After such an amazing start to this season, the Chicago Fire have stunk it up. To say that they have been underachieving these last few games is a huge understatement. The Fire won 3 of 4 and tied once in all of April. May was not as kind to them though, as they lost their first 4 games and had a goalless draw to MLS cellar dwellers, Real Salt Lake. June has started off with a mix of both months in it, beating Columbus 3-2 to start and losing atrociously to Chivas USA, 1-0, just last week. This week, they have to play DC United, who started off the MLS season losing their first 3, which lead into a current streak of 4 wins and 2 ties.
DC United comes into this match with momentum, with strength, with everything the Fire don't seem to have. The Fire come into this match without their two best players (Justin Mapp playing at the Gold Cup and more on Chris Rolfe later in this entry) and they don't have the drive they seem to have had earlier on in this season. This game is important for the Fire and their respective season, this is a early must win for them as they are falling out of playoff contention, and in to comparison with teams like Real Salt Lake. Expect a DC United home victory.
Chris Rolfe's nagging ankle injury kept him off the United States Gold Cup roster. It has kept him out of more than just the Gold Cup, it has also effected his recent addition in the Chicago Fire starting XI, and it will for at least another six weeks. Chicago Fire head coach Dave Sarachan said about the injury "He's in a cast". He also mentioned the fact that there is a slight possibility that he could be back in 4 weeks instead of the previously mentioned 6, but don't count on it.
The Chicago Fire-Marcelo Salas saga has been going on since he was offered a trial with the club some 2 weeks ago. The Chicago Tribune talked of him as a very quiet person, and also mentioned that he went as far as to mention to a friend that he hated it in Chicago and wanted to leave. Now, two weeks later, and the Fire and Salas' people are at a deadlock. It was reported as far back as a week ago that a decision would be made very soon, but of course nothing came of light. After that announcement, it seems the Fire and Salas' people were even further from making a deal, after Dave Sarachan came out and said that Salas wouldn't play immediately. As of 5 P.M. Wednesday, there is no contact between the Fire and Salas' people.
Notes: The only other Fire player to be named to a Gold Cup roster was Trinidad and Tobago defender, Osei Telesford. He suffered an groin injury at the Gold Cup. He is said to be out the majority of the summer.
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