The Fire are drawing blanks and losing while the Red Stars are scoring goals and winning.
THOUGHTS ON THE FIRE: Matthew Doyle said it all in his recap on the MLS website. “A team with so much attacking firepower should have better ideas but they’ve scored more than a single goal in just three of their nine games,” said Doyle in his recap.
Two matches with zero goals, one of them without a single shot on goal, is worrisome. The Fire need their attack to help win games because their defense is certainly going to lose some—especially if they continue to start Jorge Corrales at left back.
Next on Saturday is a trip to a hot LAFC squad. Another zero on the scoreboard and another L in the standings and questions will need to be asked whether or not Veljko Paunovic is really the right man to manage this club. Some Fire fans already believe they don’t have the right people in the front office and in ownership.
THOUGHTS ON THE RED STARS: The Red Stars do not have problems scoring goals (eight in their first three). On Sunday, they had no problem defending against Reign FC keeping them off the scoreboard after conceding four against Portland. Five points against the other three playoff teams from last season is a healthy return for the Red Stars.
The challenge now happens in the next three months as their potential World Cup players head for France. The USA is expected to announce it’s provisional squad on Wednesday and that will likely include Alyssa Naeher, Julie Ertz, and Casey Short. Yuki Nagasato and Sam Kerr are also likely to be heading to France.
Nagasato has been the early MVP for the Red Stars with three goals and two assists. Only North Carolina’s Crystal Dunn has been involved in as many goals (4 goals, 1 assist).
ABOUT SATURDAY NIGHT: The decision to postpone the match between the Red Stars and Reign FC on Saturday night was the right decision even though it didn’t come until 15 minutes before kickoff. There was consideration as it turns out that the Red Stars had a Friday match at Utah.
While it would have been interesting to see the orange ball and the novelty of playing in the snow in late April, one had to factor that there are players who potentially feature in the Women’s World Cup and it would be harsh for someone to get an injury in conditions like Saturday night just before the event.
Thankfully, it was like a Spring day on Sunday at SeatGeek Stadium with the sun out and the pitch in pristine condition (unlike the dirt path that was the pitch at Stade Saputo).
Chicago Fire
