off was ultimately a very harsh decision.
Nevertheless, Chicago deserves a ton of credit for taking full advantage of the opportunity they were presented with. Even with the Revs down a man, leading 4-0 by halftime is no small feat and head coach Denis Hamlett deserves credit for having the guts to start five out and out attackers (although it was lucky that the red card played right into his hands). Furthermore, the team displayed impressive organization and great energy, and this combination was simply too much for a New England side lacking in resources to overcome.
I’ll have a few more posts with analysis from the match up soon, however considering how many topics there are from Thursday to cover, I thought it would be easier to break them up into different posts.
Scoring Summary:
CHI -- Chad Barrett 1 (Justin Mapp 1) 4
CHI -- Tomasz Frankowski 1 (unassisted) 22
CHI -- Cuauhtemoc Blanco 2 (penalty kick) 37
CHI -- Tomasz Frankowski 2 (Chad Barrett 1, Cuauhtemoc Blanco 1) 39
Misconduct Summary: NE -- Jeff Larentowicz (ejection; Serious Foul Play) 7
NE -- Shalrie Joseph (caution; Dissent) 7
CHI -- Justin Mapp (caution; Reckless Foul) 17
NE -- Kenny Mansally (caution; Tackle from Behind) 23
CHI -- Chad Barrett (caution; Dissent) 50
CHI -- Diego Gutierrez (caution; Delaying a Restart) 89
Referee: Baldomero Toledo
Referee's Assistants: Rob Fereday; Jason Cullum
4th official: Ricardo Salazar
time of game: 1:43
attendance: 15,553
weather: Rain -and- 40 degrees
The biggest heroes of Thursday night were probably forwards Chad Barrett and Tomasz Frankowski, who combined for three goals and an assist between the two of them. Cuauhtemoc Blanco also had an excellent night and extended his scoring streak to two games by converting on a 37th minute penalty kick. Justin Mapp and Gonzalo Segares were two more players who showed particularly well, and their work down the left wing gave New England fits all night.
The Fire were dealt a dream hand when the Revolution’s Jeff Larentowicz was sent off after only seven minutes and with his team already trailing by a goal to nil. Larentowicz’s tackle of Fire defender Brandon Prideaux was reckless to be sure, but the sending off was ultimately a very harsh decision.
Nevertheless, Chicago deserves a ton of credit for taking full advantage of the opportunity they were presented with. Even with the Revs down a man, leading 4-0 by halftime is no small feat and head coach Denis Hamlett deserves credit for having the guts to start five out and out attackers (although it was lucky that the red card played right into his hands). Furthermore, the team displayed impressive organization and great energy, and this combination was simply too much for a New England side lacking in resources to overcome.
I’ll have a few more posts with analysis from the match up soon, however considering how many topics there are from Thursday to cover, I thought it would be easier to break them up into different posts.
Scoring Summary:
CHI -- Chad Barrett 1 (Justin Mapp 1) 4
CHI -- Tomasz Frankowski 1 (unassisted) 22
CHI -- Cuauhtemoc Blanco 2 (penalty kick) 37
CHI -- Tomasz Frankowski 2 (Chad Barrett 1, Cuauhtemoc Blanco 1) 39
Misconduct Summary: NE -- Jeff Larentowicz (ejection; Serious Foul Play) 7
NE -- Shalrie Joseph (caution; Dissent) 7
CHI -- Justin Mapp (caution; Reckless Foul) 17
NE -- Kenny Mansally (caution; Tackle from Behind) 23
CHI -- Chad Barrett (caution; Dissent) 50
CHI -- Diego Gutierrez (caution; Delaying a Restart) 89
Referee: Baldomero Toledo
Referee's Assistants: Rob Fereday; Jason Cullum
4th official: Ricardo Salazar
time of game: 1:43
attendance: 15,553
weather: Rain -and- 40 degrees
Sunday, April 6, 2008
My First Writing Sample
Okay, so for the writing job I applied to this summer I at least made the first cut, and at that point they asked me for a writing sample. The directions were to write why I'm looking forward to this season in 250-500 words. My submission was apparently not good enough to land me the position, but I still thought that I would post it here to be read by anyone who is interested. Future posts will have a lot more to do with the team and be a lot less about me, but I since I already have this written I figured I might as well put it up. I'll also get one up about Thursday night's game soon. Here's my writing sample:
While spring hasn’t quite sprung here in the Midwest, the longest off-season in professional soccer has finally come and gone. As a diehard of the Chicago Fire, it’s safe to say that I could not be more excited that the MLS season is finally here.
MLS brings a passion, an excitement, and an incredible amount of emotion to my life that few other things can. After four months of daydreaming about evenings spent at Toyota Park and goals scored by Chris Rolfe, the wait is over and that excitement is finally back.
It comes with the territory that I live vicariously through the Chicago Fire – the club is a huge part of my life whether MLS is in season or not – and I cannot wait to experience the range of emotions that come standard with the inevitable plot twists of any MLS season.
I’m looking forward to this season, because I’m looking forward to the unimaginable thrill that I experience when the Fire score a goal and my friends and I jump around the living room hugging and pumping our fists as though we had just scored ourselves. I’m looking forward to this season, because I can’t wait for the experience of standing in section 8 for home matches, and of finishing the game completely soaked in beer and with my voice totally gone as if I had just been to a rock concert. I’m looking forward to this season because I still love the feeling that I get when I wake up on the day of an important match as excited as an eight year old on Christmas morning – even though that also means that I usually can’t sleep the night before. I’m looking forward to the season because I can’t wait for the next time that my stomach is in my throat the way it was every time David Beckham swerved a ball into our six yard box when we needed a result against LA on the final day of the season last October.
I’m also excited for the season, because I can’t wait to experience the drama and the ups and downs of another campaign. I can’t wait to learn the answers to the questions that other Fire fans and I have been mulling over in our heads for months. Will Blanco, in his first full season in the league, be the same magician we saw last term, or should we be worried about a Yourie Djorkaef like dive in form? Can Denis Hamlett push the right buttons in his first season as an MLS head coach? Can Rolfe and Mapp stay healthy for an entire season, and can Mapp regain the scintillating form that made him an MLS Best XI selection in 2006? Can our forwards produce up front, and will the team’s lack of depth elsewhere catch up with it? I certainly have opinions on all of these issues, and I cannot wait to see how these questions will be answered.
There’s so much more I could say about the club, and about the euphoria I feel now that the season is finally here, but there’s one thing that has me looking forward to this season above all else: this could be the year we finally win another MLS Cup.
While spring hasn’t quite sprung here in the Midwest, the longest off-season in professional soccer has finally come and gone. As a diehard of the Chicago Fire, it’s safe to say that I could not be more excited that the MLS season is finally here.
MLS brings a passion, an excitement, and an incredible amount of emotion to my life that few other things can. After four months of daydreaming about evenings spent at Toyota Park and goals scored by Chris Rolfe, the wait is over and that excitement is finally back.
It comes with the territory that I live vicariously through the Chicago Fire – the club is a huge part of my life whether MLS is in season or not – and I cannot wait to experience the range of emotions that come standard with the inevitable plot twists of any MLS season.
I’m looking forward to this season, because I’m looking forward to the unimaginable thrill that I experience when the Fire score a goal and my friends and I jump around the living room hugging and pumping our fists as though we had just scored ourselves. I’m looking forward to this season, because I can’t wait for the experience of standing in section 8 for home matches, and of finishing the game completely soaked in beer and with my voice totally gone as if I had just been to a rock concert. I’m looking forward to this season because I still love the feeling that I get when I wake up on the day of an important match as excited as an eight year old on Christmas morning – even though that also means that I usually can’t sleep the night before. I’m looking forward to the season because I can’t wait for the next time that my stomach is in my throat the way it was every time David Beckham swerved a ball into our six yard box when we needed a result against LA on the final day of the season last October.
I’m also excited for the season, because I can’t wait to experience the drama and the ups and downs of another campaign. I can’t wait to learn the answers to the questions that other Fire fans and I have been mulling over in our heads for months. Will Blanco, in his first full season in the league, be the same magician we saw last term, or should we be worried about a Yourie Djorkaef like dive in form? Can Denis Hamlett push the right buttons in his first season as an MLS head coach? Can Rolfe and Mapp stay healthy for an entire season, and can Mapp regain the scintillating form that made him an MLS Best XI selection in 2006? Can our forwards produce up front, and will the team’s lack of depth elsewhere catch up with it? I certainly have opinions on all of these issues, and I cannot wait to see how these questions will be answered.
There’s so much more I could say about the club, and about the euphoria I feel now that the season is finally here, but there’s one thing that has me looking forward to this season above all else: this could be the year we finally win another MLS Cup.
Fire Til I Die
Well, for any of you who know me at all well, you know what a big part of my life is devoted to soccer, and in particular the Chicago Fire.
I applied for a job writing about the Fire this summer and didn’t get it, so I’ve decided to make my own blog dedicated to the Chicago Fire instead. I’m not a professional journalist, and I don’t have access to any information about the club that can’t also be found in newspapers or online. With that being said, there really aren’t very many places to go to online for opinions and analysis on Major League Soccer and its teams, so I’m hoping that soccer fans out there will enjoy reading this blog. Plus, I think this will be a good opportunity for me to practice writing about something that I love and at least have a body of written work to show people. I’d love to have the opportunity to someday have a job with or related to MLS.
I probably will not be updating this blog daily but I will be hoping to at least get a post up giving my thoughts on every game. I’ll also be commenting from time to time on the United States national team, and anything else that I want to that comes up in the world of soccer. There are a lot of places to go to though for opinions on stuff like that, so the bulk of what I post will probably be about the Fire.
Anyway, I appreciate everyone reading this blog; please feel free to post any comments or questions and please check back for more updates.
- Kev
I applied for a job writing about the Fire this summer and didn’t get it, so I’ve decided to make my own blog dedicated to the Chicago Fire instead. I’m not a professional journalist, and I don’t have access to any information about the club that can’t also be found in newspapers or online. With that being said, there really aren’t very many places to go to online for opinions and analysis on Major League Soccer and its teams, so I’m hoping that soccer fans out there will enjoy reading this blog. Plus, I think this will be a good opportunity for me to practice writing about something that I love and at least have a body of written work to show people. I’d love to have the opportunity to someday have a job with or related to MLS.
I probably will not be updating this blog daily but I will be hoping to at least get a post up giving my thoughts on every game. I’ll also be commenting from time to time on the United States national team, and anything else that I want to that comes up in the world of soccer. There are a lot of places to go to though for opinions on stuff like that, so the bulk of what I post will probably be about the Fire.
Anyway, I appreciate everyone reading this blog; please feel free to post any comments or questions and please check back for more updates.
- Kev
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