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Played
July 8, 2010 9:30 PM EDT
Toyota Park, Chicago, Ill.
July 8, 2010 9:30 PM EDT
Toyota Park, Chicago, Ill.
Chicago Fire Vs Real Salt Lake: Head To Head Preview
By Isaac Heath and Jeremy Horton
On Form
Chicago Fire, by Isaac Heath: While Marco Pappa couldn't continue his goal-scoring streak against the Columbus Crew this past weekend, the midfielder is still playing his best soccer right now, and will look to get back on track Thursday night against Real Salt Lake. After all, Pappa typically plays best when he is in front of the home crowd.
Real Salt Lake, by Jeremy Horton: Everything is clicking for Salt Lake right now. Consider this: they are unbeaten in their last nine games, and seven of those are wins. Their 5-0 shellacking of New England last weekend was the first five-goal performance in MLS this season. RSL's 27 goals in 14 games is tops in MLS. And lest you think this team is just outscoring everyone, Real have not conceded a goal in four games. Even when Jason Kreis brought on a bunch of youngsters to close out the New England game (other sports would call this "emptying the bench"), they still moved the ball with ease. That's the kind of confidence Salt Lake are playing with right now.
Off Target
Chicago: The Fire has a real problem this year in that they are consistently inconsistent. Overall, they have been a fairly mediocre team and have struggled to find wins against the league's top teams. This inconsistency is one that needs to be changed if the Fire are going to make the playoffs, let alone make any kind of post season run.
Salt Lake: It's a stretch to find much that's going wrong for RSL these days, but here is something worth considering: when Real beat the ever-loving tar out of New England at home last year (6-0 in that one), they got a bit full of themselves and proceeded to go on a seven-match winless streak that nearly cost them a playoff berth. The players know this so it's doubtful they will let that kind of run happen again, but with four of the next six on the road, stumbling is a good possibility.
Tactics
Chicago: Coming home after a loss, Chicago will look to control the game slowly. I expect to see a cautious start, and unlike the Conference finals of last year, Real Salt Lake will dominate the run of play. The Fire will get plenty of chances, however, with the attack coming from the midfield as usual.
Salt Lake: It will be interesting to see what RSL choose to do at the holding mid spot if Kyle Beckerman is available. Ned Grabavoy has been doing a great job without a doubt, but he isn't as defensive-minded as Beckerman. With Salt Lake likely to value defense first at Toyota Park, Beckerman seems like the right pick. But then again, do you mess with what's working? It will also be interesting to see if Robbie Findley starts in place of Fabian Espindola. It seems that Espindola's head isn't right at the moment, but he did score a goal last week.
Intangibles
Chicago: The Eastern Conference finals last year really shook the Fire organization. It was sort of the end of an era so to speak. The team seemed poised to move to the MLS cup in Chris Rolfe and Cuauthemoc Blanco’s last season with the team. Ultimately, they were shocked in a penalty kick shoot out by the upstart Real Salt Lake team. No doubt the Fire players will have that game in the back of their minds when they take the field Thursday.
Salt Lake: Historically Real have been dismal at Toyota Park, but the last time around they walked off the field as Eastern Conference champions, shocking the Fire by defeating them in penalty kicks. Can RSL recapture those warm fuzzies, or will Chicago be gunning for revenge? No doubt the Fire's fans will remember what happened last time Salt Lake came to town.
Outcome
Chicago: I actually expect the Fire to bounce back from a disappointing performance and win this one 2-1 on a goal from Pappa.
Salt Lake: For some reason, Chicago seem to give RSL all kinds of fits, especially in Chicago. I don't see that changing. But Real are on a serious tear at the moment, so I can't in good conscience pick against them. Real Salt Lake 1-1 Chicago Fire.
For more on Major League Soccer, visit Goal.com's MLS page and join Goal.com USA's Facebook fan page!
Chicago Fire, by Isaac Heath: While Marco Pappa couldn't continue his goal-scoring streak against the Columbus Crew this past weekend, the midfielder is still playing his best soccer right now, and will look to get back on track Thursday night against Real Salt Lake. After all, Pappa typically plays best when he is in front of the home crowd.
Real Salt Lake, by Jeremy Horton: Everything is clicking for Salt Lake right now. Consider this: they are unbeaten in their last nine games, and seven of those are wins. Their 5-0 shellacking of New England last weekend was the first five-goal performance in MLS this season. RSL's 27 goals in 14 games is tops in MLS. And lest you think this team is just outscoring everyone, Real have not conceded a goal in four games. Even when Jason Kreis brought on a bunch of youngsters to close out the New England game (other sports would call this "emptying the bench"), they still moved the ball with ease. That's the kind of confidence Salt Lake are playing with right now.
Off Target
Chicago: The Fire has a real problem this year in that they are consistently inconsistent. Overall, they have been a fairly mediocre team and have struggled to find wins against the league's top teams. This inconsistency is one that needs to be changed if the Fire are going to make the playoffs, let alone make any kind of post season run.
Salt Lake: It's a stretch to find much that's going wrong for RSL these days, but here is something worth considering: when Real beat the ever-loving tar out of New England at home last year (6-0 in that one), they got a bit full of themselves and proceeded to go on a seven-match winless streak that nearly cost them a playoff berth. The players know this so it's doubtful they will let that kind of run happen again, but with four of the next six on the road, stumbling is a good possibility.
Tactics
Chicago: Coming home after a loss, Chicago will look to control the game slowly. I expect to see a cautious start, and unlike the Conference finals of last year, Real Salt Lake will dominate the run of play. The Fire will get plenty of chances, however, with the attack coming from the midfield as usual.
Salt Lake: It will be interesting to see what RSL choose to do at the holding mid spot if Kyle Beckerman is available. Ned Grabavoy has been doing a great job without a doubt, but he isn't as defensive-minded as Beckerman. With Salt Lake likely to value defense first at Toyota Park, Beckerman seems like the right pick. But then again, do you mess with what's working? It will also be interesting to see if Robbie Findley starts in place of Fabian Espindola. It seems that Espindola's head isn't right at the moment, but he did score a goal last week.
Intangibles
Chicago: The Eastern Conference finals last year really shook the Fire organization. It was sort of the end of an era so to speak. The team seemed poised to move to the MLS cup in Chris Rolfe and Cuauthemoc Blanco’s last season with the team. Ultimately, they were shocked in a penalty kick shoot out by the upstart Real Salt Lake team. No doubt the Fire players will have that game in the back of their minds when they take the field Thursday.
Salt Lake: Historically Real have been dismal at Toyota Park, but the last time around they walked off the field as Eastern Conference champions, shocking the Fire by defeating them in penalty kicks. Can RSL recapture those warm fuzzies, or will Chicago be gunning for revenge? No doubt the Fire's fans will remember what happened last time Salt Lake came to town.
Outcome
Chicago: I actually expect the Fire to bounce back from a disappointing performance and win this one 2-1 on a goal from Pappa.
Salt Lake: For some reason, Chicago seem to give RSL all kinds of fits, especially in Chicago. I don't see that changing. But Real are on a serious tear at the moment, so I can't in good conscience pick against them. Real Salt Lake 1-1 Chicago Fire.
For more on Major League Soccer, visit Goal.com's MLS page and join Goal.com USA's Facebook fan page!
Field Report
Reader's Predictions
Top 3 Predictions
-
Chicago Fire 1-2 Real Salt Lake
- 21.74 %
-
Chicago Fire 0-1 Real Salt Lake
- 17.39 %
-
Chicago Fire 2-1 Real Salt Lake
- 13.04 %
| USA - Major League Soccer (MLS) | Sep 28, 2011 | Real Salt Lake 0 - Chicago Fire 3 |
|
| USA - Major League Soccer (MLS) | Jun 22, 2011 | Chicago Fire 0 - Real Salt Lake 0 |
|
| USA - Major League Soccer (MLS) | Sep 18, 2010 | Real Salt Lake 1 - Chicago Fire 0 |
|
| USA - Major League Soccer (MLS) | Jul 8, 2010 | Chicago Fire 0 - Real Salt Lake 1 |
|
| USA - Major League Soccer (MLS) | Nov 15, 2009 | Chicago Fire 4 - Real Salt Lake 5 |
|
Chicago Fire
    |
||
| Oct 22, 2011 | Chicago Fire 3 - Columbus Crew 2 | MLS |
| Oct 15, 2011 | D.C. United 1 - Chicago Fire 2 | MLS |
| Oct 12, 2011 | Chicago Fire 1 - FC Dallas 2 | MLS |
| Oct 1, 2011 | Houston Dynamo 1 - Chicago Fire 1 | MLS |
| Sep 28, 2011 | Real Salt Lake 0 - Chicago Fire 3 | MLS |
Real Salt Lake
  |
||
| Nov 6, 2011 | Los Angeles Galaxy 3 - Real Salt Lake 1 | MLS |
| Nov 2, 2011 | Seattle Sounders FC 2 - Real Salt Lake 0 | MLS |
| Oct 29, 2011 | Real Salt Lake 3 - Seattle Sounders FC 0 | MLS |
| Oct 22, 2011 | Real Salt Lake 1 - Portland Timbers 1 | MLS |
| Oct 14, 2011 | Colorado Rapids 0 - Real Salt Lake 0 | MLS |
- Chicago Fire head coach: We are not interested in bringing in Bayer Leverkusen's Michael Ballack
- New York Red Bulls sign defender Wilman Conde
- Chicago Fire star Pavel Pardo believes Javier Hernandez is still the best young Mexican star and talks about Rafa Marquez's future in MLS
- Chicago Fire sign former Revolution striker Kheli Dube
| - | Andrew Dykstra | Goalkeeper |
| - | C.J. Brown | Defender |
| 4 | Kwame Watson-Siriboe | Defender |
| 7 | Krzysztof Krol | Defender |
| 28 | Steven Kinney | Defender |
| 7 | Mike Banner | Midfielder |
| - | Stefan Dimitrov | Striker |
| 9 | Baggio Husidic | Midfielder |
| 22 | Wilman Conde | Defender |
| 12 | Logan Pause | Midfielder |
| 16 | Marco Pappa | Midfielder |
| 25 | Sean Johnson | Goalkeeper |
| - | D. Umanzor | Defender |
| 20 | Tim Ward | Defender |
| - | Peter Lowry | Midfielder |
| 19 | Corben Bone | Midfielder |
| 21 | Justin Mapp | Midfielder |
| 20 | Brian McBride | Striker |
| 18 | Nick Rimando | Goalkeeper |
| 3 | Robbie Russell | Defender |
| 17 | Chris Wingert | Defender |
| 20 | Ned Grabavoy | Midfielder |
| 77 | Andy Williams | Midfielder |
| 15 | Álvaro Saborío | Striker |
| 6 | Nat Borchers | Defender |
| 4 | Jamison Olave | Defender |
| 11 | Javier Morales | Midfielder |
| 8 | Will Johnson | Striker |
| 10 | Robbie Findley | Striker |
| 24 | Kyle Reynish | Goalkeeper |
| 28 | Chris Schuler | Defender |
| 26 | Collen Warner | Midfielder |
| 19 | Pablo Campos | Striker |
| 16 | Fabian Espindola | Striker |
| - | Jean Alexandre | Midfielder |
| 2 | Tony Beltran | Defender |
| Marco Pappa | |
| Position: | Midfielder |
| Squad Number: | 16 |
| Games | Goals | YC | RC |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Álvaro Saborío | |
| Position: | Striker |
| Squad Number: | 15 |
| Games | Goals | YC | RC |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
0 
0 
4 
7 
28 
7 
0 
9 
22 
12 
16 
18 
3 
17 
20 
77 
15 
6 
4 
11 
8 
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