Loss to amateur Michigan squad really stings
Chicago Fire coach Frank Klopas wouldn’t divulge what he said when he met with his players Thursday morning to discuss the team’s 3-2 defeat Tuesday to the amateur Michigan Bucks in their U.S. Open Cup match.
“I can’t say it on tape,” Klopas said.
We can imagine Klopas said something like this:
“What the (expletive) is wrong with you guys? How the (expletive) can you lose to a bunch of amateurs? What (expletive) happened to the team that over the final 10 games of last season was the best team in MLS?”
Did we miss a few expletives?
“I don’t feel good,” Klopas said. “I’m very disappointed.”
“Columbus (a 2-1 road loss Saturday) stung for sure, and Tuesday was embarrassing,” Fire defender Dan Gargan said.
Clearly this is a problem that goes beyond one bad game.
“You look at our record at the end of last season and the beginning of this one and they’re different,” Gargan said of a 5-4-3 team that’s fifth in Major League Soccer’s Eastern Conference. “We’ve certainly seen performances from ourselves that are reminiscent of the performances that we put out there at the end of last year, but there’s also been plenty of times when it’s just not there.
“It’s not that there’s not enough talent and it’s not that there’s not enough character in the locker room. It’s just whether we are able to find it and sustain it, which we haven’t done yet.”
Why the Fire hasn’t been able to find it and sustain it is a mystery the coaches and players haven’t been able to solve yet.
“It’s something that we’re searching for,” Gargan said. “I think that’s pretty obvious. It’s something that we’ve talked about and it’s something that we’re actively working on. Consistency is just about digging inside and bringing that little bit extra. We’re still searching for that.”
What matters now is how the Fire responds to Tuesday’s embarrassment. Can the players and coaches make it the turning point of the season?
“I don’t think it sets us back confidence-wise, because we believe in one another,” Gargan said. “I think where it sets us back is to have to look in the mirror and realize that if we don’t bring it and we don’t put that extra effort out on the field, then anybody can beat us on any given day.”
Anybody, such as a fourth-division team called the Michigan Bucks.
Said Gargan: “The reason we were successful at the end of last year was because we brought that extra effort and had ... (a) chip on your shoulder, a little bit of extra momentum or just a little bit of swagger to where it’s a pride thing. You go out there and you’re not going to lose. I think that’s a big part of what we’re missing right now.”
“You’ve just got to try to move on,” Klopas added. “It’s easy to say, but it’s unfortunate because you play five games and you win a cup. But things happen. You’ve got to move on and move fast. That’s the important thing. There’s a game coming up and we’ve got to focus on that.”
Injury update:
Fire forward Chris Rolfe went through a full training session Thursday and seems ready to go for Saturday’s match at New England (6:30 p.m. Comcast SportsNet).
“I feel pretty good,” he said of the sprained ankle that he injured shortly after re-signing with the club more than a month ago. “I’ve been working hard on this thing trying to get my fitness up a little bit, get my touch back.”
“There’s still some uncomfort there,” coach Frank Klopas said of Rolfe, “but it’s not something that’s going to go away so you just have to deal with it.”
Defender Arne Friedrich ran on the side with trainer Tony Jouaux and is targeting a June 17 return from his hamstring injury.
Rookie defender Austin Berry is battling a shoulder injury but should be able to play, Klopas said.
Follow Orrin on Twitter @orrinsoccer.