Hey, soccer fans! Tell me if you've heard this one before... Yes, the Fire lose again after missing early opportunities, making some boneheaded plays, mentally check out, then spend most of the match chasing the game and the opposing players. This time the Men in Red fell 3-0 to a Los Angeles Galaxy team not know for offense and not known for clean sheets. Tune in to hear how it all went down and how we can confidently say this was the "same ol' Fire." Stay tuned for the second half of the show ...
Aug 30, 2023•32 min•Ep. 50
Hey, Fire fans! Did this weekend feel familiar? Was it deja vu all over again? The Chicago Fire lost to Orlando City SC 3-1 for the second time this season, and their same offensive and defensive woes were on full display. In today's episode, we look at how Brian Gutierrez and Georgos Koutsias need to play better and diagnose some of their poor, individual moments. We also look at the coaching performance by CJ Brown (filling in for Frank Klopas who tested positive for Covid) and the news of the...
Aug 23, 2023•48 min•Ep. 49
Hey, Fire fans and MLS fans! Are you sick of Leagues Cup yet? I know you aren't, but many Liga MX fans are - even their coaches have heavily criticized the tournament due to travel, scheduling, refereeing and Messi favoritism. Tune in for our rebuttal and to hear where they actually may have some merit. Our host also looks at the Chicago Fire players entering free agency at the end of the season: Kamara, Herbers, Omsberg, and Richey. Would you keep them or let them walk if you were the Fire? Nic...
Aug 15, 2023•45 min•Ep. 48
Hey, Fire fans! What a way to go out in Leagues Cup! Przybylko misses a sitter and moments later Gimenez scores an own goal. The Fire were once again victims of their old habits - playing desperate defense and failing to create anything on offense. While Club America looked frustrated at times during the second half, they were soundly in control of the match. Tune in as we discuss the lineup choices, the stats, and the overall impressions of the match. In the second half of the show, join our ho...
Aug 08, 2023•37 min•Ep. 47
Hey, Fire fans and MLS fans! What a way for the Chicago Fire to open up their history in Leagues Cup! Their improbably victory at Minnesota United marks a real turning point in the club this season. Through a combination of better team play, coaching, and catching some lucky breaks, the Men in Red look poised for a successful Leagues Cup run and a positive second half of the Major League Soccer regular season. And for the second half of our show, our host breaks down all the biggest transfers of...
Aug 01, 2023•42 min•Ep. 46
Hey, Fire fans, are we enjoying the Leagues Cup!? Messi nets his first goal in MLS, American clubs dominate their Mexican counterparts in Liga MX, and we haven't even seen all the clubs play yet! Tune in and listen to our host break down Messi's play, the Fire's chances of advancing, and why he thinks Leagues Cup will start a cycle of new investment and development in American soccer. Nick also takes a closer look at the Chicago Fire's latest acquisition, defensive midfielder Ousmane Doumbia. Th...
Jul 25, 2023•39 min•Ep. 45
Hey, Fire and MLS fans! Welcome back as we Feed the Fire talking about the player ratings and the Fotmob/Sofascore effect on the sport. Our host rants about how it's hurting the game - just like fantasy football did to the NFL - but he also takes a deep dive into how it can be useful for certain evaluations, comparisons, and conversations. Nick also recaps the Chicago Fire's win vs. a reeling Toronto FC squad. Your Men in Red did just enough to take three points - and it took them 90 minutes and...
Jul 18, 2023•45 min•Ep. 44
Hey, soccer fans! It was a bizarro Wednesday on the American soccer landscape. In Major League Soccer, we saw the Chicago Fire jump out to a quick 3-0 lead vs. conference rival CF Montreal and hold on for the victory. Not to be outdone by young stars Georgios Koutsias and Brian Gutierrez, Xerdan Shaqiri found his finishing touch. Tune in as our host breaks down the team play and goals (including Shaqiri's stunner), and analyzes whether the Chicago Fire - your Men in Red - have turned a corner. I...
Jul 14, 2023•38 min•Ep. 43
Hey, soccer fans! Don't say it too loudly, but the Fire are on the verge of being above the playoff line. After an uninspiring win over Nashville SC, the Men in Red sit level with 9th place CF Montreal on points. And would you look at that - who is the next opponent on the schedule: CF Montreal. It's fate! The Fire face off against one of the only teams in Major League Soccer that are worse than they are (at least statistically). Don't expect beautiful soccer, but do expect a hard fought match t...
Jul 11, 2023•40 min•Ep. 42
Hey, soccer fans! The Chicago Fire are back home and the USMNT are defending the Gold Cup - it's a great weekend for soccer in Second City. Your Men in Red welcome Nashville SC to Soldier Field and look to steal three points from the 2nd best team in the Eastern Conference. Though down a couple starters to international duty, you can bet that Hany Mukhtar and Dax McCarty are going to be on their game looking to counter-attack the Fire. Tune in to hear how Nashville stacks up against Chicago, and...
Jul 07, 2023•26 min•Ep. 41
Hey, Fire fans! Well, your Men in Red got burned while in the Sunshine State. They return from their latest away match with zero points after an underwhelming 3-1 loss. The Fire looked like they had no game plan on offense, a bad game plan on defense, and no ideas how to change it from the coaches. Tune in as we break down the goals, the stats, and the opinion on their performance. In the second half, we review notable Major League Soccer (MLS) results and how the teams will use those for moment...
Jul 04, 2023•39 min•Ep. 40
Hey, Fire fans! Will the Chicago Fire keep their win streak alive in Orlando? Tune in as our host breaks down the Men in Red's next matchup against a difficult Orlando City squad. With the return of three starters from international duty, Orlando City will have a rejuvenated and deeper lineup. If they can keep the Fire on their heels with counter-attacks and transition offense, it'll be a long day at the office for Rafael Czichos and the backline. Fortunately, goalkeeper Chris Brady has proven t...
Jul 01, 2023•25 min•Ep. 39
Hey, Fire fans! The Men in Red are on a win streak, they've signed a new DP, and they may have their next head coach. What a week!? Stay tuned as our host recaps the victory in Kansas City, where a Fabian Herbers goal defeated Sporting KC 1-0. Take it with a grain of salt, though, as this was as much an SKC failure as a Fire success. In the next segment, Nick talks about the Fire's latest DP signing - a short term DP loan - Ousmane Doumbia. How will the defensive midfielder fit in with Fire's al...
Jun 29, 2023•41 min•Ep. 38
Hey, Fre fans. Your Men in Red came back from a road trip to Providence Park in Portland with 3 points and a historic victory against Rose City. I don't fully understand how they did it, but it was in large part due to the stellar play by Brian Gutierrez and Chris Brady. Next up for the Chicago Fire, another difficult road trip-this time to a resurgent Sporting Kansas City. Tune in for what our host thinks will change the game for the Fire Nick also discusses the problem with Apple TV and MLS br...
Jun 24, 2023•12 min•Ep. 37
Hey, Fire fans and USMNT fans! The Fire are getting ready to re-start their MLS campaign, and the United States are once again the Kings of Concacaf!Tune in as our host previews the strengths and weaknesses of the Men in Red's next opponent: the Portland Timbers. The Timbers defense and home-field advantage should give them the edge. For the Fire to win, they'll have to possess the ball and keep up the pressure - which they've never done yet. Yikes. Nick also gives us his quick impressions on th...
Jun 20, 2023•21 min•Ep. 36
Hey, Fire fans and USMNT fans! The Chicago Fire are on international break, but we've still got news to discuss. Brian Gutierrez is on the radar of Premier League side Manchester United, and out host gives his thoughts on why his transfer to the storied club would be a great move for the both clubs and Guti himself. We also touch on the new ticket package the Fire front office is marketing (it includes the Inter Miami game!), and discuss why Jesse Marsch would be a great fit to be the next manag...
Jun 18, 2023•31 min•Ep. 35
Hey, Fire fans! Well, we should've predicted the Fire to lose, we could've predicted it'd be a late game stunner ... but we NEVER would've predicted Lucas Zelarayan to win it from past mid-field! The Men in Red found a stunning new way to lose against conference rival Columbus Crew, and continue their residency in the basement of Major League Soccer. Stay tuned as we look at the goals, the statistics, and all the hot-takes from the last match. In the second half of the show, our host previews th...
Jun 13, 2023•42 min•Ep. 34
Hey, soccer fans! Leo Messi has agreed to play for Major League Soccer as part of Inter Miami CF! This is the biggest signing since David Beckham fundamentally changed the way MLS is played and constructed. Messi will undoubtedly force teams to adjust how they think about their clubs in both the business and soccer/sporting aspects. As for fans of the Chicago Fire, they need to see how a team like Inter Miami - who only has been in existence for 3 years and has already been sanctioned for roster...
Jun 09, 2023•31 min•Ep. 33
Hey, Fire fans! We're all in on the US Open Cup, right? After the defeat to FC Cincinnati, the Chicago Fire need to focus on their best opportunity to do something meaningful this season. And from the way they played in Cincinnati, they already were. Interim manager Frank Klopas rolled out a 5-4-1 formation and played for a draw from the opening whistle. He rotated his squad and tried to preserve his defense, but once again, the Men in Red couldn't hold onto points late. Lucho Acosta scored the ...
Jun 05, 2023•32 min•Ep. 32
Hey, Fire fans! The Chicago Fire are coming off a mid-week match at BMO Field, and unfortunately are coming off another draw. While a draw at Eastern Conference power New England may have felt like progress, the draw against Toronto FC certainly felt like a loss. The Fire changed up their formation, moved players around (Koutsias to the wing? Never again!) and would have ended up with a much worse result if not for the likes of goalkeepers Chris Brady and Spencer Richey. It looked like the Fire ...
Jun 02, 2023•24 min•Ep. 31
Hey, Fire fans! Your Men in Red, the Chicago Fire, played the New England Revolution to a 3-3 draw at Gillette Stadium, behind goals from Georgios Koutsias, Maren Haile-Selassie, and an own goal from the Revs defense. However - and as per usual - the Fire were unable to hold the lead, giving up equalizing goals off of corner kicks to Bobby Wood and Jozy Altidore. (And that was after Noel Buck opened things up for New England with a banger.) In the second half of the show, Nick looks forward to t...
May 30, 2023•35 min•Ep. 30
Hey, Fire fans! Are you done celebrating the US Open Cup victory over Austin FC? Keep it going as long as you can, but also be prepared for MLS play against Eastern Conference foes, the New England Revolution. Your Men in Red travel to Massachusetts this weekend to start their climb out of Major League Soccer's basement.In this show, our host Nick previews the stats, line ups, and strategies of the Chicago Fire and the New England Revolution. Will we see a rivalry rekindled? Or will the Fire rev...
May 26, 2023•26 min•Ep. 29
Hey, Fire fans! It was unofficially Greek Night at Soldier Field with Chicago’s Georgios Koutsias and Atlanta’s Giorgos Giakoumakis combining for three of the six goals on the night. The Greek strikers lifted their teams to a point each, but it was ultimately another disappointing performance by the Men in Red. An abysmal first half was salvaged by a masterful Xerdan Shaqiri corner kick (scored an own goal against the Five Stripes, but we all know it was an Olimpico), and the Fire showed enough ...
May 22, 2023•36 min•Ep. 28
Hey, Fire fans! The Men in Red put on another joke of a performance at Charlotte FC during their midweek match. Despite the first half goal from Kacper Przybylko (who nearly turned a breakway into a blunder), the Chicago Fire allowed the opposition two late goals. The club from the Queen City saw Brandon Cambridge announce himself to MLS with a two goal performance. The Fire again showed their mental weakness, their tactical incompetence, and poor defending. In the show's second half, our host l...
May 19, 2023•28 min•Ep. 27
Hey, Fire fans! The Fire are on a win streak! ... kind of. The Chicago Fire repeated their winning effort in regular season MLS play, defeating expansion side St. Louis CITY SC 1-0 in Soldier Field. That made it two in a row in all competitions, the Fire's best run of form in over a month. Tune in to hear out host give you his thoughts on the game, including the goal, the Klopas Effect, and how the Xerdan Shaqiri and Brian Gutierrez are able to play productive soccer together. In the second half...
May 16, 2023•31 min•Ep. 26
Hey, Fire fans! What a week it's been! With the firing of manager Ezra Hendrickson and the US Open Cup victory vs. St. Louis City, the miserable loss vs. Nashville SC seems like forever ago. Now, the Men in Red welcome the Arch-rivals to Soldier Field and look to pull off the "St. Louis Double" by beating their new rivals in Open Cup play and MLS regular season play. Tune in as we look at St. Louis' possible formation and lineup, their strengths, and what the Fire will need to do to take all thr...
May 11, 2023•27 min•Ep. 25
Hey, Fire fans. The Chicago Fire have fired manager Ezra Hendrickson and assistant coach Junior Gonzalez. Fans of the Men In Red are breathing a collective sigh of relief (at least until they heard Frank Klopas was been named interim manager). This news comes as no surprise as the Fire have struggled to find any offense this season, frequently blow leads, and are coming off their worst match of the season to Nashville SC. Down in the Music City, the Fire got rocked 3-0 behind a hat trick from Ha...
May 08, 2023•38 min•Ep. 24
Hey, Fire fans! Are you ready for more? Well, get ready. The Men in Red travel to Geodis Park in the Music City to take on Nashville SC. In a city known for barbeque and music, I hope you're ready for the Fire to get cooked - or get rocked - or just get embarrassed by a superior opponent. Tune in as out host looks at the top players from Nashville, the anticipated formations, and the odds on the match. Nick gives his prediction, as well, and he is not optimistic that Chicago comes home with a po...
May 05, 2023•23 min•Ep. 23
Hey, Fire fans. I feel your pain. I feel your hurt. I feel your frustration after another lead is squandered off a set piece, late in the game, at home. (And to none other than Fire-killer Cory Burke.) Tune in as we look back on another disappointing match by the Men in Red. Our host, Nick, breaks down the goals, the tactics, and the ... questionable ... decisions by the coaching staff. We also take a deep dive into the substitution patters by manager Ezra Hendrickson. Yes, he had to make an ear...
May 01, 2023•37 min•Ep. 22
Hey, Fire fans! I hope you have a short memory (what Atlanta game?) because the Red Bulls of New York are coming to town! Our Men in Red have a great opportunity to get back into the win column against a New York team that is struggling to score goals. They are also down several starters while the Fire are expected to have a full compliment of players. Tune in as Nick looks at anticipated roster moves, players to watch, and some trivia between the teams. He also covers the betting odds and gives...
Apr 28, 2023•22 min•Ep. 21
