Fire’s defense strong in tie
This is the kind of tough-as-nails Chicago Fire defense C.J. Brown used to anchor.
After Wednesday night’s 0-0 draw against visiting Real Salt Lake, the Fire has allowed 1 goal in the five games since technical director Frank Klopas added interim coach duties. Brown — a defender who spent 13 seasons with the Fire before retiring after last season and was honored after Wednesday’s match — would be proud.
“It’s been good,” goalkeeper Sean Johnson said of the defense. “I think we’ve been trying to get better and better. Every game we play I think we try to look to improve, and looking at what we’ve done game by game, it’s a credit to the whole team, not just the back line or myself. It’s a full-team defensive effort, and I think we put the work in every day. I’m definitely happy with the guys and the effort they’re putting out. They’re making my job easier.
“We’re definitely close to getting that 3 points. The past couple of games we’ve been teeter-tottering, tied a lot of games, but I think the wins are coming.”
Klopas solved the club’s propensity to give up set-piece goals, but a new problem has emerged: the Fire can’t score either, hitting net just twice in those same five games.
Which means the same old problem continues: Wednesday’s result was the Fire’s 10th tie of the season. The club’s unbeaten streak is at six games (with four shutouts), but that includes just one win.
Eventually the Fire (2-4-10, 16 points) needs to win. To do that someone needs to score.
“We’ve been able to solidify the defense right now, which is something really good for us,” midfielder/forward Dominic Oduro said. “It’s just a matter of trying to execute the chances that we get. We don’t have to hit the panic button, but at the same time we’ve just got to get there. I believe we’ll get there.”
“I just think that we’ve been a little bit unlucky,” added 19-year-old forward Orr Barouch, who got his first start because of Cristian Nazarit’s two-game suspension. “We’re attacking pretty good. I think we just need to put our chances away.”
It might take a new player to be that final puzzle piece. The team could use an attacking midfielder like Argentina’s Sebastian Grazzini, rumored to be on the way.
“We have a list that we’re looking at,” said Klopas, dismissing reports that Freddie Ljungberg might return.
Meanwhile, the Fire is in the middle of a tough stretch. Real Salt Lake has established itself as a model franchise in MLS. Sunday afternoon the superstar-laden New York Red Bulls come to town.
Next week the club travels to Rochester, N.Y., for a U.S. Open Cup match Tuesday, followed by a weekend trip to the West Coast to meet Chivas USA.