Agree with both points. Would add that being a provider is a big item if we play 3-4-3 with two offensive wingbacks. Less so if playing with other formations.
Just saw a post indicating Fire II had 9 teenagers in the starting lineup yesterday. While not the same level as Fire I minutes, still good for young player development. Good sign for the future.
Fleming (21), Nigg (20), Poreba (23), & Sandmeyer (23) all started yesterday. Scorers this season are Fleming & Sandmeyer.
Excellent article at the Athletic about Lewandowski. Read it if you can. Not about where he is going next, but about where he has been and what makes him tick.
Mbokazi on Tik Tok Lige yesterday 🤣 wearing his Chicago Fire Stadium ground breaking hard hat🤣🤣🤣 #cf97 pic.twitter.com/f4T6HGMPhR— Jared (@jaredfirefc) March 11, 2026
Just saw a posting claiming Gutman said he is 100% and ready to play. Hope this is true. Maybe his return (and better play+ more effort) will help stabilize team.
Not surprising they can score if they get to play with 13 men! Pete (will be here all week folks...try the soup!)
So far Brady, Waterman and Mbokazi heve been called up to their national teams for March dates. May be more coming? Good to see for multiple reasons, including acknowledgement of player efforts, exposure to quality opponents, another coaches view and also positive publicity for Chicago Fire .
Per today's presser....Elliot dealing with an illness will miss the next game. No other details, but must be bad to be making the OUT call multiple days in advance...vs saying TBD or Q.
Chicago Fire defender Jack Elliott shared information via Instagram regarding the illness HC Gregg Berhalter referred to during today’s pre-match press conference. #vamosfire #cf97 #JackElliott pic.twitter.com/1PIUkkgTYF— LMD Media Group (@LMDMEDIAGROUP) March 19, 2026
OK...whichever one of you Fire players stole the tiki idol from the island, go and freaking put it back! Pete (doesn't think these "random" pieces of bad luck will stop until you do)
Can't we 86 Lod for a match and scoot Borso up to wing/midfield/front 3 whatever? I'd be interested to see what he can do with Barroso behind him and Gutman and Zinck back on the left side. Shove Oregel back as the 8 next to D'Avilla or Pineda and scoot Saletros up to the #10 and leave Zinck back where he was last season and had 30+ goal contributions.
I'd like to see Oregel and Borso get minutes as well, but I think a preferred XI (without Lod) might be Bench: Mueller, Dithejane, Lod, Oregel, Pineda, Borso, Radejovic, Cupps, and Cohen. Preferred subbing...unless someone if having an off day and should be replaced: @60 Radejovic for Gutman @70/75 Oregel for Saletros, Borso for MHS(or Barroso), Pineda for Davilla 1 left for injury
Sorry but I am opposed to Zinck in center. Put him on the right and give him freedom to move centrally with ball or to facilitate overlap. This is what he has done well his entire career and last season. #10 is admittedly a problem but that is not the solution.
We don’t have a better option for CAM. OptionB is don’t play 4-2-3-1 and go 4-3-3, but even then we don’t have 2 8s that are better than Zinck at the 10. Guess we could experiment with Bamba (or Pineda) …..MHS …Cuypers….Zinck …..….Bamba……Saletros(Oregel?) ……....….…..Davilla Gutman..TLB..H2O..Barroso ………....………Brady
Sepsis can develop from almost any infectious (viral, bacterial or fungal) condition, a staph infection, certain wounds that were not treated aggressively with antibiotics, etc. Yeah, it is weird that an athlete who has access to incredible medical assistance would develop it, but I can certainly see it happening.