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Tim Hotze

Tim is MenInRed97's Managing Editor and a co-host of The Bonfire podcast. He has been with MIR97 since launch in 2023 and is a MLS roster rule nerd and has tasted all 31 flavors of allocation money.

𝕏 Bluesky Chicago, IL
Sep 14, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Fire FC forward Tom Barlow (12) celebrates with Chicago Fire FC midfielder Mare

Four Fire Storylines to Watch for the Rest of 2024

With the Fire officially eliminated from postseason contention, in a macro sense, the season is over. That isn’t to say that there are no stakes for the team in the final weeks of the season. Here are some storylines for both the team and individual players to keep an

Drawn Out: Chicago 1, Toronto 1

Drawn Out: Chicago 1, Toronto 1

Bridgeview, Ill. — Toronto and the Fire both had a singular aim going into their match at SeatGeek Stadium on Saturday night – get a win, and three points. As has happened all too often for both teams this season they didn’t find the result they wanted, as both teams played

Fire at Toronto: Tactics and Starting XI

Fire at Toronto: Tactics and Starting XI

The Fire are set to host Toronto FC at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview. The last time these two teams met, the Fire walked away with a 4-1 victory and their first road win of the season. With the Fire's playoff hopes dim but not extinguished and Toronto'

Chicago Fire player Allan Arigoni plays the ball against CF Montréal during a soccer game.

Fire at CF Montréal: Tactics and Starting XI

The Fire face the team that gave them their first win of the season looking for a win and three points over CF Montréal in another matchup between two teams that are hoping against increasingly long odds to battle their way into the postseason. Since the Fire last played CF

Sep 18, 2024; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Nashville SC midfielder Alex Muyl (19) is slide tackled by Chicago Fire defender Arn

Off note: Nashville SC 1, Chicago Fire 0

Nashville, Tenn. — Sometimes, you can't you just can't quite get in tune. The Fire traveled to Nashville looking for their first-ever win in Tennessee’s largest city but again fell short, falling 1-0 to their hosts off a goal by Sam Surridge. Despite radical changes to

Fire at Nashville: Tactics and Starting XI

Fire at Nashville: Tactics and Starting XI

For the last time of 2024, the Fire face an opponent they haven’t yet faced this year (barring a run to the MLS Cup final, which I think we can all agree is highly unlikely) in Nashville SC. The game is the sixth regular-season matchup between the two teams

Tom Barlow close in shot after scoring a goal with the net in the background

Red Magic: Chicago Fire 2, New York Red Bulls 1

CHICAGO, Ill. — The Fire found their magic tonight. For the second year in a row, the Fire played the New York Red Bulls looking for their first win after the summer’s Leagues Cup break. Last year, they left Red Bull Arena with a 1-0 victory. This year, goals from

Fire vs New York Red Bulls: Tactics and Starting XI

Fire vs New York Red Bulls: Tactics and Starting XI

The Fire go from facing the league with the second-longest playoff drought (after the Fire) to facing the team with the longest playoff streak in the league as they host the New York Red Bulls on Saturday. Few teams are as synonymous with a style of play as the Red

Falling short: Chicago Fire 1, D.C. United 2

Falling short: Chicago Fire 1, D.C. United 2

BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. ― The Fire kicked off against D.C. United, in a battle between two teams that trying to climb the way into a postseason spot and break one of the two longest active playoff streaks in the league. D.C. found a way to win, despite being out possessed

May 25, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; D.C. United midfielder Jared Stroud (8) plays the ball defended by Chica

Fire vs D.C. United: Tactics and Starting XI

The Fire are facing D.C. United, a team that has a lengthy history with the fire, in their first of two games this season at SeatGeek Stadium, the team’s home for 14 years. The teams own the two longest active playoff droughts in the league (the Fire, six