Ahead of Saturday's first preseason look at outside competition, Veljko Paunovic cited fitness, competitiveness and style of play as points of emphasis when his Chicago Fire lined up against collegiate hosts Florida Gulf Coast University.
Looking back on the favorable 1-0 outcome, Paunovic saw building blocks of all three.
“This is the first game of preseason and after a week of hard work here in Florida, I’m happy with the performance," he said Saturday night. "We had very good chances in both halves, we could have increased the score but guys had a very good approach, very good attitudes. We tried to play the way we trained so far and the aspects of the game, especially in the offensive third, where we wanted to connect more and have presses in their box. I think we did that well, now we have to work on our sharpness."
Tactically, Paunovic got a look at several of his new additions, including Juninho in the center of midfield and the evening's goal-scorer Nemanja Nikolic as a lone striker. Luis Solignac showed off a bit of play-making ability playing beneath Nikolic and working to create the winning tally. Elsewhere, trialists Drew Beckie and Boyd Okwuono each had their first competitive chance to impress at right back, and rookies like Daniel Johnson got a professional preseason debut under their belts.
“It was a good game, it was a good level," said Johnson, recently signed after being drafted No. 11 overall out of Louisville. "FGCU was a Sweet 16 team last year so it’s a good level, they have good players. It’s been a tough week physically and this is just another test in terms of fitness. It was good to get on the ball as a team, as an eleven and put to work some of the things we’ve been going over throughout the week and throughout preseason.”
As Johnson alluded to, Paunovic knows that his club entered Saturday's friendly still feeling the effects of an arduous week of work in Fort Myers -- as intended.
"The guys have heavy legs and have behind them hard, hard work and we expect in the coming weeks to increase that load and intensity which is required to have a very good season," he said. "Everything we’re doing right now is to look ahead to the season and we have to prepare well.”
