Gregg Berhalter has pledged to make the Chicago Fireplace’s supporters proud forward of taking the reins for the 2025 season, with Frank Klopas taking to the dugout for the final time towards Nashville SC this weekend.
Neither Chicago nor Nashville could make the playoffs on Choice Day, sitting fifteenth and thirteenth within the Japanese Convention standings respectively.
Chicago are propping up the desk with simply 30 factors, and so they have reacted to their dismal marketing campaign by appointing former United States nationwide workforce coach Berhalter.
Forward of assuming a watching transient for the Fireplace’s last sport underneath interim boss Klopas, he wrote in an open letter to supporters: “As we flip the web page to this new chapter, I need to make one factor clear: we’re setting our sights on sustained success.
“We are going to create an id on and off the sector that you may be pleased with and be sure that the Fireplace are aggressive yr in and yr out.
“My imaginative and prescient is easy: Construct one of many prime golf equipment in North America. We are going to give attention to constructing a squad that not solely competes at a excessive degree however performs in a manner that makes you proud to see them put on our well-known pink.”
New period, new power. #cf97 pic.twitter.com/rZRcFE3B2t
— Chicago Fireplace FC (@ChicagoFire) October 17, 2024
Nashville are additionally set to enter their first offseason underneath new boss B.J. Callaghan, however he’s assured his workforce is not going to take their eye off the ball.
“Preparations for us have gone as regular, how we all the time put together for an opponent,” Callaghan stated.
“There’s additionally a stage of an analysis interval, we’re not competing for the playoffs anymore in order that’s clear however on the identical time it’s nonetheless a aggressive setting.
“We’re doing nothing in need of nonetheless attempting to go and win the sport, that’s the intention, to go to Chicago and get three factors.”
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Chicago Fireplace – Chris Brady
The 4 objectives Chicago conceded of their defeat at Charlotte FC final day trip took them to 59 objectives allowed this season, second-most in a single season in membership historical past. The Fireplace allowed a club-record 61 objectives throughout the 2018 marketing campaign.
If they’re to keep away from an undesirable piece of historical past, they could want an enormous show from goalkeeper Brady.
Nashville SC – Hany Mukhtar
Mukhtar has been concerned in six objectives in his final six regular-season matches (three objectives, three assists). He had recorded simply 11 purpose contributions in his first 25 league appearances in 2024.
MATCH PREDICTION – CHICAGO FIRE WIN
The Fireplace enter their last match of the season on 30 factors (seven wins, 9 attracts, 17 losses).
Chicago should earn at the least one level to keep away from equalling their lowest factors tally throughout a full season (excluding the shortened 2020 season) in membership historical past (30 in 2015).
They need to keep away from that undesirable slice of membership historical past, although. Nashville have misplaced 11 of their final 14 regular-season matches, together with the final three in a row. In addition they have a minus-19 purpose distinction after recording a constructive purpose distinction of their first 4 MLS seasons.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Chicago Fireplace – 41.8%
Nashville SC – 31.5%
Draw – 26.7%
