News: Chicago Fire Fanaddict NEWS: March 28, 2024

https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/what-have-we-learned-about-your-mls-club-in-2024

What we’ve learned: Nothing matters until the chance creation issue is resolved

With moves along the backline, adding Kellyn Acosta in midfield, and breaking the club’s transfer fee record to sign striker Hugo Cuypers, there was plenty to like about the Fire’s offseason. Five games and five points into the season, however, and there’s still a glaring deficiency: chance creation.

Xherdan Shaqiri’s inconsistency mixed with Brian Gutiérrez’s youth does not a reliable path to Cuypers make. Without a provider in the final third (or a grand tactical approach Frank Klopas isn’t bringing to the table), all of Chicago’s moves end up looking like fringe additions – even Cuypers, who is an excellent striker.

There’s an open DP spot, so you’d have to imagine the front office is looking at an attacking difference-maker from abroad​

 

I've been saying this since last year, that Brian doesn't seem to play well off of Shaqiri's movement. I see the same player in Shaqiri with Switzerland as I do with the Fire but something's not clicking in front of him here. I've also said we need another body up top so there are more options. The issues I see in Brian might be equally solved by another outlet up top as he could use his creativity to pass to them or his speed to dribble into the space another person could help open up. Brian also seems less reluctant to shoot so I'm doubling down on my want for a formation that puts another attacker on the field who can receive a pass or pull a defense apart giving room for Brian to shoot.

 

A DP9(Hugo), an actual winger (MHS), an aggressive RB (Arigoni) and a box to box midfielder (Acosta) should be more than enough additions for Shaqiri to create chances. If it’s not it’s time to move him on.

 

Odd that you didn't mention Guti...

 

Joe is as done with Messimania as the rest of us.

The Big Man in Chicago said what a lot of us were thinking of, all the glory to you Joe 🔥🔥🔥🔥#cf97 https://t.co/KZ7wPZJh7Y pic.twitter.com/dFivw7qoxd

— Alan Królikowski (@polewithagoal69) March 28, 2024

 

the athletic anonymous front office survey is great, as always

probably worth its own thread

 

Well, he was already here and as a HG should be one of the weakest on the pitch. He’s made great progress, to the point that folks prefer him at CAM over our superstar

 

I was trying to keep things lighthearted and positive but this is asinine. After five years and the largest home grown contract ever, he’s an adult and he now needs to be treated as such.

 

Guti is still only 20, a HG, a U22 initiative, and visibly improving nearly every week…add to that he gets regular league level positive attention for being an exciting young contributor.

And Shaqiri…overrated, over paid, way under performing, and viewed across the league as a DP bust…and our problem to solve.

And yet you place blame for Shaq’s lack of production on Guti?

So tell me again, what part of this conversation is asinine?

 

Believe it or not- both of you are mostly correct!

 

We need Shaqiri to produce more but it’s 4 games in and we have a new attack. Let’s, like, let ten games go by before we pull out the pitchforks.

 

Yep, I was going to say the same thing earlier. We know what Shaqiri can and cannot do. Guti is young enough that his game can grow a bit, but he has been here long enough. We all know that Shaqiri is going to get the ball 20-50 yards from the opposing team's goal (on the right side) and facing the Fire's goal. He is going to need more than just Hugo's run at the defense to work with. Someone on the right needs to be running, someone from the middle needs to be an option to progress the ball forward, and then someone on the left for a long switch into space. Right now, there is no one on the left that gets forward and it gets really clogged on the right with Arigoni, Shaqiri, and MHS all in the same space. I think that will change when Gutman returns as Arigoni will not need to overlap and clog up the right side, while Gutman is way up the field with Guti pinching in the space that Hugo vacates.

I really wish that Frank would put Shaqiri on the right with Guti in the middle and figure out how to make the defense work. This way Guti can receive a pass from Shaqiri and take it straight at the defense which is where he is at his best and multiple runners. If not, Shaqiri would still have Hugo or another runner as an option.

 

I’m on board.

 

I think we all would like to see Shaqiri on the right in an advanced role.
It is clearly his best position.

 

********ING BINGO!!! SHAQ needs to step it up and tie this ********ing midfield together if we are serious about putting points on the board! His passing has sucked this year so far