Two months ago, everything seemed to be going perfectly for Andrew Gutman.
The now-30-year-old Chicago Fire left back, playing in his third season with the club, had just signed a new, three-year deal with the Fire, tying him to his boyhood club for the rest of his prime. He had also played practically every minute of the season under Gregg Berhalter, building on a 2025 season in which he started 37 out of the Fire’s 37 MLS games, including their return to playoffs for the first time in eight years.
This October, though, things look quite different; Gutman has not started any of the Fire’s last four matches, and has not even been used as a substitute in any of the last three. Based on the last four matches, he is the Fire’s third-string left back behind Leo Barroso and Noah Allen; something that would have been inconceivable even a month ago.
“We have competition in the squad,” Berhalter said after Wednesday’s 3-1 loss to the Philadelphia Union. “We have competition in the fullback positions. We opted for Noah today. In the game, we thought that he would give us the advantage that we’re looking for against Cavan Sullivan.”
“It’s a long season, we have five games left. I’m sure Andrew will get an opportunity and then it’s up to him to try to keep his place and stay on the field.”
Gutman’s sudden absence is certainly puzzling from the outside. This is the first time Gutman has been an unused substitute in consecutive MLS matches in five years; he is widely regarded as a top 5 left back in the league, and has played extremely well over the past 18 months, making his new contract in August a deserved one.
His last start, against Nashville in mid-September, was one of his rougher outings, but he was also being asked to play left center back in a back three for a large portion of that game. While that somewhat explains the decision to start an out-of-position Barroso against Charlotte, it doesn’t quite explain how rapidly he has dropped from one of the team’s only locked-in outfield starters to a third string.
“I think they’re both great players and everyone’s competing,” Allen said of Gutman and Barroso after starting on the left against Philadelphia. “We’re at the end of the season now where we want to clinch playoffs and get the highest spot that we can, and win out. It takes competition to get better as a player and to compete and have a good roster, a winning roster. You need competition in every area. They’re both great guys and great players as well.”
Berhalter’s preference for Allen and Barroso in the last four matches raises the question of who will start this Saturday against the New England Revolution.
Berhalter cited on Wednesday that Allen was preferred against Philadelphia because he matched up best with the threat of Cavan Sullivan on the Union’s right wing; meanwhile, the Revs have their own right-sided homegrown threat, 19-year-old U.S. international Peyton Miller. Miller was a thorn in the Fire’s side when the teams met last month, scoring what would prove to be the winning goal early in the second half.
Additionally, Miller is coming off of one of his best outings of the season on Wednesday against FC Cincinnati. Starting on the right, he showcased his tremendous pace and creativity to tear FCC apart, creating three big chances and recording two assists.
So, if the matchup against the all-action threat that is Sullivan was indeed the reason Gutman was not selected against Philadelphia, Miller’s similarly dynamic profile suggests Gutman will probably remain out of favor. Indeed, if this meeting with the Revolution is anything like the last one or like their win over Cincinnati, containing Miller will be one of the keys to the match.
Of the three left back possibilities, Barroso brings the most pace, and is also probably the best at connecting play with the midfield as an inverted left back. If that is the primary consideration, it would be reasonable to imagine he could get the nod, although Allen largely contained Sullivan well enough, particularly in the first half, that starting him again would be reasonable.
Without any minutes in the last several weeks, and without knowing exactly what is happening in training, it’s difficult to know exactly what has caused Gutman’s sharp and now prolonged falling out of favor.
