This is a big one, for a lot of reasons. There will be a lot of people watching. Let's kick some ass.
Seeing SJ get scorched at home last night should increase the warning bells for the Fire. LD gets stuffed on the PK in stoppage time. That leaves the MLS finalists last year both stuck at 17 points; 4th and 5th in their conferences! It is time to step up. A signing would help. Does Alex B. get signed for this weekend? Doubtful, so the line up should be: Ring Clanton, Curtain, Gray (or CJ if healthy), Perez Nate, Williams, Pause, Mapp Ante, Damani 3 -1 Fire (Ralph, Ante (2))
Jeez....I really hope your right. I can't take much more. And I'd really like to see Ante hit his hot streak sometime soon.
Bump. There's an actual GAME going on amidst all the tifo plans, believe it or not. This home-and-home gives us a huge opportunity to put to rest any worries about not making the playoffs, despite it being only halfway through the season. Can we go for the throat for once? We've traditionally been a team that comes out and pushes hard in the first fifteen minutes or so, even if it hasn't quite yielded results this year. Given the size of the crowd and (hopefully) an electric atmosphere, we should take it to the Revs from the opening whistle. Their defense was questionable before Llamosa went down, so hopefully that gives Ante and Damani (and Justin, Nate and Andy) more opportunities to get on track. I don't want to fall into too much hyperbole, but these two matches with New England could define the rest of the season. Winning both will hopefully right the ship. We have to win one of the two to keep from a palpable sense of panic. Later, COZ
Indeed! People who work on Tifo really don't care at all about the team or the game! Thanks for telling it like it is guys!
I'm not trying to disparage anybody. I just find the lack of game talk around here to be a little disappointing, and I think it feeds into the perception that we're more focused on S8 than on the Fire as a group. Which I don't believe for a minute, but I know that perception is out there. Later, COZ
We will be without armas and beasley. We haven't been scoring with them. Dave hinted he was either changing tactics or players. We will see if he does either. We definately need 3 points out of Sunday's game. No more excuses.
So feeding into that perception by saying "There's an actual GAME going on amidst all the tifo plans, believe it or not" was probably a good thing then. Who usually posts the most in these pre-game threads? It's not Marcin and it's not me. Liam does a bit but not that often, other then that who is really involved with Tifo? Maybe people aren't talking because after the past few performances everybody is a little put off. Either way, it has nothing to do with section 8's efforts to support the national team and the fire and create a great atmosphere for one of the biggest soccer events of the year in Chicago.
This is just my way of getting issues on the table, I guess. Because if the perception IS out there, you have to draw some attention to it in order to address it, no? I think it's more an issue of the level of online discourse about the team going to pot across the board. It seems less and less people are terribly interested in discussion (witness the slow decline of the BB mailing list) anymore in these types of forums. Not everybody, obviously, and I'm not sure why. I've got some theories, though. On the other hand, we *have* to communicate on the S8 stuff, otherwise the whole thing goes kablooey, and not in that good way the Ultras like. So one withers while the other thrives. Later, COZ
I think a lot of the fire fans are a little apprehensive. It's been a long time since we have been in this spot. It's going to be a hard road this year especially with having up to 5 players gone at a time with WCQ and the possibility of losing DMB. Let's all go out support our team and be loud as hell!
It not that I am not concerned about team issues. Hardly. I have very little time to focus on that when helping to prep big events. Marcin is the same way.
http://chicago.fire.mlsnet.com/MLS/...tent_id=7606&vkey=news_chf&fext=.jsp&team=chf Taylor Twellman-- probable.
I think part of it is , there's no too much to say. Anything about speculative line ups and moaning about the teams perfomance has been doen already ad nauseam. It's hard to get too excited about the team right now when you are kind of holding your breathe and hoping that the next game breaks this streak....on the other hand, I am excited as hell about getting to see the highest rated USA team in my lifetime (if not ever) live and at soldier field, and vs the Poles! It's great. To bad the USMNT boards are full of chodes. GO FIRE!
I am really excited about this match. Really. Ask Liam because we were talking about it on the phone yesterday. I seriously think this will be the opportunity to have the best (by a very wide margin) vocal and visual support of the Fire EVER. Just imagine this: there will be two Section 8s COMPETING with each other in a healthy way. I am sure the Polish end (even though it was not really present for some time) will try to show their superiority and the American end will not give up an inch. The key is perfect coordination and listening to each other so we all chant/sing the same song, even though it is a little bit off (it will be). COZ, Liam, other leaders, remember that we will have to do everything very slowly in order to be able to hold the rhythm better and coordinate with the other side easier. I was also joking about having to bring portable batteries/chargers to keep our cell phones charged because we will certainly need them for coordination. I am sure we will do the "Who's the best" chant many times over that night. Also, I think that this one time when people on the sidelines are in a way sandwiched between the two supporters' sections, they will join, too. I think we are in for an awesome event. BTW, this is about the last time I am posting here. I am encouraging everybody to switch to section8chicago.com where the environment for discussions about Fire is much better. Marcin
Also, the big bass drum will be on the Polish side that night but I am sure the American side will have their own bass drums from the friendly played before the league match. Marcin
I am just happy Marcin forewent seeing/listening to his "favorite American band," Van Halen, in order to make this a success.
Really, I know the teams are playing each other first but it is a friendly and this isn't Mexico or a CONCACAF opponent we're playing. Support your teams but let's have a real spirit of cooperation between the US and Polish fans because we have the chance to do something really big and show the clubs and countries we are fans of how much we care. Having a successful even on the fan end will also help to encourage US Soccer to not wait 11 years to come back next time.
Also, New England has made it to town and in anticipation of the big partisan crowd and a hopefully pumped-up Fire team they've decided to work on a new set of tactics. Footage from Revs practice
Cancela is out for this game and probably wednesdays game too...Twellman and Kamler will likely start
I am so sick already of the Fire not winning at home. What is the deal?! I was cheering my throat raw, huge crowd, Dispy start over Razov, what more do they need to win a freakin' game?
Razov was injured. Not like he didn't deserve a game off anyway. "The Fire played without national team stalwart Chris Armas, whose knee swelled, and forward Ante Razov, who has an ankle sprain." And as soon as I heard Beasley came into the Fire game, I knew he would be gone by next week. "The game could have been one of the last in Major League Soccer for Beasley, who has had several overtures from Europe denied by the league, which holds the rights to all MLS players. Reportedly, the previous bid of about $1.4 million has been raised" Quotes from: http://chicagosports.chicagotribune...11fire,1,3800044.story?coll=cs-fire-headlines
Here are my comments about the fire. 1. we could have a hundred corner kicks and other crosses from the corner and still not score on a header.We can never seem to be able to find our teammates head. Not since bocanegra left do we have anyone capable of scoring on a header even close to consistently.Because of this all the opposition has to do is clog up the middle. 2 At least one positive came out of tonights game we found someone who can take a pk. 3 How come ralston can score on a free kick but both razov and williams can't get the ball over the wall and when they do it's over the net. 4 No matter what anyone says the Fire's offense needs someone who can dribble and make a perfect pass.How many times do we have to see beasley make an exciting run but either not find a teammate with a pass or not be able to even get a shot off. 5 Again and again Perez gets beat on the left side. 6 Ring saved this game from being a loss. Did their goalkeeper once have to make a diving save?