The 2023 campaign is right around the corner for the Chicago Fire. Before they get to that, though, they’ll have to get through their preseason preparations.
Those just started, with players reporting to the club’s practice facilities for training. Then, in a few days, Chicago will travel to Cancún, Mexico for a short span that includes a friendly game. The last two weeks of their preseason will take place in Tucson, Arizona, where they’ll play the likes of Sacramento Republic, the Colorado Switchbacks, New Mexico United, and Real Salt Lake.
Everyone knows by now that the results of these preseason games don’t really matter, but the performances certainly do. Who plays, where they play, and how long they play are all things supporters will keep an eye on as the Fire prepares for the regular season.
Here are some things to watch out for in the month ahead.
Kacper’s last stand
A man who has vaulted into focus is Kacper Przybyłko.
His story is well known by now. He arrived last season with pretty high expectations, and he flopped hard. By the end of the year he had lost his starting spot to youngster Jhon Durán, and it was unclear what his future had in store.
However, the Polish forward has, for now, become Chicago’s main man up top. That is because of the sale of Durán, who was bought by Premier League side Aston Villa. There are many who expect to see him replaced with a big name Designated Player, but that might not happen anytime soon.
The Fire are already a little bit late to the dance. There’s some options still available, and a chunk of fans are dreaming of Olivier Giroud, but there’s not too many names to choose from at this rate. There’s a chance the club will have to wait until the summer to bring in a DP. Even if they decide to get a new star this window, it’ll take weeks for the signing to actually happen.
That’s why Przybyłko will be an important player this offseason. There’s a non-zero chance that he’ll be the starter for the beginning of the campaign, so he has to show Chicago something during these next few weeks. His positioning needs to be better, he has to be sharper in his build up play, and he has to finish whatever chances fall his way.
Even if the club makes a signing, the number 11 will be fighting for the right to be the first option off the bench. That role might suit him, as he has a decent frame, and he could feast on tired opposition defenders.
If Przybyłko continues to struggle, though, then the Fire will have to do something, and do something fast.
(Something like signing Ola Kamara. Please sign Ola Kamara. I promise he will score goals.)
Shaqiri watch
Someone who is guaranteed to be a key man in the side is Xherdan Shaqiri.
His debut season was a bit of a bumpy ride. There were some issues that were out of his control, like his health and where he played, but he never really got going. However, Chicago was given a real confidence boost during the winter as he had an excellent showing at the World Cup.
Shaqiri is clearly a talented player, and there’s hope that he’ll be able to showcase that talent a lot more this campaign. The Fire will have to be smart with him, though, and that starts in preseason.
It seems they’re already taking extra care of him. He’s been given an extended vacation following the aforementioned tournament, so he’s not yet reported to training camp. When the Switzerland international will get involved remains to be seen, but a bit of added time to rest shouldn’t do anyone any harm.
How much he does play in the team’s preseason games will be a more interesting thing to track. He’s obviously going to feature a bit, and he won’t be on the field for every single minute, but what kind of balance Chicago opts for could be critical. You want him out there to gain sharpness and chemistry with his teammates, but you always risk him reaggravating some issue whenever you play him.
It’s not only how much he plays that is of importance, but where he plays. Shaqiri, as many know by now, was used as a central attacking midfielder this past season. That’s where he began the campaign, and that’s where he ended it. The position change had mixed results.
There were moments were he looked lost on the pitch. The number 10 seemed desperate to return to the wing, as he kept drifting out wide during matches, messing with the balance of the team.
However, it did lead to some good moments. The Fire kind of figured out how to play with him as the year went on, and a few little tweaks to the system could lead to an offensive explosion. Having him in the middle allows him to be on the ball a lot more, which is a good thing since he’s absolutely their most talented player.
There’s a good chance head coach Ezra Hendrickson keeps him there, but it’d be interesting to see what would happen if he was put on the wing for a game during the preseason. Whether someone replaces him in the number 10 position or the formation is changed entirely doesn’t really matter as long as Shaqiri is back out wide. He might enjoy a return to his natural position, and that could lead to an improved version of the player.
Whatever happens, Chicago has to make sure he’s ready to go by the start of the regular season.
New faces
This one is true for literally every club on the planet, but it’s still true nonetheless.
One of the most fun parts of preseason is seeing the offseason signings made by the club finally put on the uniform and get out onto the pitch. While the Fire haven’t made too many moves yet, they’ll still have a few fresh faces.
The most notable is Arnaud Souquet. Oddly enough he’ll probably have the most predictable preseason. The former Ligue 1 man is clearly the club’s starting right back, so he’ll get most of the minutes there with the first team. How much attacking freedom Hendrickson gives him remains to be seen, though.
Then there’s Maren Haile-Selassie, who the fanbase knows little about. He’s quick, he’s pretty young, and he’s a winger. That’s kind of it. He does have experience playing in Europe, so he’s definitely been brought to make an impact. He is going to have to fight for a spot on the field, as Chicago already has a few other options out wide. However, if MHS can hit the ground running, then there’s a chance he’ll be in contention for a prominent role.
Jonathan Dean might just be the most interesting newcomer, though. Coming from USL Championship side Birmingham Legion, it didn’t seem like there was much hype to this move. However, the Tweet announcing his acquisition was flooded by fans and viewers of the Legion who were praising the player, and many mentioned how lucky the Fire were to be getting him. He’ll have to deal with the jump up in quality, but if he’s half as good as those tweets say he is, then he should be just fine. Also, he’s a wingback, which might hint at a potential change in formation.
There’s also goalkeeper Jeff Gal. He’ll probably be fighting for the backup spot with Spencer Richey since many expect Chris Brady to be the starter, but you never know.
Hopefully some new signings can join them in the next few weeks.
Remontada
A player who will feel like a new signing is Jairo Torres.
The Young Designated Player technically joined this past May, but fans barely got to see any of him. He came to the club injured, and just as it seemed like he was back to full fitness, he got injured again. He ended the year with 14 appearances, although only six of those were starts.
As a result, Torres was never able to find his feet in Chicago. He didn’t play well when he was on the pitch, and some were left wondering what his best position even was. His lack of production hurt the side, and the story of the season could’ve been different if he managed to stay healthy.
Fortunately for all involved, he’s fully fit now. Having a few months off was a huge relief for the Mexican, as he finally got a chance to recover from all the things that were hampering his performances. He should be a new man, and it’ll be exciting to see what he can bring to the table.
It’s important to remember that Torres is an key player for this side. He is a DP after all, and he came to the Fire with pretty high expectations. He was a quality player for a top-tier Liga MX team, and there’s plenty of reason to believe that he could be the same for Chicago.
He’ll probably start out on the wing, but he’d be able to fill in centrally depending on how Hendrickson wants to set up the starting eleven. If the number #7 can develop a solid relationship with his teammates, especially Xherdan Shaqiri, then the sky could be the limit, for both him and the club.
That all starts this preseason. As the kids on Twitter say, people aren’t ready for the sheer size of this upcoming remontada.