Where my Fire at?

By: Sean | February 5th, 2008

If you’re like me, you’ve watched the January wheelings and dealings like kids in a candy shop – with the disappointing proviso that we’re the urchin kids, wearing tattered clothes, dirt on our faces, and no coins to buy the delicious, amazing candy.

“B-b-b-b-but Sean,” you say, tears streaking your adorably grimy cheeks, “we did so well in the draft!”

Yes, we did. Getting Nyarko and King was encouraging. When you spend an entire offseason griping about chances that went begging, and then the premier attacker in the draft falls in your lap – well, that’s nice. But there are still holes aplenty on this roster.

Not that we’re in panic mode yet – far from it. It’s important to remember, especially as DC and Houston ramp up for the Champion’s Cup matches in a couple of weeks, that we’re on a different time table than those teams.

The Fire have until April to get it right. (Failing that, they have until August. Then until November. Then again until April … it’s the circle of life, adapted for MLS, as rendered by a lifelong Cubs fan.) So … where’s the roster again? Where are there holes? What do we have to look forward to and/or complain about?

State of the roster
Before we go any further, I should issue a standard disclaimer. I am not an employee of the Fire, nor do I play one on TV. (If Luis Arroyave’s experience is any guide, just getting them to return my call might be a long-term task.) I’m making guesses based upon what I’ve seen from the players and coaches in the past.

If you’ve got better information, or a different point of view, or you’re one of those folks who can’t sit in class without raising your hand, well, there’s this ‘comment’ feature. It’s for you. Go ahead! Don’t be shy!

Off the top of my head, I put together these potential lineups for a couple of formations. I’m sure there’s some other tactical options out there, but I’ve never seen the Fire play a 4-3-3, much less something exotic like a 3-6-1, so I didn’t go there.

4-4-2
Busch
Robinson – Conde – Brown – Segares
Thorrington/Menezes – Gutierrez – Blanco – Mapp
Rolfe – Nyarko/Carr/Barrett (Frankowski?)

3-5-2
Robinson – Brown – Conde
Menezes – Gutierrez – Pause – Mapp
Blanco
Rolfe – Nyarko/Carr/Barrett (Frankowski?)

Those lineups got you feeling tingly? Here’s the concerns that this exercise has raised for me:

The right side is, as always, a problem, Thorrington’s playoff-clincher notwithstanding. Menezes came on late in the season and challenged for playing time. Carr and Rolfe have taken turns being ‘converted.’ I’m hoping Menezes can get it together here, because he’s got some defensive bite. With Mapp the presumptive starter on the left, another attacking winger on the right would mean our fullbacks will face wide play at every turn.

What’s up up top? I mean, that’s a pile of bodies there, but unless Señor Hamlett is going with some kinda revolutionary formation (thinking of a 3-2-5 here), someone’s going to fall off the pile. Maybe two someones. If I was Chad Barrett, I’d get my agent talking trade. Frankowski and Nyarko aren’t here to cheer for him.

Who’s in the center of defense? Gutierrez will hold everything together playing destroyer, and behind him are … well, Conde, and CJ Brown, I guess. Are any of the younger guys ready for prime time? We’re about to find out. Messrs. Russolillo and Telesford, please step forward.

Two months until the season. Whaddaya think?