This game thread exists largely to allow conversation about tonight's Fire game - this one on the road against Philadelphia - unfold as the game does. In this last hour before kickoff, the primary questions we're waiting to be answered involve the teams' respective lineups, to wit:
- How much youth will CF97 feature? With their playoff hopes in the dumpster, can the Fire's younger players get a run out? Specifically, will Chris Ritter, Benji Joya, Greg Cochrane and Grant Ward get significant minutes? And will Harrison Shipp get another chance to play from the middle?
- How much rotation will the Union utilize? Playing two games in four days, and needing maximum points from every contest, will Philadelphia head coach Jim Curtin give a player like Conor Casey some rest?
The answers came just as this was going to press, in the form of lineup tweets from the respective clubs:
FIRE @UIHealth Starters: Johnson; Palmer, Ianni, Soumare, Alex; Ward, Pause, Larentowicz ©, Nyassi; Shipp, Amarikwa #cf97 #PHIvCHI
— Chicago Fire (@ChicagoFire) October 2, 2014
So not exactly a gusher of youth from the Fire - Larentowicz moves back up to midfield, and partners nearly-retired Logan Pause in a double pivot, while slashers Ward and Nyassi flank Shipp, playing withdrawn behind Quincy. Ianni gets some minutes in the middle, too! We'll see.
For the Union, Conor Casey gets some rest:
Tonight's @PhilaUnion XI: Mbolhi, Fabinho, Valdes, Edu (c), Gaddis, Okugo, Nogueira, Wenger, Fred, Maidana, Ribeiro pic.twitter.com/QLmwVOASJV
— Philadelphia Union (@PhilaUnion) October 2, 2014
LET US DO THIS THING.