Going into Tuesday’s U.S. Open Cup fourth-round match against Louisville City FC, Chicago Fire head coach Frank Yallop is keen to turn the page after the events of the last few weeks.
Since blowing by Montreal, 3-0, on May 30, the Fire have now dropped three straight outcomes vs. Eastern Conference opponents, the latest a 2-0 defeat at New England. Before that, frustrations arose from a 3-2 loss against Orlando City SC in which the Men in Red held a 2-1 lead. What hurt most about that game was how it marked the third loss of the season at Toyota Park.
“If you do well at home, like most teams do in our league, that’s where you get most of your maximum points,” Yallop said Monday via teleconference. “And we didn’t do that. At some point, you can get points and wins on the road, but again, your home form has to be the one that drives you on.”
Another source of displeasure resurfaced for Yallop and his side this week. With the opening game of the U.S. Open Cup on the horizon, Yallop was reminded of a 6-0 loss to eventual champion Seattle Sounders FC in the semifinal of last year’s tournament. Yallop said the club “was hurt by that game.”
As a result, Yallop is eager to see the Fire return to a form that will help them climb out of their ninth-place standing in the Eastern Conference table. The prospect of an undesirable result Tuesday vs. Louisville City FC hasn’t even crossed his mind.
“We’re going in to win the game,” Yallop said. “I think that it’s a tournament that Chicago Fire, this club’s really took serious. I’m taking it serious. The whole coaching staff, players ... we want to get on the right track. We want to get a win, especially at home, and get into the next round. It’s no different. It’s no different to any year. This is important.”
The Fire will go into that matchup with the same corps as the game against New England, who'll need to cope well with the Saturday-Tuesday turnaround between matches. Mike Magee, who is dealing with a slight hamstring injury suffered in training last week, will not be available. Neither will Patrick Nyarko, who Yallop said is progressing but is not ready to return from last season's ACL tear. David Accam and Joevin Jones will be unavailable following international call-ups, though Shaun Maloney could possibly play after his stint with the Scottish national side.
Yallop will continue to look for the right combination of players that will help the Fire break out of this recent slump.
“I’m trying to get the right balance so we win games,” he said. “You’ve seen all the games. We’ve improved in our general play, but obviously we’re not winning, and we’re conceding tons of goals, which is never good for any team. It’s a thing that evolve, and you stay with it, and you’ve got to make sure that you’re picking the right guys to fill in the areas where you’re weak or you feel you’re a little bit weak. We’re forever looking.”
A clean sheet will be the goal, and it won’t be easy. Louisville City has the services of Matt Fondy, former Chicago Fire striker. The 25-year-old has netted five goals and added two assists in 10 games this season. Yallop described him as “a dangerous player that’s in a confident team.”
But it wouldn’t matter whom the Fire are facing. Yallop wants a win. Tuesday represents an ideal opportunity to move past their recent struggles and regain the form that saw them string together three straight wins earlier this year.
“I still feel sick from Saturday’s result and still feel that with all our players together, we’re not that bad of a side,” Yallop said. “We’ve got to figure it out quick.”
Roster Move:
Also Monday, Frank Yallop reported that 18-year-old Homegrown midfielder Collin Fernandez had been recalled to the Fire squad after a short spell with Tuesday's opponent, Louisville City FC. Fernandez made his professional debut on Wednesday (June 10) when he entered as an 88th-minute substitute vs. FC Montreal Impact before playing 76 minutes Saturday night against the Rochester Rhinos. But Fernandez, who was not eligible to participate in Open Cup play for Louisville City, will be at Yallop's disposal for Tuesday’s game against the USL side.
