Training Report
Following a day off for players and the coaching staff on
Monday, the Chicago Fire first team returned to the Toyota Park training field
Tuesday to begin preparations for their visit to Toronto FC at the weekend.
Despite a third straight draw Saturday vs. expansion
Vancouver, the players spirits looked to be high and Fire head coach Carlos de
los Cobos was candid in speaking about improvements made in the team over the
last few matches.
“Last game you could see we had control of the match and
created very good chances to score but we couldn’t finish,” he said. “Sometimes
that’s part of the game. I have confidence though because we are working hard
and improving defensively. At the beginning of the season we were giving up a
lot of goals but through the last three games, it’s only been two. We are
changing now, we need to be positive about this because the improvement is
there.”
Attacking Options
With the signing last week of 20-year-old Colombian striker
Cristian Nazarit, de los Cobos certainly has not shortage of attacking talent
at his disposal. Having not played a competitive match since December, the
former youth international was not named to the Fire 18 Saturday and he
continues to works to build his fitness.
“Cristian is a very young player that already has a good
profile in Colombia and can has the physical qualities – strength in the air
and on the ball that will help him adapt to more quickly to this league. All
the players need time to adapt and get to their best fitness level but I’m sure
Cristian can help us score goals.”
The 4-1-4-1
It seems the quasi 3-5-2 formation that the team put out
through much of preseason and starting the MLS campaign with in March has been
put to rest as de los Cobos has more recently begun to utilize a 4-1-4-1
formation .
Its’ an interesting formation for sure, as the players that
have been utilized in it have made it seem like one of the attacking lineups de
los Cobos has put out in his time with the Fire. The injury absences of captain
Logan Pause and Michael Videira may also have made the deployment of the
formation easier, as the Fire manager has given the central midfield reigns to
second-year midfielder Corben Bone, rising veteran Daniel Paladini and striker Gaston Puerari.
“I need to analyze and take advantage of the qualities of my
players. We have a different midfield now and I think with Corben, Gaston and
Daniel we have a better opportunity to possess the ball. I think we’ve done
well to block in the midfield. The answer to me about keeping the formation is
easy because when I changed it at the end of the game [vs. Vancouver] the team
lost strength in the middle. The last 15-20 minutes of the game we lost the
ball and control of the match for that reason. With that situation, I concluded
we’re not wrong to play with five guys in the midfield, it gives us more
control of the game.”
Injury Update
Back – Cory Gibbs and Gabriel Ferrari took part in full
training today after both have been recovering from hamstring injuries.
Coming Back – Captain Logan Pause did some running today but
did not take part in full training as he continues to work his way back from a
hamstring strain. He is listed as Questionable on the club’s injury report.
Though Mike Videira did not train today, I’m told he was cleared of his
concussion symptoms post training and will take part on Wednesday.
Out –Patrick Nyarko was held out of Saturday’s match with
“general illness” but is listed now as having a concussion. The Ghanaian winger
suffered from concussion symptoms last season.
Goalkeeper Sean Johnson, who was not in the 18 Saturday did
not train today as he still recovers from a right quad strain.
Placed on injured
reserve last week, midfielder Marko Maric is still suffering from a deltoid
contusion while defender Steven Kinney (Achilles tear) and Mike Banner
(Achilles tendonitis) continue to recover.
Jeff Crandall is the Team
Writer for the Chicago Fire. Follow him on Twitter @JefeCrandall.
