Thanks to modern miracles like bye weeks and international breaks, the Chicago Fire have only played two games in four weekends of the 2018 MLS season. Between those games, too, head coach Veljko Paunoviu0107 made three changes to his starting XI and have, according to Portland Timbers head coach Giovanni Savarese, “tried different systems, already.” The main commonality between the Fire’s two 2018 run-outs: They were both one-goal losses.
The nature of those losses may have been different – a rollercoaster, 4-3, loss to Sporting Kansas City before a tight 2-1 defeat in Minnesota – but the underlying point remains.