All forms of MenInRed97's soccer analysis.
1. The floor is going up In the opening moments of the Fire’s 2025 campaign, the offense looked dynamic, with Jonathan Bamba setting up a brace for Brian Gutiérrez inside of 22 minutes. The problem? The Fire kept conceding – giving up their 1-0 lead just six minutes later,
Heading eastward along the Eisenhower Expressway, he’s nearly impossible to miss. Five stories tall, wearing a distinctive pink jersey, no. 10 on the back, Lionel Messi is on a billboard as the latest installment of MLS’s tried-and-true tradition of using global stars of the game that
HARRISON, N.J. — The Chicago Fire’s five-game unbeaten run is over, but energy is still high around the Men in Red. Berhalter’s team suffered an unfortunate 2-1 loss to the New York Red Bulls at Sports Illustrated Arena despite a strong performance for the bulk of
The Chicago Fire's winning run came to an end last night when the team tied CF Montréal 1-1 at a rainy Soldier Field, with Dante Sealy's second half goal canceling out Philip Zinckernagel's opener. The draw means that the Fire's search
Yesterday’s match against the Vancouver Whitecaps was a perfect example of what this Chicago Fire team is capable of when everything comes together. A solid 90 minutes of soccer, where the only goal conceded was pretty much unstoppable, has put the Fire in joint second in the Eastern Conference.
Don’t look now, but the Chicago Fire are winning games. Head Coach Gregg Berhalter has transformed everything in the organization since taking over during the offseason, and after earning the first win of the season last week against FC Dallas, the Men in Red made it two on the
For just the second time in 234 days, the Chicago Fire have won a soccer game. And they did it in the most unlikely way possible, too, coming back from a late deficit on the road against FC Dallas to win 3-1, with all three tallies coming after the
A handful of days before Christmas, MLS gave journalists who cover the league or its teams and the most ardent fans – “sickos,” as longtime league personality Andrew Wiebe has affectionately called them – an early gift by releasing the amount of general allocation money (GAM) that each team had available. Today,
When the Chicago Fire took the field for MLS opening day last week in Columbus, the first tactical surprise of the Gregg Berhalter era came in midfield. It wasn't the personnel that was shocking; the midfield trio of Kellyn Acosta, Brian Gutiérrez, and Sergio Oregel Jr. largely picked
Brian Gutiérrez, now with two senior U.S. Men’s National Team caps to his credit. Maren Haile-Selassie, a fan favorite for his explosive speed on the wing. David Poreba, the reigning MLS Next Pro MVP and Golden Boot winner, having earned a first-team deal with his hometown
MLS opening day did not go as planned for the Chicago Fire, but there were some positives to take away. For one, the only direction now is up. But more importantly, it is evident that new signing Jonathan Bamba is the man Head Coach Gregg Berhalter needed on the wing.
With the Fire’s first season under Director of Football and Head Coach Gregg Berhalter set to kick off, the team at MIR97 Media has predictions for the team in 2025. We cover everything from individual accolades to team performance in key competitions. Team Golden Boot Winner Alex Calabrese: Hugo
The Chicago Fire team that is set to take to the pitch on Saturday in Columbus will look radically different than the one that last played a competitive match in 2024. There has been significant roster turnover, and about half of the players on the roster are new. The team
The countdown to the official kick off of the Gregg Berhalter era in Chicago is well and truly on, with MLS opening day in Columbus now just five days away. It was a successful preseason for the Fire, who finished strong with a pair of wins at the Coachella Valley
Last week, MLS released the public version of the 2025 Roster Rules and Regulations. While not a comprehensive (or legally binding) version of the rules that MLS teams need to follow, they work as a guide for the public’s (and media’s) understanding of the myriad rules and exceptions
The Chicago Fire are truly up and running in preseason, finally getting their first win at the Coachella Valley Invitational this afternoon. Gregg Berhalter's offense exploded in a thrilling first half, putting up five goals within 34 minutes to crush the San Jose Earthquakes 5-1. While victory
