I don't know whether to hate Kevin Hatman or respect him. The Fire could have had, conservatively, four goals.
Hartman was big in the second. Two all, final whistle goals, we go away with one point out of the supposed three and keep our no-loss streak.
Once again, the lack of focus by our defense for just a short period of time pulls a victory out of the win column for us. Hartman definitely saved the game for KC. While 2-0-3 isn't bad, it really isn't all that impressive with the talent we have. Kissing your sister, even though it gets you a point, still doesn't do much for your morale.
Remember when Thorrington and Ward and people like that would make dribbling runs through swarms of kc shirts and still have the ball when they got through? Like in the first half? I loved that. Possession got shot to death in the second though. Psht. Nice goals by the Fire! And an appearance from Cuauhtemina! Minutes 22-43 were the Fire not allowing kc to play. It was nice to see.
If one were to choose a defining characteristic of Chicago Fire teams in the last 6 years or so it's a loss of focus leading to late goals that turn draws into losses and wins into draws. I could just see the Fire start to sit back and bunker at about the 75 minute mark, and that familiar feeling of dread started to settle over me. They just started to concede possession, seemingly as a matter of strategy. Hamlett didn't seem too concerned during his post-match interview, though, so I guess this kind of result is ok with him. What the hell, just make the playoffs, right?
Just got back from the game and couldn't wait to vent my anger. In 12 seasons I don't think I've been so disgusted with the fire. In the first half we never looked better, only to choke and play scared late in the game. We dominated play and possesion. Have to give some credit to hartman on a couple world class saves for not letting the fire go up 4-0. Hey Hamlett champions don't choke or play scared.
There's a serious streak of timidity running through Hamlett that I think will prove deadly to the Fire by the end of the season. Did he tell the Fire to shut it down in the last 15 minutes, or is this tendency so ingrained in the players after years of Sarachan/Hamlett coaching that they just can't help it? Also, I know he's a laid-back guy, but it pisses me off to see him so calm in his post-match interview.
What a game- even Blanco was running. Second half, the Fire hustled and pressured and pressured, came close to scoring several times. Then when KC got possession in the last ten minutes, and the ball went back to our half, it was as though the team fell apart. Frustrating- reminded me of that game at Toyota Park against the Revs, when we actually lost the game in stoppage The night was a nice one, rain held off til we were on the way home, but attendance didn't look too hot- 11,000 something?
I'm almost that angry. So so so disappointing. We dominated this game for 75 minutes too bad the defense hit the off switch for the final 15. That said tonight was the first time I've sat (I mean stood) and participated in Section 8 since our move to Toyota Park and of course had a blast. Hopefully my voice will return sometime in the near future. I just hope these 2 dropped points don't come back to bite us come seasons end.
Hey - I know it hurts right now (and no, I'm not here to rub it in). Take solace in the fact that you guys looked beyond dominate for a large majority of the game. The first goal was pure determination by Lopez and, as they say, 2-0 is the most dangerous scoreline to have. The other thing I'd say is - the players will probably look at it as a loss and, hopefully for you, will respond and grow from the experience... yet you still get a point out of the game. Anyway, I wanted to say that you guys did look good - I don't 'see' that very often for the opposition, so the fact that I was appreciating your team's play was a strange thing for me. Good luck to you guys - hopefully you will come in 2nd in the league, immediately after the SS and EC champions, the Wizards
2 "tactical" subs with no "tactical" purpose what so ever. Nyarko should have been taken off at 60 min with someone like Baggio coming in so Blanco can stay forward with McBride. As for this low attendance i can think of 4 things: 1. We're not playing Chivas 2. We're not playing Team Beckham 3. Never had all that many fair weathered fans to begin with 4. Not enough advertising before the season started
Just a question who caused the first Wizards goal! (Can't say his name, because I said I wouldn't rip on him the rest of the season, but we all know who it is. With all the good you guys say of him, let's hear the bad also). Once they scored that goal we were lucky to get out of there with a tie, Kansas City looked dead up until that goal. Blanco had a very good game, but you need to finish on that play. inside the 6 and you sale one over the bar (Was Barrett in that number 10 jersey on that play).
GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!! Where to even start with this one. First, the superfans will crow that "we're undefeated" but the fact is this one was emphatically NOT a point won but two points needlessly pissed away. If we lose home field advantage for the play-offs by two points or less, we'll look back to this game. Dear Denis, soccer games are 90 minutes long. Love, ratdog Actually, trying to bunker on a lead is not just a Denis problem. When will soccer coaches in general ever learn that bunkering is simply letting your opponent back into the game? Look at the CONCACAF Champions League semifinals for two examples that should be put into every coaching class ever. Unless you're Italy and you're sitting on a 6 goal lead versus Andorra with 10 minutes left, don't bunker!!! What the hell has happened to our defense? Didn't these guys used to be good? Busch has to forget all the GOTY accolades from last year and concentrate on playing well this year. And I don't know what to do about the backline. Ward falls over and Sega loses his man and KC scores the first goal and suddenly they're back in the game when they should never have gotten close. There were definitely some cracks visible before the collapse started in the 70th minute but at the end we looked totally and completely unorganized. And Austin Washington showed why he is not ready for prime time yet. He should have scored the winner but was too busy gawking at Rolfe's attempt at the diving header to react when it sailed past. In fact, Washington seems to get beat alot because he's ballwatching. Don't get me wrong, Nyarko is definitely the future at forward. He's got skillz and he's fast and he did do some good things tonight. But damn, his decision-making was piss poor. Passed when he should have shot, consistently passed to the wrong option, shot when he should have passed. Nyarko killed as many of our attacks as KC did. I know the kid's got a learning curve ahead before he's as good as, say, Rolfe was at forward. I just hope we can survive his mistakes this year. The crowd tonight was disappointing. 10K? No excuse for this one. Well, hopefully this will serve as lesson. Hopefully, the players are humiliated by their gutlessness and will vow never to let this happen again. Hopefully, Denis will learn that we play the ball through midlfield and keep Thorrington in front of Pause, we can ********ing well dominate teams. Hopefuly, the team will remember that the game is 90 minutes long and not 75 minutes long.
You can't possibly be suggesting that leaving Blanco on the field would have been a good move. The guy was totally gassed and producing nothing past the 60th minute, unless you count standing 10 yards offsides. Blanco wouldn't have been within 50 yards of the ball when both goals were scored.
Someone needs to come out and grab those weak crosses. But I won't say his name either... but I think he cost us some points tonight.
Great first 20 minutes, but I kind of wish we hadn't scored that 2nd goal so early . . . after that one went in, the team seemed to think they had won the game and could just run out the clock. They let Kansas City back into the game when they should have put in 1 or 2 more in the first half and wrapped up the game. 2nd half started well, but by minute 70 or so, they let up and KC was able to steal a point. Don't get me wrong . . . we were extraordinarily unlucky not to win the game anyway, and Hartman came up huge in the 2nd half, but this is a tie that feels like a loss. Ward again looked excellent at right back, McBride was very good, and Blanco was his usual self. Pappa seemed uninvolved overall to me, but maybe I'm just used to looking for him on the right. I have little doubt after tonight that Nyarko will start on the bench next week in Columbus. Either Rolfe will start in a 4-4-2 or Blanco will play in place of Nyarko as a withdrawn forward in a 4-4-1-1 with Rolfe in the midfield. Nyarko was not bad tonight, but he was pretty indecisive running at goal. The play that stood out for me most was an opportunity in the first couple of minutes with Hartman way out of position (basically leaving the goal wide open) that I have a feeling Rolfe would have buried. Nyarko held the ball up and passed it off. I'm horribly disappointed in the loss (I know it was a tie, but that's not what it feels like), but I liked the starting lineup and the way the team started each half (first 20-25 minutes of each). If they had played with the same intensity all game, this would have been an easy win.
How did Kansas City get the ball before that happened, he even raised his hand that it was his fault to the other player (If he could admit why can't you).