Chicago Fire: Work Still To Be Done

      The match between the Chicago Fire and D.C. United this Sunday at 4 p.m. Central is a sad clash between former MLS powers.  With both D.C and Chicago mired at the bottom of the table this weekend's game lacks much of the hype that usually surrounds this rivalry.  However, while D.C. looks destined to finish this season in the doldrums the Fire have given themselves a lifeline with the recent acquisitions of Bakary Soumare and Mike Magee. Hit the jump for more...
While Soumare is occasionally seen being outpaced in the Chicago area by migrating turtles he does provide a stout tackle, veteran composure, and improved passing in the middle of the defense.  Being able to move Anibaba out wide and getting Wells "El Diablo" Thompson off the field is a huge plus for Chicago.  Watching Wells get torched by Brad Davis in Houston still haunts me.  Soumare's addition doesn't make Chicago's defense championship worthy but it does provide a bit more depth and class which should really help them scrape together a few more points as the offense tries to figure out which end to shoot at.
      Chicago's newest favorite son, Mike Magee, faces the daunting task of fixing the Fire attack which has scored an embarrassing seven goals this season.  Magee has proven with LA over the past few years that he is a goal scorer and especially in clutch situations when it counts.  What he won't be used to though is being the #1 or #2 offensive threat on the team.  In LA he had Keane, Donovan, Buddle and many others that drew the attention of opposing defenders.  It will be interesting to see how he responds to the increased pressure he will receive in Chicago.  He will also have to adjust to playing at the top of the formation as opposed to the outside where he had more room to roam.  The bottom line though is that his signing is an improvement that should help Chicago avoid the cellar.
      What is important to remember though is that there is still a lot of work to be done by the front office this summer if Chicago wants a sniff of the playoffs.  For too long the ownership of Chicago has tried to find that discount DP that wows when he arrives.  Chicago is one of the biggest markets in the US and they need to bring in a player that is proven, exciting, and still at or near the top of his game.  The majority of successful teams in MLS now have a player on their squad which receives more than a million dollars annually and it will take a splash of cash like that in order to get the Fire to where they want to be anytime soon.  Chicago's highest paid player is Sherjill Macdonald who's guaranteed compensation this year is $527,125.  I like Sherjill but his inability to score any goals so far this year highlight the fact that he is another discount DP similar to Alvaro Fernandez, Federicco Puppo, Freddie Ljunberg, and Nery Castillo that doesn't produce results or put butts in seats.