The Fire have won two games in a row, and head to the pacific northwest trying to make this an “official” winning streak in a date with the Vancouver Whitecaps.
Vancouver is currently in ninth place in the Western Conference, but they’re only a point off of the playoffs. Meanwhile, Chicago are in 12th place in the Eastern Conference and have closed the gap to four points over the past week.
There are massive playoff implications for both teams in this cross-conference contest, and the Fire need a road result to make up for some of the dropped points at Soldier Field this season.
Here is what to look for in the Gerber Collision and Glass scouting report as Ezra Hendrickson and co. travel to BC Place…
CONSISTENTLY INCONSISTENT
One of the reasons the Whitecaps are just below the playoff line and teetering in form is because of their inconsistent nature this season.
They are capable of 1-0 thrilling wins against the likes of LAFC, but are also capable of squandering a 1-0 lead in the second half and losing 3-1 to Minnesota United.
They can pull off road results at Portland, FC Cincinnati, and Dallas, but can also get drubbed by Seattle 4-0.
Vancouver have been epitomizing the parity within this league, and as a result they are in postseason limbo - bouncing back and forth either above or below the line.
One of the big reasons for their inconsistency is their defense. They’ve conceded the third-most amount of goals in the West, and a lot of them come off silly mistakes/turnovers trying to play out of the back.
Vancouver took a big hit defensively this past weekend in their 2-2 draw at FCC when their backup keeper, Cody Cropper, went down with an injury. They resorted to their 17-year-old third string keeper Max Anchor, who stepped in for his first MLS appearance and didn’t allow a goal.
Regular starter Thomas Hasal - who made his MLS debut against Chicago in the 2020 MLS is Back Tournament - has been dealing with an injury for a number of weeks now (sprained fingers).
Head Coach Vanni Sartini’s side has been dealing with a slew of injuries, including Deiber Caicedo, who recently had knee surgery and is out for the rest of the season. Defender Luis Martins has been inured for most of the season as well, only having played six games.
However, Vancouver did just make a big splash by acquiring Julian Gressel from D.C. United for $900k in General Allocation Money. Gressel will fit nicely into Sartini’s three-back system, and this will of course add a third game to the “Zee Soccer Podcast” classico between the co-hosts Gressel and Fire forward Fabian Herbers.
WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE
Sartini’s three-back system is predicated on width and service into the penalty area. This is something Gressel is very good at. He has some of the best delivery in MLS.
Russel Teibert has been running the show in the middle of the field along with midseason acquisition Andres Cubas, who scored the lone goal in a 1-0 win over LAFC two weeks ago.
However, Cubas missed the Whitecaps game against Cincy last Wednesday with an injury.
Because of the injuries, Sartini has had to use a number of different players in multiple positions. Cristian Dájome has been used in a wingback position on both sides of the ball in addition to a central attacking midfield position.
Sartini has employed either a 3-4-1-2 or a 3-4-2-1 formation in recent weeks.
Designated Player and Canadian international Lucas Cavallini has been a fixture up top in either a two- or one-striker set up. “El Tanque” is a super physical presence, and wants to get defenders on his back to hold up play or turn you. Brian White, the former Red Bull striker, has been a great addition to the club since he joined last year. White has pace and can pile up goals in a hurry. He is currently off his pace set last year when he scored 12 goals in 28 appearances.
Scottish midfielder Ryan Gauld is a work horse in the engine room, and can play multiple positions. Vancouver are very susceptible on the counter, and can get caught in possession. Minnesota punished them on countless occasions for being careless with the ball in that 3-1 loss for the Whitecaps.
FINAL THOUGHTS
As I mentioned at the top, this game has significant playoff implications. The biggest wrinkle in this is the fact Vancouver have the Canadian Championship Final against Toronto FC on Tuesday. It will be very interesting to see how Sartini plays this game given all of the injuries to his side with a quick turnaround for a shot at qualifying for the Concacaf Champions League.
The balance between league and cup competitions is always a tricky one, particularly when there is a trophy and bid to champions league on the line. I would be very surprised if Vanni Sartini didn’t have at least SOME rotation to prepare for Tuesday’s final, which is being played at BC Place.
For the Fire, this is a must-have result. Given the games dropped at Solider Field this year so far and the situation in the Eastern Conference, picking up one point is the minimum here. Picking up three before returning home for the Atlanta game will send this fan base into a frenzy and be the springboard for a proper playoff push.
I can’t wait for this one. I’ll be a guest bartender at A.J. Hudson’s, where we will have a camera for the WGN and CF97 Live broadcast to cut in for live reactions and “reporting” from the bar. Tony and Arlo are on the call once again.
Hope to see you at AJ Hudson’s where you can get your first pint of Hazy Pitch or Heineken for free, and there will be giveaways and much more. I recommend getting there on the earlier side as we expect a big crowd. Kickoff is at 9 p.m. CT.
VAMOS!
