Fire at the quarter-pole
By: Sean |
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…and into the first corner goes the pack … the Crew, yellow livery gleaming, a full length now on the Fire, who are nudged by the horse in orange and stumble slightly …
One-fourth of the season is in the can. The shape of the team has become much clearer, too. This is a hard-working team, a team that values passion and effort, which delights me to no end. As much as I love Chris Rolfe, there’s a world of difference between his workrate and that of the English-groomed Jon Thorrington; and it’s Thorrington who’s symbolic of the first quarter of this season.
(Please note this isn’t a dis on Rolfe. He just isn’t a guy you’d ask to hound the ball all game, every game, and expect it to happen. His gift is clarity in the moment, quickness, [=anticipation, doing something surprising – all tough to pull off when you’re completely gassed. And Rolfe’s gift isn’t stamina, so he’d be gassed.)
Thorrington has found his feet, at long last, in a first-team side with the Fire. Thorrington adds a robust physicality to Chicago’s midfield. He can run all day, press the ball up top, still make the tackle against the opposing left winger. He’s not the flashiest midfielder in MLS, but he does have a good first touch, good pace, and great technique. The guy can play. If he can stay healthy, I hope we keep him around a nice, long time.
There’s also great news at the defensive end of the field. Bakary Soumare is just the Truth in the middle of defense – the touch that looked a little awkward in midfield is silky-smooth in the penalty area. And his strength, size, pace and aggressiveness all speak to a player who’s going to cash much larger checks in the not-too-distant future. Denis Hamlett has wisely spot-welded the retirement-bound but still brilliant football brain of Diego Gutierrez to the young Malian in central defense, creating the least likely dominant central defense tandem in the league.
Then there’s Jon Busch, whom I shamefully assumed was headed for the scrap pile. Apparently 45 (or so) knee injuries in three seasons turned Busch from a gifted keeper into the Zen Master, able to organize two defensive midfielders into the best centerback tandem in the league. There’s something to be said for visualizing the game, I guess.
I’m still not sold on Brandon Prideaux at right back, but Gonzalo Segares, extrapolating his current form, is the best left back in the short history of MLS. Yeah, I said it. He was very good before, but the kid has taken a leap forward this year. If one’s strategy for beating Chicago involves anything from the right flank, forget it.
Logan Pause has outworked his deficiencies as midfield terrier, but rumors of a massive Paraguayan in the wings, as well as the peripatetic cryin’-towel magnate Wilman Conde, will certainly encourage young Mr. Pause to keep bringing it. It’s not hard to imagine Conde or Marmol sliding into that holding mid slot and improving the team.
And then there’s the coach. Denis Hamlett had absolutely no confidence from me when the season began. If the Fire were 2-1-5 instead of 5-1-2 right now, I’d be calling for his head. Here’s the thing, though: Successful coaches get there by being … y’know … successful. And Mr. Hamlett has won on several of his bets going into this season – the Soumare/Guti centerback tandem, Barrett’s tireless workrate up front, Pause in that holding mid slot, Conde on the bench. I’m not sure what his guiding principle is, and in some ways I’m glad it’s not readily apparent. Color me very optimistic about Hamlett.
There’s more to ponder at this juncture of the season, but it’s not all so positive. Let’s simmer on the upside for the time being, eh?
Category: Team News
So, about those guys in orange …
By: Sean | Add Comments
Welcome back, everyone. Since last we left our heroes, the Fire have risen in the MLS consciousness from ‘Blanco’s team’ to ‘Uh-oh.’ The defense looked impregnable, the midfield was working somehow, and going forward we’d create 6 to 8 fantastic chances a game.
Then came the Dyna-DynaDynamo-Dynamo, who administered a sharp lesson in championship grit: While Señor White wandered around the field berating a first-time MLS ref for 30 minutes, Houston buckled down. Meanwhile, the Fire just looked disinterested.
That the Dynamo were sharp enough mentally after 82 minutes to spontaneously get forward for a quick restart shows the kind of grit I’m talking about. Forcing yourself to concentrate isn’t easy, and it’s only learned by doing. By the time Boswell knocked it in, I had the feeling the boys in red were thinking as much about the official and Blanco’s reactions to him as the game actually being played.
A disturbing way to lose a game, to be sure, but it could be important. Can the Fire learn the habit of concentration? Can Blanco intuit when he’s not helping, and will he care? This is a season with everything on the table. No trophy is out of reach. Now what?
Category: Team NewsI defeat Bret Michaels in the metaphor Olympiad
By: Sean | 1 Comment
Bret Michaels once noted that every rose has its thorn … and he’s gone on to note it every day since, several times. All it’s gotten him is millions of dollars and a show on MTV where hookers compete for his affection. Loser. I’m going to best Mr. Michaels by using this ‘every rose has its thorn’ metaphor to describe the downward signs in an otherwise delightful 3-0 road win. Yippee! Victory is mine, eternally!
So, yeah, about the thorns in this here rose…
- Can someone give Justin Mapp a little shake for me? Please? Because I think he’s sleeeeeeeepy. Either that, or he’s bogarting the pre-game peace pipe. I think it’s time for an intervention. Here, I’ll start: Justin, you’ve been called up to the nats … and you’ve had moments of genius … but this year you look like anyone you can’t easily outrun is going to embarrass you. This is a contract year, Justin! And, y’know, your friggin’ life! How about playing like it means something to you?
- I have to wonder about Wilman Conde’s injury. He didn’t accompany the team to Boston, but he was listed as ‘probable.’ Is there a trade in the works, or is there further off-field turbulence? Ideally, in my view, I’d like Conde playing his heart out in a Fire uniform.
- Chad Barrett, for all his effort, simply gaks too often in sight of goal for a professional football team to accept. If he could credibly play another position, a lá Chris Albright, I’d move him in a heartbeat, because his drive and team ethic are fantastic. But, gosh, being a forward means sticking the ball in the net. And Chad looks like a guy who just isn’t going to do that with any regularity.
I really, really hope these problems get solved. I mean, a motivated Mapp who actually grows his game beyond the 2005 Mapp move of poke-it-past-the-defender-and-sprint-by-on-the-other-side would be incredible for this team. And a dangerous third forward to join Rolfe and Frankowski in the rota would be incredible – Patrick Nyarko, are you out there?
Category: Team NewsAn embarrassment of riches
By: Sean | Add Comments
There’s always that moment during a game when I think to myself, “That’s it,” putting a marker down on the isolated eyeblink that swung the game, or was emblematic of the situation that decided it. And then, yesterday, I kept thinking it, over and over again. Frustrating.
The Fire, at this point, look like a team rounding impressively into form. And so I’ve got a sort of blessing of riches, but it’s only a sort of a blessing – I’m delighted the team’s doing well, but if they could do well in a less complex way, it’d sure be easier to pick out the bits to talk about. So, Fire … uhh, y’know what? Never mind.
Keep doing what you’re doing. I’ll find a way to cope.
- Amazing how much more robust the midfield looks when it’s populated by midfielders. Thorrington was magnificent for virtually the entire match. Whatever was keeping him tethered to be bench seems to be behind him, because his touch, strength, work-rate and passing were absolutely first-rate.
- If anyone needs reminding why Chris Rolfe has been called up to so many national-team camps in the last couple of years, look no further than the game’s first goal. Sure, the marking was lax, but part of that is due to his astute movement before the ball came in; and that shot? I’m guessing the list of US forwards who could get that shot off that quickly includes Rolfe and Landon Donovan, and that’s it. (This is yet another reason to jump up and down about Thorrington, because his ascension frees Rolfe to play his true position.)
- Initially I was pretty weirded out by the pairing of Gutierrez and Soumare in central defense. I mean, really, starting both last year’s d-mids there? But they’re really evolving into an interesting partnership. I’m guessing this is largely due to the frankly incredible growth of Soumare on the job. Watch yesterday’s game again, this time drinking every time our gigantic Malian snuffs out a promising sequence, and you’ll be lucky if you don’t pass out before the game’s over. Gutierrez has been fantastic as well, positive and intelligent.
- I’ve been skeptical of Jon Busch in large part because I assumed he’d be very, very rusty, given the amount of rehab and bench time he’s dealt with in the last few years. But his positioning and leadership have been fantastic; the few decent shots New England managed were played perfectly by Busch.
- I think Gonzalo Segares officially owns Wells Thompson now. I’m not sure how I should feel about this, morally, but I feel compelled to note it. At least Wells has Sainey Nyassi to keep him company (because Segares has owned him since the earlier game at Toyota Park).
- I have my problems with Chad Barrett up top. I’ll get into that later. But Chad does bring some things to the table that matter. Yes, I’m talking about work-rate and defense. I know, I know, forwards are paid to score, but sometimes, against a solid team like New England, a team that is quite capable of establishing a rhythm that is difficult to counter, sometimes it’s just as valuable to keep their backs from playing out comfortably. And that’s something that having Barrett in the game guarantees – exiting from the back will not be a simple matter. He’ll work you right into the friggin’ ground.
- There’s this Blanco guy in the middle of the pitch. He’s good too.
It’s good times to support the Fire. Not only are we playing well, but the results are coming, and their looks to be some talent still in reserve – Conde and Frankowski missed this with injuries, Marmol still doesn’t have his paperwork, King was strong in reserve minutes, Calen Carr is just waiting for a chance, and you just know Dasan Robinson is gonna solve whatever’s got him on the bench.
Good times, but still a long way to go. Dale Fire!
Category: Team News3-0 stops wee Stevie’s whining
By: Sean | 1 Comment
Now, after a month of wondering, we know the answer to Steve Nicol’s week 2 puzzler: How would the Revs do against the Fire, at even strength, without the subtle favor that home-field lends, without that terribly unjust and egregiously over-reaching *sob* red card? How much of the 4-0 thrashing did those factors account for?
Now we know. One goal. Play the game over, 11 v. 11, no meany-pants official waving red cards – this time give the Revs home field! Why not? And … heh. Heh-heh.
It’s never too soon to see this video again.
Category: Team NewsYeah, baby … yeah!
By: Sean | 1 Comment
In a parity league, it’s good to be the best above-average team.
MLS is all about parity, as they attempt to learn from the NASL. (Ever notice how the money men take the crudest lessons? Would it be too much to say “growing the sport entire should be the primary focus” as an adjunct to “a rising tide raises all boats”? Ehh well.)
The Fire are neither the best team in the league - that’d be the Crew, who’ve collected 15 points out of 18 - nor the worst. They’re the best of the rest, which is where to be at this point of the season, imo. They’ve only had one ridiculous anomaly to start the season: Thorrington has been healthy and exceptional.
Anyway, I’m encouraged. I’d love to go into greater detail, but my wife just challenged me to avoid ‘mak[ing] me punk you out’ on Rock Band. My manhood requires I respond. I hope you understand …
Category: Team NewsTonight, the Revs; tomorrow, tba
By: Sean | 1 Comment
Ok, finally that ‘opening month’ thing is behind us. It’s likely the next couple of weeks will either expose the Fire as a team with some growing to do, or reveal a group ready to challenge for league supremacy.
Since losing to NobodyBeatsTheWiz, though, the Fire have had a couple of decent weeks off the field. The Lider Marmol saga was resolved to everyone’s satisfaction – except for RedBull Nation, natch, but more on that later – although he does not apparently have his work visa for today’s game. Chris Rolfe’s ankle is healing. Word on the street is that Wilman Conde has sold his crying towel business interest to his once and future hermano, Juan Carlos Osorio.
And yet, and yet, and yet … this game is a land-mine. The Revs got embarrassed by us on week 2, on national TV, no less, and Steve Nicol has craftily molded the humiliation of 4-nil into a shoulder-chip the size of Plymouth Rock. What’s more important, in my mind, is the likely return of Steve Ralston in the middle of the formation for the Revs. Ralston’s game is ripe for a late-career wise-old-man makeover, a la Ryan Giggs.
Oops! Where did that come from?
I can’t wait.
Category: Team News‘Fire exist!’ and other hopeful signs
By: Sean | 1 Comment
Another week goes past, and once again I’ve seen virtually every moment of MLS action save the Fire. I’m beginning to suspect that I’m trapped in Philip K. Dick story – not one he could sell, mind, not even now that his used tissues could be optioned for the big screen. The Fire still are extant, right? This isn’t some kind of existential joke?
Anyway, word on the street is that John Thorrington finally, finally, finally staked a claim to the right midfield slot with a couple of goals in the second half. And the people said ‘Lawd, lawd, how long in the desert’ … or something.
This fact – combined with Chad Barrett’s rediscovery of his near-total Chad Barrett-ness, and Chris Rolfe’s soon-to-be-ready ankle – should finally see the Blanco-Frankowski-Rolfe triangle up front the Fire. Now that we’ve seen a bit from Frankowski, I’m guessing he and Rolfe will combine very well indeed.
So 10 points from the first five games is a decent start. It’d be nice to be where Columbus is right now, but the Fire could just as easily be further down the food chain. Blanco stole a point for us at Salt Lake, f’r’instance. May will be a tough month, especially the next two weeks, with road games at New England and D.C.
Next up is the Revs at Foxboro. More later. In any case, I’m just delighted the damned thing is on Direct Kick. Dale Fire!
Category: Team NewsSean no puede conseguir Telemundo
By: Sean | 3 Comments
Hey, let’s get back into the swing of things with some good old-fashioned whining! Yeah! That gets the blood flowin’!
So, yeah. I didn’t get to see Fire v. NobodyBeatsTheWiz because it was on Telemundo, which is inexplicably not available from Charter Communications in my area. Super frustrating.
So I figured I’d make do with the MLSLive.tv picture. It’s small, but it’s there, live. Y’plop down yer 20 beans, and y’gets every durned MLS game out there. (Except the ones on Telemundo, or ESPN, or FSC, or HDNet … heh. Heh-heh. All of them but that.)
Does anyone else see the holes in this deal there? It’s not like this is a full-sized league, with 18 or 20 teams playing a full slate of 8-12 games a week. There’s 14 teams, which means that your basic full slate weighs in at seven games. Now, lop four games per week right off the top for those exclusive deals, and what you have left is … well, let’s just say I’ll probably know the Wizards, RSL and the Crew very, very well by the end of the season.
Sigh.
Category: Team NewsFile under “Oh please, oh please…”
By: Sean | 1 Comment
Tom Dunsmore, the Once and Future King of all Chicago-area football blogs - and proprietor of the fantastic Pitch Invasion - has the goods yet again in this brief piece about the possibility of Peter Wilt moving back into the Fire. The good bits come courtesy of a longer piece by Jay Hipps of Center Line Soccer on his dinner with the great man this weekend.
Short story shorter, it’s possible. Mmmmaybe. Could be. We’ll see.
At the end of the day, though, it’s hard to see how the Fire can fail to improve under the care of either interim GM Javier Leon or Wilt. Leon built a pretty solid foundation for Chivas USA when he was with that club.
And Peter Wilt - I’m going to go out on a limb and say that no one, anywhere, means more to the legacy of the Fire at this point than Wilt. Not Peter Nowak, not Chris Armas, nobody. Peter Wilt understands the way fan support grows organically. He understands the way passion breeds passion. He has a decent eye for talent, both on the pitch and in the office.
And, y’know, he’s one of us. After three years of being told to fuck right the fuck off if we want to know what’s going on, I’m guessing that a Wilt regime would be slightly different. I mean, the guy still has question-and-answer threads going on BigSoccer.
Access, passion, commitment, community - Wilt’s the one who gets it. Let’s hope we’re the ones who get him.
Category: Team News
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