Well, the Fire roar into the second home game of the season. We have 1 point from two games. 1 goal scored, the blistering, amazing (deflected) shot by Herbers. We looked a bit better last week at times...until the two red cards, rash of injuries and, well, Brady doing an impersonation of Richard "dirty" Sanchez from a few years ago (play well at times, very well at times, and then do something 'stupid'... although the goal was not that bad in hindsight). The biggest thing is we don't really have a starting line up tonight. Torres is out injured. Navarro is out injured. Kamara is out due to stupidity. Herbers is out due to extreme stupidity. Shaqiri may be injured. Overlap predicts: ...................Kacper …..MHS........Guti…..Mueller ...........Gaston...Mauri Miggy....Rafa...Carlos..Souquet ....................Brady Here's the sad part, I had to look up who "MHS" (Maren Haile-Selassie), "Mauri" (Mauricio Pineda?) and "Miggy" (Miguel Navarro) were. We did sign a new defender, Alonso Aceves on loan from Liga MX side C.F. Pachuca, but our new Greek sensation has yet to arrive, apparently. In super big news, the FIRE signed an agreement to partner with Curad, to be the “Official Medical Supplier of Chicago Fire FC,” providing first aid and performance-related products for the Club’s first team and Academy. Excellent work Dave Baldwin. "We're proud to partner with CURAD, a fellow Chicagoland company and leader in the healthcare space,” said Chicago Fire FC President of Business Operations Dave Baldwin. “As an organization, ensuring the health and safety of our players is one of our top priorities. This new partnership with CURAD will enhance our ability to provide a high level of medical care to our athletes." They are a local company, headquartered in Northlake, so a good move for the Fire. However, with all of our injuries, we're going to need way more than Band-aids (oops, sorry wrong brand, that would be Curad brand adhesive bandages to you!). Fortunately, they also make masks, topical creams and sports wraps. Too bad they cannot manufacture strikers, as we could really use one at the moment. https://www.chicagofirefc.com/news/chicago-fire-fc-announces-multi-year-partnership-with-curad As for our opponents tonight, FC Cincinnati are 2-0-1 (I give up correctly the W-D-L from the stupid W-L-D) with 7 points. FC Cincinnati are 3-1-0 in four previous meetings in Chicago. On the downside, they have Chris Albright at the helm (and I though Ezra was a weak choice as head coach!). They are lead by Luciano Acosta who has bounced around as a DP for a few years now. Their other DPs are Nwobodo and, in a shock move, 1980's comedian David Brenner! (Oh, wait, that is Brazilian former under-17 player Brenner Souza da Silva). In their short history, they have been very well supported and have been decent. For the three or four of you who like him, Tyler Terens (play-by-play), Devon Kerr (analyst) will be on the Apple TV+ call. Personally, I had no problem with his play calling while he was in Chicago. I will actually be in Chicago this weekend (memorial for my uncle who passed away this week...too bad, he was my favorite relative). However, I saw that the "high" will be 28 and decided to take a pass at going to the match.
As a die-hard fan of this of club since day 0, I too am avoiding the stadium and watching this one at home. Can’t wait til we switch to the Euro calendar to give us even more crappy weather home games! I am not of fan of FCC, or any of the Feds trying to sensor Eminem’s music. How this team has owned us so hard is a mystery to me- I remember watching them beat us in the Open Cup at Revolution Brewing back when they were a damn minor league team, and they haven’t stopped since making MLS. I’ve never been to Cincy, so I can only assume it sucks as a city, the fact that it is in Ohio means that my opinion on the matter is objective, because Ohio sucks. Gutierrez scores two tonight, assists on another, Kacpar scores and we get our first win of the season tonight by the time I’m drunk on Hazy Pitch. Final score: Chicago 4 - Feds 0.
Regarding FC CIN their starting RCB is out due to a RC, so I’d expect us to start the attack ‘testing’ the back up
This is Chicago Bears weather, I think we have little to worry about in terms of a soccer game possibly breaking out. I've been told it's hard to play with a brick on concrete. I'm going to say a Czichos/Teran concussion inducing header to win it 1-0. If we have 10k in attendance I will be mightily impressed.
I’m predicting a Chicago fire clean sheet brought to you by Jeppson’s Malort: those pants aren’t going to shit themselves. 0-0 draw. 11k in attendance
Wonder if this means we might see Wyatt tonight…none of the defenders were on the injury list or mentioned as carrying dings.
Maybe Ezra surprises everyone with an aggressive 3-5(W)-2 to start …………Mueller…Kacper ..MHS…..…...Shaq…….…..Guti ………Gimenez..Pineda …Czichos…Omsberg…Teran and be prepared for shift when Shaq and Kacper sub out… ……………….………VB ……….…..Mueller….Guti….Dean/Missael? ………..,….….Gimenez…Pineda Miggy/DAA?…Czichos..Omsberg..Teran Depending on health of the CDMs I would expect Casas for whoever is dragging and if down by 2 Oregel for Guti to give him minutes before his call up. oh, and my over/under for seated fans is a cynical 10k
Based on ‘a tight thigh’ and it being a frozen tundra, that’s the most likey. But I also see an argument for him warming up, and if feeling ok, he starts and plays 30min…when he ask to come out. And that might be enough, as we have been generating most of our chances in the first 5min of games LOL
The app is showing... ...................Kacper …Mueller.....MHS........Guti ...........Gaston...Mauri Miggy....Rafa...Carlos..Souquet ....................Brady...but I'd be surprised if MHS is playing the 10. Still curious which will play RW.
Omsberg probably comes in early in the second half with Terán carrying a soft yellow. Can’t afford to go down a man again.