Klopas, Fire seeking fresh ideas at outside back

When Andrew Gutman went down injured less than two minutes into the Chicago Fire’s 2024 season, Frank Klopas’ seemingly straightforward plans at left back had to go out the window. The 28-year-old defender, among the top fullbacks in MLS, had been acquired in a blockbuster trade to strengthen a spot on the field that had been a weakness for more than half a decade. Now, with Gutman out for the better part of the next month, Klopas must improvise.

At first, it appeared that fellow acquisition Chase Gasper would be the go-to backup in the position. The 28-year-old had been Gutman’s replacement on opening day and performed admirably under a challenging set of circumstances, earning credit from his coach after the game. However, in the home opener against FC Cincinnati, Klopas instead opted to change to a 3-4-2-1 formation, rolling out nominal attacker Fabian Herbers as a left wingback and speedy winger Maren Haile-Selassie as a right wingback, leaving Gasper on the bench all 90 minutes. Right backs Jonathan Dean and Arnaud Souquet also did not appear, with Haile-Selassie playing the full match.

“We were playing at home, we wanted to be more attack minded,” Klopas told media Wednesday. “I think in a sense that we matched up in a 3-4-3 like what they play, then tried to put the guys that are in the most form on the field at the moment for that game.”

Matching Cincinnati’s three-back formation is nothing new; the Fire folded into a back three multiple times in 2023, seeking to counter similar shapes from opponents, such as in the games against Austin FC and Vancouver Whitecaps. The wingback-dependent formation resulted in mixed success last season, but on Saturday, it was not enough to prevent a 2-1 loss.

At the same time, Cincinnati are undoubtedbly a club among MLS’ elite. They are the reigning Supporters Shield winner, and getting a positive result was always going to be a challenge. Nonetheless an attempt to respond to the visitors’ packed midfield left Hugo Cuypers, Xherdan Shaqiri, and Brian Gutiérrez on an island on the attack, and the Fire were unable to provide their $12 million DP signing with any service.

The 3-4-2-1 also limited the attacking involvement of Haile-Selassie, who was the Fire’s top MLS goalscorer in 2023. The Swiss winger was deployed at wingback a handful of times last season, always on the right side, far from his natural position coming inside off of the left wing.

“It's still not my favorite position,” Haile-Selassie said, still mastering the position after playing there for the first time last spring, “but if the coach and the training staff thinks that I'm helpful there for the team and the system is better for the opponent and for ourselves, of course I'm available and trying to do my best job wherever I play.”

The story is similar for Herbers on the left side; though he was drafted out of Creighton as a center forward, he has now played in every position on the field in his five seasons with the Fire, save for center back and goalkeeper. The ultimate utility piece, he did get runouts in preseason in a more defensive role, and has had a positive start to the season, scoring and assisting in Philadelphia on opening day. Allan Arigoni, an attacking right back who seems tailor-made for a wingback role, appeared as a right center back, where he also looked less comfortable than he had on opening day.

“If you have in general a good chemistry outside the pitch, I think it affects the work on the pitch,” Haile-Selassie said of Arigoni, who he played alongside with Lugano. “Right now we're feeling very good. Also when [fellow Swiss player Xherdan Shaqiri] is coming on the right side, I think we have a good connection over there, as well.”

With attention now shifting to Saturday, the Fire will take on perhaps the most challenging fixture they will face all season: a test on the road to Wilfried Nancy’s Columbus Crew. The defending MLS Cup champion plays a thrilling, attractive brand of attacking soccer that also involves a back three with dynamic wingbacks on either side. Playing new addition Kellyn Acosta, who started his career as a left back, outside of the midfield seems unlikely, so Gasper, who was an unused substitute against Cincinnati, could be in line for his first Fire start in a game where Klopas knows his team will likely be playing against the ball more.

“If it's Chase, if it's someone else, we'll just have to see,” the head coach added Wednesday. “I think we're trying different things on the training field, and we'll see what's the best way to go. We don't want to change too many things.”