Chicago Fire Notebook: Kellyn Acosta on Team's Struggles, Frank Klopas, Injury Updates, More

Goals have been incredibly hard to come by for the Chicago Fire of late.

In the five matches since the Fire last played their weekend opponent, the New England Revolution, they’ve only scored two goals — both of which came in their win over the Houston Dynamo. That’s two goals in over 450 minutes of play for a side that spent a club-record amount of money on a striker in the offseason.

Fortunately for the Fire, New England enters tied with Chicago at the bottom of the Eastern Conference with 18 goals conceded and on a four-match losing streak in all competitions.

Kellyn Acosta joined the Fire in the offseason and remains optimistic despite his side’s struggles in getting the ball in attacking spaces.

“It’s a combination of moving the ball back to front and finding our forward,” said Acosta. “I feel like we've got to get them the ball in dangerous areas where they are bringing out their qualities, and I think we have not done a good job of progressing the ball in situations to them.

“I think you look statistically-wise about possession based in our stats, and just collectively in the game, we have moments where I think we have been a little bit loose on the ball, myself in particular, not connecting passes, and that goes a long way. So I think having spells without the ball is very difficult.

“And in the transition game, I think there's times where we can definitely be a little bit cleaner and be a little more clinical in front of goal. I think sometimes it's the final pass, and also sometimes it's just progression into the final third. I think there's times where we've got to pick our moments where we need to hold on to the ball and there's times where we need to go and go with speed.

“You know, it's about the little details in those moments, finding the right foot, turning in certain spaces, half-spaces, body, positioning, and runs in behind.

“I think as we've been working on a lot in training, it's about executing and now it’s about putting those practice routines in the game. I think if we just keep dialing away, I think we can have the positive results that we want.

Acosta is tied for second on the team with 20 shot-creating actions in 2024 but his side hasn’t reaped the rewards of those opportunities. Chicago’s results haven’t been up to his standard and neither has his play, according to the USMNT midfielder.

“Obviously given the results, we definitely expected to be higher up on the point table because I think we dropped some points that I wished we could have back. And I think, just on a personal note, I came in with high energy to come into the side. I feel like I haven't been performing at my best level. So it's important for me to kind of get back on track and helping the team in that regard.

“But it's also about being patient and being consistent and doing the hard work, and you know, we will get rewarded in the end, but it's about, like I said, sticking together and I think it's important down this stretch of games”

From the rest of my notebook:

Frank Klopas on Recent Results

The Fire have five points from their last five matches but left points on the pitch against a short-handed RBNY and last weekend against Atlanta.

“We have to look at the positives,” said Klopas during his weekly media availability. “I thought that was a step in the right direction. You know, there are things now that we have to do much better at. You know, how can we create more clear opportunities in the final third, work on our final pass and our movement into the box and stuff. That's very important, and the mentality has to be the same. You know, the attitude and the work rate of the guys, how we competed in that match, I thought was very good.”

“We need clean sheets. We need to continue to be a tough team, without the ball, to break down. It all starts from there. I think we will continue to get opportunities. We didn't get as many.

"We did get in good spots and now we just have to continue be working and giving the players confidence with the quality of the service in the box, the movement and stuff like that.

“Big picture, three points out of the playoff line right now. You know, next four out of six at home, difficult matches, because you're playing teams now that are below us or teams that are trying to make the playoffs.

The Fire wasted a great chance at three points when they traveled to New England earlier this season, and Klopas said his side needs results as soon as possible.

“We know we need to start getting results and points and stuff like that. We know it's not going to be easy.”

“We just have to prepare and be ready for a difficult match. That's the most important thing. That's the only thing that's going to give us confidence. It's good preparation and you know, and then we are hopeful day-by-day we can get some guys healthy and guys that can be available to help the team.”

Injury Updates

Tobias Salquist will be out “four-to-six weeks at least” after suffering an MCL injury last weekend against Atlanta but the defender won’t need surgery, according to Frank Klopas. The Fire’s head coach remains optimistic that Xherdan Shaqiri will be available after missing out last weekend, but Maren Haile-Selassie remains unlikely to play against New England.

Ooof Alert

The Fire have made a large deal about bringing in Ryan Needs as their set-piece coach in the offseason. The results haven’t been good.

Chicago is dead-last in MLS with nine shots created from dead-ball opportunities while allowing a league-high 29 shots from dead-ball opportunities, according to fbref.

Omari Glasgow Banger

He did it again.