Confident McCarty returns to help Fire get back on track

Dax McCarty finally returned to Chicago after helping the U.S. national team win the Gold Cup.

"It was amazing, fantastic," the all-star midfielder said. "We had a really good month, obviously. Anytime you can cap off a really long camp and a tournament with a trophy at the end, that's the ultimate goal. On top of that, on top of winning the trophy, it was important for some younger guys, some less experienced guys to get some games in, a lot of opportunity to play."

The Fire's skid:

MLS media-relations personnel hustled Fire coach Veljko Paunovic away from reporters before the conversation could turn from the All-Star Game to the Fire's two-game losing streak, but Dax McCarty addressed it.

"The Gold Cup break came at a really bad time for us," McCarty said. "We were firing on all cylinders. We were cruising, playing really well, a lot of confidence. … It hurt us more than it helped us. We lost a little bit of fitness, we lost a little bit of rhythm. Obviously, I was gone for a month and for me that doesn't help trying to reintegrate into the team quickly.

"We have to look at these two games and say we lost to two of the better teams in the league on the road. I think the third-place team in the East and the first-place team in the West. So it's not all doom and gloom."

McCarty picked out a problem the Fire can address when it hosts New England on Saturday night at Toyota Park (7:30 p.m., CSN Plus).

"I think it starts with our defending," he said. "Our defending hasn't been good enough at all the last two games. We've given up too many chances, soft goals. These are things that are correctable and easily fixable."

Settling in:

McCarty came to the Fire via trade in January and has made himself at home after the initial shock of the move.

"My impressions of the whole city are just really positive," he said.

The Fire's 11-5-5 record has helped make things enjoyable.

"The reason why we are in this business is to win, so winning helps make things more enjoyable," he said.

Having fun:

Like many Europeans the concept of an All-Star Game is kind of foreign to coach Veljko Paunovic, but he's enjoying it.

"It's actually very interesting, very challenging, and I love that," he said. "It's one of the great experiences I've had so far in my life in soccer."

The homegrown:

Midfielder Djordje Mihailovic is the Fire's representative in the Homegrown Game, pitting MLS academy products against Chivas de Guadalajara's U-20 team. He said he has been told by coaches Brian McBride and Mike Magee he will play all 90 minutes.

He will have something to prove in the game.

"Just how smart I am," said the 18-year-old from Lemont. "The center of the pitch, that's where the smart players usually play and where I'm trying to play right now. Just knock the ball around. It's the first game I've played 90 in a long time, so I'm just hoping I play well."

First impressions:

Brian McBride and Mike Magee agreed the homegrown players displayed skills they didn't often see when they were active in MLS. They credit it to the league's academy system and training against pros in a professional setting.

"Yeah, of course," Magee said. "When we were coming into the league it was just kick it up the field and run. These kids are good on the ball and confident. Some of these kids were born in 2000 or 1999 and they've got a better touch than I ever had."