Fire aim to feed on hot stretch vs. Union (Sep 23, 2017)
The Chicago Fire's summer of misery appears to be over.
The Fire, who play the Philadelphia Union on Saturday at Talen Energy Stadium in Chester, Pa., are unbeaten in their past three games.
Chicago (14-9-6) had lost four in a row and was 1-6-1 since July 5.
A 3-0 win over D.C. United last Saturday was the Fire's second-best offensive output in more than two months.
But David Accam said the team's offense still needs work to return to its early-season form.
"At the moment, we are creating more chances," the Ghanian forward told Comcast Sports Net Chicago. "We're not sharp in front of goal. We were creating, we were sharp, but now we are only creating. We're not sharp. We are still working in training at trying to be sharper in front of goal in games."
Despite its July and August futility, Chicago is virtually assured of a playoff berth.
The Fire sit in third place in the Eastern Conference, three points behind New York City FC. Chicago is nine points clear of seventh-place Montreal with five games remaining. The Fire host New York City on Sept. 30.
"We can start mentally getting ready to treat the next five games like they are playoff games, mentally getting ready for it," midfielder Dax McCarty told CSN Chicago. "We haven't clinched anything yet, so I don't think we can take anything for granted. But obviously with a couple good results in a row now, we're feeling pretty comfortable about making the playoffs. Now it's about positioning. We want to get a first-round bye so, like I said, these last five games for us, from my perspective, are playoff games."
The Fire have turned things around, even with some injury issues.
Bastian Schweinsteiger and Juninho, who both missed the win over Philadelphia, did not practice on Tuesday.
"We know we're a good team," McCarty said. "We know we can win games. Now it's about how good can we be? ... I think we've shown if we drop our level, even just a little bit, we're just not good enough to win games in this league."
The Union (8-12-9) are also unbeaten in their past three games, but all three were draws. Philadelphia, 10th place in the Eastern Conference, is nine points below the playoff cutline with five games to go.
Union goalkeeper Andre Blake made eight saves in a 0-0 draw with the New York Red Bulls on Sunday.
On Wednesday, Union sporting director Earnie Stewart denied reports that English Premier League clubs Crystal Palace and Brighton & Hove Albion had made multimillion-dollar bids for Blake's services.
"There has been no offer," Stewart told Philly.com. "It happens a lot that there's this thought about players moving, but in this case, it's not the case.
"What does it help us as a club, if there was one offer from (any) club, to say absolutely nothing? I don't care if by fax -- you can send them by WhatsApp these days -- or whatever. ... If you really want to sell somebody, and you want to get the most out of (the deal), I'd say put it out there in the open and make sure there's more offers to come."
Philadelphia wants to keep Blake, the No. 1 overall draft pick in 2014. He's in the next-to-last year of his rookie deal.
"We're happy with 'Dre, and we'd like to keep him here longer," Stewart said.
Union manager Jim Curtin may start evaluating talent for next season if the team is eliminated from the postseason.
Philadelphia plays at Atlanta on Wednesday. The Fire play at San Jose the same day.
