Unfortunately for the Fire, both their stretch of three matches unbeaten and Robert Berić’s five-game goal streak came to an end at Children’s Mercy Park on Wednesday night in a 1-0 defeat against Sporting Kansas City.
Chicago will now look to cook up some new streaks on Sunday night when they host a D.C. United team that just parted ways with the most consistent figure in Washington D.C. sports over the past century.
(TURN AND FACE THE STRANGE)…CH-CH-CH CHANGES
D.C. and Ben Olsen, the longest-tenured coach in MLS, mutually parted ways on Thursday afternoon. Per the club’s statement, he will remain with them in some capacity while assistant coach Chad Ashton takes over in the interim.
Olsen is an institution at the club. Per Opta, he has either coached or played in 71.1% of the club’s fixtures (regular and post season) over its 25 year history. Truly staggering. In addition to that, he was the longest-tenured head coach of any Washington D.C. sports franchise in the past 100 years.
United will have to try to finish out this truly unique 2020 season without a man who has bled black and red for 22 years.
This might seem like the perfect time for Chicago to face D.C., but no matter the situation, players always seem to have new energy when there’s a coaching change.
However, there is no getting around D.C.’s struggles as of late. As Olsen himself said, it was time for a change. Despite their struggles, D.C. are only seven points out of playoff position. Hope is not yet lost for the men in black and red, and maybe a change at the helm is exactly what they need to find a gear that has been missing this season.
WHAT WILL IT LOOK LIKE?
Honestly, it’s anyone’s guess.
In their most recent fixture - a 4-1 loss to NYCFC – D.C. were packed into a deep-lying block of a 5-4-1. It wasn’t a three-back that morphed into five, it was simply five defenders across.
NYCFC, to their credit, actually did a superb job of moving the ball quickly, making those five defenders shift early and often and drawing out the wingbacks to create 2-v-1 matchups. D.C.’s middle three (Axel Sjöberg, Donovan Pines and Russell Canouse) are very tight, while wingbacks Julian Gressel and Oniel Fisher tend to linger. NYCFC used some clever interplay, crisp passing in close quarters, and sound delivery to pick apart a very defensive looking D.C. United.
Two of their goals came from the penalty spot, but NYCFC - on a tight Yankee Stadium pitch - managed to put in four.
Chicago will need to do just the same. I don’t see the game plan changing all that much from interim head coach Chad Ashton. There isn’t a ton you CAN change. D.C. have been bitten by the injury bug in the form of wingers Paul Arriola and Edison Flores, and have been forced to rely on guys like Kevin Paredes and Griffin Yow, who are just getting their first real taste of MLS action.
With that said, Yow and Paredes are fearless going forward, and that whole “ignorance is bliss” thing comes into play. Then there's striker Ola Kamara, who is a proven goal-scorer in this league.
To be frank (Klopas…), I really don’t know what this is going to look like from D.C. It could be the same type of approach and formation that we’ve seen in recent matches from Olsen, or Ashton could choose to go after games a bit more with seemingly nothing to lose at this point.
NEXT MAN UP
The Fire will not only be without Miguel Navarro and Gastón Giménez again due to international duty, but they’ll also be missing their captain, Francisco Calvo.
Calvo received a yellow card against Kansas City on Wednesday night and will serve a one-game suspension for yellow card accumulation on Sunday as a result.
The Fire will now be without two key starters who are integral to their level of play and their leadership on the field. Giménez is a bit more lead-by-example compared to Calvo’s boisterous nature, but they will be missed equally.
This proposes personnel decisions for head coach Raphael Wicky and an opportunity for D.C. to try and bring it to a Fire team that, like them, are missing pieces.
This is far from a game that the Fire can enter with a lax attitude. They will need to be switched on from the opening whistle, because the cohesive and consistent nature of the lineup that recently downed Atlanta and Houston by an aggregate score of 6-0 is not available.
As for who will replace Calvo, Wyatt Omsberg and homegrown defender Andre Reynolds are options.
If Reynolds starts, defender Jonathan Bornstein would likely move to left center back so Reynolds could slot in at left back. Omsberg would be a simple like-for-like swap in Calvo’s central position or he could switch with defender Mauricio Pineda.
Either way, it will be a different look for the Fire’s back line.
FINAL THOUGHTS
This will be an interesting football match no doubt. Both teams are missing big pieces, but don’t mistake this for a lack of competitiveness and fight. D.C. have a lot to prove and nothing to lose. That’s always a dangerous look. United’s passion and work ethic has been in question as of late and - as a player - that is the last thing you want people to be saying about you. They’ll be ready to put those questions to bed.
As for the Fire, they’re still on the outside of the playoff picture in the Eastern Conference, and - after a disappointing result at Sporting - are looking to protect Soldier Field and get back into the win column.
On the road, I think D.C .will look similar to what we’ve seen lately and look to hit on the counter. It will take an increased speed of play from the Fire if they are going to draw D.C. out of position and find holes to break down what can look like the great wall of the District of Columbia.
Chicago will also need to be in that mindset of offensively defending. They will have a lot of the ball, but will need to make sure there is cover and balance if they are to lose it. Kamara will punish you if he gets a 1-v-1 situation or is given room to run.
Both teams need points. One team is under construction and sitting in last place, but this is a regular season fixture in Major League Soccer. Do I need to say anything else? Anything can happen, and you can bet that Wicky will have his Fire prepared for anything and everything.
