#CLBvCHI Numbers and Words | Fire open 2017 campaign Saturday in Columbus

As head coach Veljko Paunovic's Men In Red gear up to kickoff their 2017 campaign at Eastern Conference rival Columbus Crew SC on Saturday afternoon, there figures to be plenty to assess from faces both new and old on both sides of the field. The Fire will be looking to make a statement of early intent by taking full points on the road in their season opener, something they haven't done since a 3-1 win in Dallas in 2009. With that, here are a few key facts, faces and figures to keep in mind:

Key number: 6.46

As far as the analytics go, one would think Columbus’ 2016 side was one of the top performers in MLS. Their expected goal differential (xGD) - a quantitative measure of chance quality that takes shot location, shot type, buildup and other factors into account and calculates how likely a particular shot is to result in a goal (according to MLSsoccer.com) - was among the league leaders at 6.46 for the season. On the flip side, their actual goal differential in 2016 was a paltry -8. According to xGD, Columbus was creating decent chances, but simply couldn’t put them away at an equal rate. For comparison’s sake, the Fire’s 2016 xGD was -4.67, with an actual differential of -16. Both of these teams will hope luck – if that’s what you want to call it – falls heavier in their favor on Saturday.

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Matchup to Watch: Nikolic vs. Mensah

There will be plenty of new faces to assess on both sides come kickoff on Saturday afternoon, but no single matchup carries the high-level intrigue as the one between each team’s highest profile offseason signing. Fire Designated Player Nemanja Nikolic -- the man who scored 128 goals across 205 games in Hungary and Poland -- will surely look to put an immediate stamp on things against defensive counterpart Jonathan Mensah, Columbus’ Ghanaian offseason Designated Player signing and 2010 and 2014 World Cup veteran. Finnish newcomer Jukka Raitala also hopes to provide reinforcements to Berhalter's back line in 2017. 

One Big Question:

Can the Fire translate their preseason formula for success to the regular season?

It's a straightforward query facing any MLS squad that felt good about its preseason performances, but it's particularly striking for a Fire side that looked so consistent in its setup and recipe for wins throughout February. Early goals -- several the result of a well-orchestrated high press -- gave Chicago confidence, the back line was organized in defense with Johan Kappelhof and Joao Meira directing traffic in the center, and they successfully put the ball on the feet of Dax McCarty, Juninho and David Accam to advance the ball into the attacking half. Columbus no doubt took notice, and will rely on Federico Higuain, Wil Trapp and Justin Meram to dictate play in a way that Fire opponents weren't able to do in the preseason.  

Quote of the Week:

“I think the general thesis of preseason should be to try to work on the things that you want to do in the season that are going to make you a successful team. For each team, that’s different. We definitely put value on the results we got -- you always want to win every time you step out onto the field – but as far as what it means for the regular season, it doesn’t mean much.” – midfielder Dax McCarty, candidly expressing his opinion on the value of a team’s record in preseason play. All eyes on opening day, then.

Fire Field Vision powered by NovaCare:

From the Media Guide:

• The Fire hold a 24-17-17 all-time regular season record against Crew SC, including a 10-11-7 record in games played on the road.
• The Fire are 5-8-6 all-time in season openers and hold a 4-7-5 record when opening the season on the road.
• The Men in Red have twice opened their season in the Buckeye State, drawing Crew SC 1-1 on April 7, 2001 and defeating Crew SC 2-0 on March 23, 2002. 

• Goalkeeper Matt Lampson and assistant coach Eric Gehrig began their professional careers with Crew SC. Lampson, who is currently on the mend with a minor knee ailment, appeared in 18 matches for Columbus from 2012-15, while Gehrig appeared in 46 regular season and two postseason matches from 2011-14.
• Crew SC midfielder Dilaver Duka represented the Men in Red during the 2013 and 2014 seasons, scoring four goals and adding three assists in 37 league matches.
• Crew SC assistant coach Josh Wolff represented the Fire for the first five seasons of his professional playing career. Wolff appeared in 84 regular season matches, scoring 32 goals and adding 15 assists from 1998-2002.