The Fire take the field again this weekend following their valiant effort against Supporter’s Shield front-runners the Philadelphia Union on Wednesday.
They’ll travel to face stingy, defensive side Nashville SC in Music City on Saturday night as the Fire’s playoff push continues to march on. The good news? They are in the driver’s seat.
Here’s how head coach Raphael Wicky’s group sizes up against Gary Smith’s…
“EVERYONE N”
This has become Nashville’s slogan/battle cry since coming into MLS this year. The expansion side - who spent a year in the USL Championship - now find themselves heading to the 2020 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs in their first season of MLS after clinching their spot on Tuesday. They are just the sixth team to accomplish the feat in MLS history, with the ’98 Fire being in that group as well.
“Everyone N” can also be translated to “Everyone behind the ball”
Gary Smith’s style is daunting and often frustrating, but it’s been successful. It is the furthest thing from sexy football, but it keeps them in almost every game and takes the opposition out of any rhythm.
Recently, the back line has consisted of U.S. Men’s National Team defenders Daniel Lovitz (left back) and Walker Zimmerman (right center-back) in addition to Dave Romney (left center-back) and Alistair Johnston (right back).
Romney and Zimmerman are both tall, intimidating, physical defenders who deal with most aerial deliveries with ease. Romney is quicker than he looks, and Zimmerman has proved the past couple of years that he’s among the center-back elite in MLS.
Lovitz is a steady, experienced defender and has a subtle attacking presence. He will get forward, but a reckless outside back is not part of the Gary Smith DNA. Johnston is a young Canadian who, by all accounts, is a quick learner and fierce competitor.
Nashville has only let in 18 goals this season - tied for second best in MLS with Philly - but their defensive prowess lies within the midfield. They play a 4-2-3-1 similar to the Fire, but central midfielders Anibal Godoy and former Fire captain Dax McCarty have a much shorter leash than Gastón Giménez and Álvaro Medrán.
What McCarty and Godoy do so well is screen passing lanes in the middle of the field. With communication from Zimmerman and Romney, they play right in front of the opposing teams' midfielders and force the ball to go out wide rather than find the feet of playmakers. This can be frustrating for the opposition and it limits space.
McCarty and Godoy sort of have eyes in the back of their head if you watch them play. A few steps to the left or right and they cut out those spaces that Fabian Herbers, Djordje Mihailović, and Ignacio Aliseda usually find in between the lines. These pockets are typically squeezed into no space at all. Once the ball gets out wide, Nashville welcome early delivery because of their size and positioning.
In addition to buying into the defensive scheme, wingers Alex Muyl and Randall Leal have tremendous motors and cover a lot of ground to ensure they have attacking outlets. Leal has been the most consistent threat offensively for Nashville, having just scored the game-winner against Montreal on Tuesday in a 1-0 win.
Gary Smith’s group keeps everything in front of them, and as a result, they are in control. They take the sting and excitement out of the game and do so unapologetically. It is effective, and that is why they find themselves with an “x” next to their name in the table.
CLEAN, CRISP, TEMPO
With Nashville being at home, you’ll expect them to have a bit more of the ball and for the Fire, that suits them. Letting Nashville have the ball is actually quite a good strategy, because it automatically takes them out of their shell and shape while they are in possession. They do a good job of that offensive defending I’ve mentioned a number of times throughout the year, but hitting Nashville on the counter is probably the path of least resistance.
This requires playing out of the initial pressure, going with pace and purpose in the other direction, and not allowing Nashville to get numbers back behind the ball. They may be the best at that in MLS.
When attempting to break them down in possession, it requires not only creativity and spark in the attacking third but also a crispness. All first touches need to be clean with an intent to set up what your next move is. Whether it be to take on a defender, whip in a cross, or find the next open man, first touch is so critical against a team like Nashville. The time and space you have is so limited and needs to be utilized in the quickest and most efficient way possible.
The best way to do that? Be clean and play to the correct foot. Anything other than that, and it allows this resolute bunch to step up and push you further back to start all over again
FINAL THOUGHTS
There isn’t a whole lot more to say at this point in the season. It’s clear who the Fire are playing and what they need to do. Every game, really since the match against the New York Red Bulls, is essentially a playoff fixture.
Nashville have clinched their spot in the postseason, but are looking to potentially parlay their position and catch NYCFC who are five points ahead of them. Meanwhile, the Fire – currently fighting with five teams for one of two playoff spots - are in control of their own destiny. If the Fire win their last three games, they are in. It is truly as simple as that.
Of course, there is so much more that goes into it - their remaining opponents are all playoff teams - but the intangibles of the game at this point far out-weigh the tactics.
These last three games will come down to a matter of heart and desire. The Fire have not lacked any of that this season, and being a tad more clinical in front of goal and seeing out results is part of the equation. Wicky’s group need to will themselves to results these next three games.
Having captain Francisco Calvo available after the Fire’s successful appeal of his red card suspension from Wednesday is massive.
Breaking Nashville down is difficult but not impossible. It will be a slow burn in Music City come Saturday night, hopefully without any controversy. The Fire are still in control, and a win at Nissan Stadium could just be the three points to get this postseason ball rolling.
