Matt Polster and Brandon Vincent’s lockers sit near the same corner of the Fire’s Toyota Park locker room, a geographic advantage that has been particularly useful this season as Polster has learned to play outside back.
“I think, I forgot who asked me at the beginning but they were like 'How do you like right back?' I think my response was like, of course I’m going to make mistakes early, it’s not something I’m entirely used to, but as I play more there and I’m getting more comfortable I’m starting to find better spots,” Polster said on Saturday. ”You can talk to Brandon, I’ve asked him when to cross the ball and when to find guys in certain moments because I don’t really know that, you know. He’s helped me out a lot, Brandon and the guys have helped me out, so I’m just slowly growing into it.”
A few minutes later standing in that same corner, Vincent agreed with his teammate and praised his growth at the new position.
“Matt’s a good player, he’s a good soccer player so I think he’s adaptable and can learn to play a position if he has to and I think that’s exactly what we’re seeing right now,” Vincent said. “Being a center mid, that comes with a lot of attributes that can extend to different parts of the field, so him playing right back I think the growth has been great. He gets in, does his work and we work with each other and I learn things from him as a center mid, better vision on the field and how I can improve my game, and he learns from me. So it’s a good partnership and I’m really happy for him, he’s doing a great job.”
Polster got a slow start to the 2017 season, missing nine games due to a pre-season knee injury and subsequent recovery setback. At the same time, the club’s veteran acquisitions in midfield made minutes scarce at the position he had played primarily over his first two years with the club.
On May 13 against Seattle, Polster made his season debut with 19 minutes at right back. Since then, he has started and gone the full 90 minutes in all eight of the Fire’s league games.
In the club's 4-0 win over Vancouver Whitecaps FC on July 1, Polster had his best attacking outing yet at right back. While he has said he still believes he can play as a central midfielder, it’s clear Polster is coming into his own as a wide player as well. With two perfectly picked-out crosses, the third-year pro tallied the first multi-assist game of his MLS career.
“I thought we came out strong and we put them on their heels and that allowed me to have space and a lot of guys have space,” Polster said. “... that’s how we’ve been so efficient, I think a lot of guys are moving off the ball and creating space for each other, that’s how we’re creating a lot of chances.”
Polster assisted on the opening goal in the 14th minute, receiving a cross-field pass from Joao Meira, settling it with his chest at the endline, getting his head up and rolling a low cross to Nemanja Nikolic near the penalty spot. His second assist came in the 25th minute when he found Arturo Alvarez drifting off the defense at the far post.
“We’ve discussed about when we should time crosses. Not just between ourselves but also with the forwards,” Vincent said. “We know where we want to put the ball and we know where they want the ball, so if we can make those match then hopefully it comes out with a goal. Today he did a great job with that, got his head up and knew where to play the ball and it was great for him.”
Crossing in particular, Polster said, has been the toughest thing to pick up.
“I think timing of crosses, I think I’m still learning that,” he said. “When to hit it first time or when to take a touch and then whip it. … that’s the biggest one, timing of crosses.”
The two assists on Saturday give Polster four on the season, already besting the career-high of two he had last season.
After the win over the Whitecaps, head coach Veljko Paunovic stressed that they always saw Polster’s new position as one that would factor into the attack rather than simply defend.
"I think the acceptance from him to play in that role for the team at that position which we always said ‘You're playing as a midfielder on the flank, it's not that you're playing a fullback like a classic old time fullback,’” Paunovic said. “We want you to participate, to be on the ball, to go inside, to provocate the opponents in terms with the ball and create a superiority and then assist and if you can score goals even better.
“So for us, when you have the ball you have to play depending on the situation, and he understands now very well and he accepted to play at that position but also understand that he can very useful and help the team in attack, which is something that is important for the style of play we have now."
Special to Chicago-Fire.com
