Having lost the past two semi-finals, or conference finals, or whatever you’re calling them, the Fire are entering the post season yet again with the taste of a lot of post season success, turned disappointment in their mouths.

Two years ago, we rocked DC United’s world after they won the Supporter’s Shield, and we snuck in -thanks to Thorny’s 90′-, by dropping them first round only to be taken out by a Taylor Twellman bicycle kick from hell. Then last year, we dropped New England out first round only to be robbed by Columbus in the conference finals by a cruel combination of “simulation” and poor officiating.

Can this year be different? The good news is that the back line is back, literally, just in time. Segares and Conde may be available for battle on Sunday as well as Timmy Ward being back in training. Defensively, the Fire will have some reinforcements and for those who remember the first half of the season, having such a solid backline allowed for a lot of bite from the attack which has been missing with the defense on such shaky ground.

This will also be the last time many wear the Fire shirt. Rolfe and Blanco already have plane tickets booked and that flight, unfortunately, still has a lot of seats open. I expect some big moments from them, especially Rolfe, who will want to leave a stamp on the club that he has fought with for so long.

With all of the problems that New England is dealing with, I don’t think the Fire will have too much trouble disposing of them. The true test will come, yet again, in that damn conference final.

Predictions for the East:
Chicago Fire 3-0 New England
RSL 1-3 Columbus

Conference Final: Chicago v. Columbus

4 points can be made up quickly. If the Revs (currently 3rd in the East) win and tie while the Fire lose two the teams will be tied. However, it is not so simple because the Revs have played 2 fewer games than the Fire, giving them two more opportunities to make up ground.

However if you look deeper into the standings, you will see that it is unlikely for the Fire to slip out of the wildcard spots. For that to happen, DC will need to make up a minimum of 5 points in three games with the Fire not gaining any.

Now looking at the schedule, we play at LA, at New England, and vs Chivas. We are one of the strongest teams on the road, so two opportunities on the road is good for us. We have not had luck against LA this season, and they were sans-Beckham due to a red card when we lost 2-0 at Toyota Park. However, we tied NE at home and beat them away during the Superliga. I think both of these games will be tough, but I am expecting two draws. LA has a good hold of the West but the way they tore us apart at home, it will be more likely we will tie than pull a win. New England will be sprinting out of the gate. Since they are at the bottom of the wildcard teams, they need all the points they can get and especially against a team ahead of them in the same conference. However, we have been playing well against them in recent history so I think we can pull it off. Chivas will also not be that bad of a game. They are fighting for a wildcard spot as well, but they are very weak on the road. I say we pull off a win and therefore adding 5 points to our current 41. This will set us up for a likely second or third place finish in the east, well within the wildcard teams, even unreachable by DC if they win out the season.

No matter the situation, we are most likely to end up playing the Revs in the playoffs. They have kicked us out of the post-season plenty of times, but last year we returned the favor. I think we can do it again and we will likely face the Crew who we have tied all three meetings this year. But I am now getting too far ahead of myself.

Let’s focus one game at a time, but know with just a few points we can surely be in the playoffs once again. Go Fire!

I must admit that I am pretty impressed with Chicago’s performance tonight despite coming away with a point that could have been three. The Fire were able to dominate for the first 70 minutes of play and I was very excited to see some great one-touch play from the youthful squad.

Without Blanco in the line-up, or on the bench because of National team commitments and visa issues, the Fire were able to play at a much faster pace. It was nice to see the ball moving quickly and possession being held, something that the Fire have had to sacrifice for the creativity and game management of Blanco.

The Fire did however get to see the early return of Brian McBride, which brings a huge sigh of relief as the play-offs peak over the horizon. His touches were limited, but made RSL look over their shoulders to mark him.

I thought to myself before the game, self, I really like Chris Rolfe. I will be sad to see him go, but I am very happy that he is the type of player who even though has a contract set elsewhere for next season, he is committed to bringing home a title for Chicago and did he ever. He fought hard and that goal will undoubtedly grab him goal of the week (and if it doesn’t, it should). Calm, cool and classy.

All in all, the Fire played well tonight and hopefully can begin building a run that sees us take the regular season title heading into the play-offs.

More to follow after some sleep and deep thought.

As my colleague Matthew, has punctually stated in his recent article “I Wish I Had A Crystal Ball,” the Fire are on the verge of a possible exodus of players with the question marks and explanation points surrounding the exits and of Blanco, McBride, Rolfe, Pappa, Soumare, Prideaux, Segares, Conde and even Dennis Hamlett.

To avoid having to re-write Matthew’s hard work, lets begin by morning the departure of two of Chicago’s more valuable players. Chris Rolfe and Bakary Soumare, who have followed their Guiding Light to the promised land. Soumare found his way to France’s Ligue 1 by playing well, being a team leader and throwing down in the locker room with his own head coach (that will do it). Chris Rolfe has however, logged the hours, the pain and sweat, and shown that he is an excellent player worthy of Another World. He will be greatly missed.

Yet, there is good to come of this. Chris Rolfe will be leaving to join Aalborg of the Danish Superliga. Yes, the same Aalborg who played Champions League football last season, butting heads with the likes of Manchester United, Villarreal and Celtic in the group stage. The Danes have been good to American players and Chris Rolfe will throw his hat, or maybe in his case his gloves, into the exciting world of young American players to follow in Europe. Maybe this will boost up his national team profile as well! Who can be sad to see a countryman on the rise?

So what will happen with All Our Children in the off-season? All I know is that I have already started writing drafts of what the Fire will need to do to retain our winning tradition in the next campaign. I may also need to find a therapist to help me throughout the winter as I sit, staring, wondering about our young and our restless.

Soumare to Boulogne, Pappa back to Municipal, Rolfe and Segares contracts are up, Prideaux is retiring, McBride and Blanco are aging and each has a rumor of retiring or moving to Europe or Mexico respectively. With the possible and actual losses to the team, we open up significant cap space, but this also means we will have to bring in half of an entirely new “First Team” to keep our pace. We do have one of the deepest benches in the league, but just because it is deep, doesn’t mean that they can all replace the top class talent that is leaving.

I really want to be optimistic and say that the Fire will be MLS Cup and Supporters Shield contenders each year, but I think next year will be a real test if we lose a majority of the players listed above. However in the linked article, Hamlett said the following:

“We want to win the championship and that’s our focus,” Hamlett said. “We aren’t worried about next year or what’s going to happen in the offseason. I think we have the team to do it, and I don’t think anybody is going to overlook us.”

I think this is blind confidence, not actual sense. Although he also says he thinks there will not be a mass exodus from the team, we are still going to lose key players from key positions. If Blanco does leave, we lose his ability to play great balls to the forwards which has been a major part of our attack. We have done well without McBride, but his dominance always helps up top. Soumare was my favorite and probably the Fire’s best defender which makes me happy to see him getting the recognition he deserves, but I’m sad to see him leave. Pappa has really been a thrill to watch this season; he plays great balls, dribbles well and also has a solid shot. I can see him becoming a more mobile version of Blanco considering he has a long time to develop since he is only 21. Rolfe and Segares solidify both ends of the field, arguably one of the best at each of their positions.

What needs to happen is Hamlett has to find some diamonds in the rough. There really aren’t that many players, well professional soccer players, who are lying in bed dreaming about playing for the Fire. We should have plenty of cap space open, and possibly a DP spot as well. If we can fill all that, we should still be at the top of the table come next year. We also need to start giving the “Second Team” more time in preparation for next season. This has been happening a lot with the massive amount of injuries suffered as of late. Banner has been playing a lot, and well. So has Dimitrov, although he has yet to impress me. Others which fit this category include but are not limited to Hussidic, Lowry, and Washington. The more they play, the better our team can be next year.

However, I think it is very optimistic to think all “Second Team” players will find that extra boost to make it consistently to the “First Team” and find and sign the necessary talent we will need. By no means do I think we will make a NYRB-esque plunge into disgust (HAHA JCO!!), but we do have quite a bit of grounds to make up. Your thoughts?

With only 3 healthy defenders, the Fire entrusted the LB duties to Mike Banner, the second year youngster who weighs maybe a buck-thirty and spends most of his time playing as an attacking midfielder. But Banner was not who I was worried about. The whole back line looked vulnerable.

I was wrong. Maybe it’s because DC has been horrible on the road as of recent but the Fire looked good. Service was excellent coming from Banner in the back who picked out Nyarko numerous times. Between Banner, Nyarko and Rolfe, the Fire were connecting very well and looking mighty threatening. Blanco did his usual of getting the ball, dancing around and losing the ball, but the fire worked well together and I thought that this could be our night to take top of the conference. But just when I thought the sun was smiling down, the reality of no Soumare, Conde, Segares or Ward hit like a ton of bricks as all of the Fire’s efforts were undone by poor marking off a set piece.

I have to admit, I thought the Fire would stage a comeback just like so many this season but the final third was again our Achilles heel. The most frustrating defeats against rivals are when you’ve been the better team all night but still come away with nothing. DC was stubborn defensively and well organized and the Fire just couldn’t put that final ball through or take the shot, and that was the difference between 0-1 and 3-1.

3 things to take from the game:

–Blanco just doesn’t cut it anymore. He had three beautiful looks on goal from dead balls and failed to put a single one on frame. He gave the ball up too easily and left huge holes in the midfield that Pause cannot fill himself.

–More Fire attackers need to play think like Chris Rolfe. Rolfe is the only player on the roster who’s first thought when receiving the ball is taking a shot and will do it! Too often do we try and pass the ball into the net and someone’s got to step up and test from outside the 18.

–Dennis Hamlett needs to think harder about his subs. Dimitrov is not a difference maker. Calen Carr has way more experience, speed and flare needed to spark the offense in the final minutes.

For my first post, I will go over my first two visits to Toyota Park. I live in the Detroit area, but am extremely loyal to the Fire. I try to watch every game, either live or as a rerun. For the last two, I was lucky enough to be at both games live. After quickly reviewing both games, I will get into a preview for tonight’s game against DC.

For the LA game, my two friends and I road-tripped for the night to see the game. The twelve hours of driving was so worth the game even though it was not the best played game. The Fire never really had all that many great attacks. The passing was sub-par. The Beckham-less Galaxy were playing with such confidence. Their passing just tore us apart.

Even though I visit Chicago often, I never seem to be in when the Fire are playing at home. So I took advantage of the $10 tickets for the game against the Rapids. The emotions which surrounded this game were unbelievable. After losing earlier in the week to LA and slowly moving further away from the top of the east, we needed a win. The first half was one to forget, play went back and forth with no goals and few good opportunities. The second half started with a bang, and a bad one. We conceded two goals, but we still were not out of it. The Fire are one of the best late game teams in the MLS. I heard a stat recently that the Fire have more goals after the 75th minute than any team in the MLS.

Blanco’s PK was what really turned the pace around. The Fire started playing with confidence, passing the ball well, taking and making opportunities. The second goal was bouncing around the box until Banner ripped a shot past Pickens. Both teams fought until three minutes into stoppage time and Robinson pounced on a loose ball in front of the net. I screamed and jumped after that goal like a little girl at a Jonas Brothers Concert. It was the definition of an epic match.

My first experiences at Toyota Park were great. I was able to sneak into the extremely lively Section 8 at both games, thanks to no security checks at the section entrance. Standing, screaming and cheering for my team was such a rush. The park is also beautiful! I have made two trips down to Crew Stadium with my friends and it looks like a dump compared to the pristine aura of Toyota Park. It was also great to see all sections involved in the game. I cannot wait to go back.

So what should we take from these games?

-Nyarko needs to work on his ball control. Both games he would be given a nice ball but would lose it so fast because his touch would be too far.
-Never give up. The team never was really in it against LA, but they fought all the way through the final whistle to win the game. It is such a cliche to say, but this is perfect evidence.
-When Blanco plays well, so does the team. This point worries me since we are most likely losing him next season.
-Playing long balls does not fit our style, especially with Nyarko not playing so well. If he had better touch these past two games, we could have easily beaten both teams. Without McBride, we need another style, like getting fouls or on the ground play which led to all three goals against the Rapids.

So what about this weeks game against DC?
-This season we are 0-1-1 against DC. Lets split the series.
-DC is 5th in the East, but still a strong team. However compared to the rest of our schedule, this should be one of our easier games. The Fire play the #1, 3, and 4 of the East and #2 and 3 of the West in the last two months (six games) of the season. With the standings as they are in the East (1 point shy of first place Crew) and having played more games than all other Eastern teams, we need the three points to help us solidify our chances for a playoff berth.
-We are not the strongest team at home, and DC is weak on the road. We need to take advantage of this to solidify our home record.
-DC’s form is not so good. They haven’t won a MLS match since mid-July. Lets keep it that way.
-The Fire players are fragile. There are a lot of injuries, especially on the back line. However, I would argue that the Fire are one of the deepest teams in the league. It is time for our second string to shine. This will be great preparation for next year, considering we probably will be losing some of our best players to retirement or other leagues.
-I watched part of a mid-week game of DC’s against Toluca in the CONCACAF Champions League. They fell apart at home, 3-1 loss. They are likely to come out mad after that, but we can try to take advantage of their misery if we control the game early.
-They are highest scoring team in MLS, which worries me due to the gaps we have in defense.
-The Fire need to stop the long ball play. It has not been working. Bringing the ball down the flanks and passing it into the middle or running straight at them are our best chances to create opportunities.

Prediction: 2-1 Fire
I think that the Fire will score first late in the first half and then DC will equalize near the start of the second, taking advantage of our injury riddled defense, but the Fire will keep fighting for the third goal and get it around 75th minute. I’ll say Rolfe and Pappa are the goal scorers for the Fire and Emilio for DC.

1. Injuries/Suspensions/International Callups
Everyone knows that the Fire have the deepest and most talented squad in the MLS. Even though the Fire have the deepest squad, the step down in quality from the starters to the backups is considerable, especially in the defensive positions. Almost all Fire fans can agree that the Fire’s best starting back 4 is Ward, Conde, Bakay, and Sega. In the Fire’s 14 league games so far this season, that backline has only started together as a unit 7 times. This is a major reason why the Fire have not been as sound defensively as last season. The Fire have been without Blanco, Sega, and Bakay for a total of 7 games this season due to their international callups. Many people forget that Blanco and Rolfe both had very bad virus’s which kept them out for long stretches of the preseason. Both players had very limited minutes in the first 3 or so games of the season because they were not match fit. John Thorrington and Bakay have also missed 1 game apiece this season through suspension. Even with all of the injuries/suspensions/international call up’s DH managed the Fire to their best ever start to a season, the fans must recognize him and give him credit for that, especially when you look at the fact that we have been playing WITHOUT our first choice back 4 for half of the games so far.

2. Hamlett’s Subs
A lot of Fire fans have criticized DH’s subs so far this season. In my opinion, DH has used his subs very effectively and many of the subs have had a huge impact on the game. The Fire’s substitutes have tallied 3 goals and 3 assists so far this season. Earlier in the season, Blanco and especially Rolfe came on late in games and provided an offensive spark. The subs have been responsible for key points on the road such as Chivas, where Nyarko snatched a late equalizer and in Columbus where Rolfe assisted Sega’s tying goal. “Bad subs” cannot be blamed for the Fire’s 3 losses this season. Against Dallas, the Fire were already down 2-0 and soon after the subs came in, the game turned into a lost cause when Dallas scored its 3rd goal. At home to Houston, the Fire were missing 3 of their starting 4 defenders and the substitutes bench read, Stefan Dimitrov, Andrew Dykstra, Austin Washington, Daniel Woolard, Baggio Husidic, Mike Banner and Justin Mapp. Not even the most ardent Hamlett critic can argue that any of those substitutes besides Mapp and maybe Banner (who came in at the 63rd and 77th minute respectively) could have made an impact against a Houston team who have only given up 8 goals all season. And finally in the Fire’s loss to DC last weekend, the Fire’s bench was Andrew Dykstra, Baggio Husidic, Brandon Prideaux, Daniel Woolard, Mike Banner, Stefan Dimitrov, and Justin Mapp. Again, DH had little options with Mapp being the only “impact” player that could have changed the game.

3. The alternatives, a new coach at this point in the season?
My final argument is by far my most important. It is very easy to say that a coach should be fired but the repercussions of that can be extremely detrimental to the team. Let’s say hypothetically that the Fire decide tomorrow to sack DH. Unless the Fire have someone lined up to replace Hamlett, it will take anywhere from 2 weeks to a couple of months to bring in a new coach, thus effectively throwing in the towel on the Fire’s 2009 MLS season. With Blanco and possibly McBride leaving at the end of this season, the Fire cannot afford to do that. Even if the Fire bring a coach with MLS experience it usually takes clubs half a season or more to get adjusted to the new coaches style of play. One only needs to look at LA and their hiring of Bruce Arena to see what im talking about. Arena took over in August of last season with the Galaxy languishing at the bottom end of the table. Arena used the last 2 months of the season to assess his squad and used the offseason to make adjustments. So far, the adjustments have paid off, with the Galaxy sitting comfortably in midtable only losing twice so far this season, and going on a 9 game unbeaten streak. (Yes, LA have only won twice so far this season but a draw is better than a loss as Fire fans know!!). Columbus, the best team of 2008 and the defending champions lost their coach in the offseason. Even with all of their star power, it took them a long time to get adjusted to their new coach, with Columbus not winning their first game this season until their 8th match, 3 months into the season.

Firing Denis at this point in the season would be folly. The team are playing well and I see no need to change our tactics. Almost all of the goals we have given up this season have been down to individual defensive errors that a coach can’t prevent. Tom Soehn, the DC coach was full of praise, for DH’s tactics last match when he said, “I have to compliment Chicago. There are too many times I have said teams try to pack it in, and they did a great job, they came at us. As a fan, you watch the game and it had everything. We’re about making the league better and it was an exciting game to watch.” We have come a long way since the boring defensive 4-5-1 that JCO deployed while he was coach of the Fire. Can you imagine an opposing coach saying what Tom Soehn said about our team while Osorio was in charge? I didn’t think so. I feel disgusted and embarrassed that I have to write this but it needed to be said. It’s time for fans to stop bitching and get behind their team starting with the person who picks that team, the coach. He wants to win a championship more than any of the Fire fans and DH has been with the club well before many of you started watching and supporting them. I can only hope that Fire fans change their 4 word phrase from “Fire Denis Hamlett Now!” to “In Denis We Trust!”