Chaos! Catastrophe! And a collective vendetta against one of our best players this season thus far.

Such has been the general Fire fan reaction to the recent slide in form, which has seen us drop three of our last four games, with a suddenly anemic offense particularly enraging those who seem to think that despite MLS' undoubted parity, the Fire ought to be immune from the mini-slumps in form every team goes through.

In particular, the criticism roundly heaped upon Chad Barrett following the last game -- where he did botch one easy chance, before missing a far harder angled shot -- has been as pointless as it has been predictable. He deserves criticism, but so do many other players from that disappointing loss to the Fake Goats.

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On Tuesday June 10th, the Fire traveled 3 hours south of Chicago to Bradley University in Peoria, IL where they met the Columbus Crew in a play-in game to the 2008 U.S. Open Cup. With a record crowd arriving on a warm, early evening at Bradley's Shea Stadium, the Fire took to the field looking like a team with something to prove after an embarrassing first round knockout in last year's Open Cup to the USL-1's Carolina Railhawks.  Fielding a team with many underused players, Denis Hamlett seemed to want to use this game to further develop and blend his 2nd stringers and the players returning from injury.

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Not since Rocky traveled to Russia to take down Ivan Drago has there been as bitter a match-up as this Sunday's Fire game in the New Jersey Swamplands.

In attendance should be all the characters who have provided Soccer By Ives with several million hits in the last six months: Juan Carlos Osorio, Wilman Conde and Lider Marmol will all be there, lined up on separate sides of the barricades despite the Red Bulls' best nefarious efforts to gather the Fire's fruit.

Osorio contrived to get himself sent-off in the Red Bulls previous match, a 1-1 draw with Kansas City, for berating officials. This means that the 60-70 Fire fans present will have to scour the crowd to direct their venom at him. Given the Red Bulls usual attendance on Sunday matches he should not be hard to spot, especially with the giant 666 Backdraft has learned he recently had tattooed on his forehead.

Read on for lineup news and bitter talk of revenge.

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A successful trip to Gilette Stadium puts the Chicago Fire near the top of the MLS table as the team continues its domination of bitter rival New England. Backdraft takes a look back at Saturday's 3-0 victory with two different reports.

Marty Groark brings us a brief break down followed by a longer editorial by Backdraft's Michael Giacometti.

After an incredible 4-0 trouncing of the Revolution at home in their first match up this year, many Fire fans thought it might be difficult to repeat such a dominatant performance when the Fire traveled to New England for their game on Saturday, but Chicago was able to execute just that with another big win against a struggling conference rival. The Fire were able to follow up their previous goalscoring clinic in April with 3 more against the Revolution on a chilly night at Gilette stadium.

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The rivalry Fire fans hold most dear continues this Saturday when Chicago heads to Gillette Stadium to face New England for more than just bragging rights. Both teams stand at 10 points, second and third behind League leaders Columbus (12pts), Chicago ahead on goal difference. This Saturday’s match has the potential to send the winning side to the top of the East, and the League.

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After a 1-0 loss to the visiting Kansas City Wizards, the mood in the Fire locker room was glum to say the least. The players walked around with their heads low, and there was none of the usual joking around. It was obvious that this was a game the players felt they should have come away with at least a point from.

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The Fire XI

The Fire stood at the top of the league at the end of week 3 in MLS, though it was a fortunate win in Oakland, the expansion Earthquakes striking the woodwork twice and missing an open goal in the dying minutes. A better performance will be needed against a stronger Wizards team.

It's good that the Fire have depth at the back this season. Both Brandon Prideaux (who injured himself in the pre-game warm-up last week) and Diego Guttierrez are listed as doubtful on the injury report, but there should be little to fear with Conde and Robinson set to have stronger performances with one game now under their belts.

Conde played most of the second half against UIC on Wednesday, and looked in excellent shape, intimidating enough to make one feel sorry for the college kids he was bullying around. The Colombian may have annoyed teammates and fans with his offseason demand for a trade, but with it seems all sides have now realized that it's better for Conde to be playing than not. It looks as if CJ Brown is still not ready to return from an apparently mysterious hip injury, so the Fire may be unchanged there from San Jose.

The rest of the team news is below the jump. 

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The Fire XI

Optimism has come full circle following last Thursday's opener with the Revolution. Now, the Fire head West to take on the expansion Earthquakes brimming with confindence on the offensive end. Coach Hamlett has already said several times that he will start the attackers with the best chemistry, but after last game's display, its hard to deny that the current squad is firing on all cylinders. We have to think that the same lineup will be sent out up top, with Frankowski and Barrett getting service from Mapp, Blanco, and Rolfe. The ability to slice and dice is there, as the Quakes defense struggled in their opener against the Galaxy.

In defense, injuries and recovery times are working hand in hand to make almost the entire back line a series of question marks. Daniel Woolard? At this point we wouldn't be all that surprised. However, considering the recent reserve matches, Dasan Robinson's return or even a Wilman Conde sighting could be in the cards. CJ Brown resumed full training this Monday, but is still doubtful to see much playing time considering how other rehabs have gone this season. Brandon Prideaux has also given the backline some quality depth. Ahead of them is the reliable Logan Pause, doing whatever it is Logan Pause does, and lately that has been whatever it takes to hold the defensive midfield.

In net, Jon Busch brings experience, communication, and fire to the defense, already winning over his fair share of fans this season.

More on the opposition and injuries after the jump...

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Revolution supporters are still, would you believe it, complaining about Jeff Larentowicz's di smissal in the seventh minute of last week's Fire home opener. Egged on by Steve Nicol, who as Backdraft reported claimed the Revolution were "playing against the referee", they seem to think that the decision was both wholly unjust and changed the course of the match. We can prove otherwise.

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The Fire XI

Plenty of excuses have been made for the Fire's poor performance in the opener, which left the team elated to escape with a point from Salt Lake City after Blanco's late equalizer. It was the altitude, or the cold, or the artificial turf, or the offseason rust, or the missing players, or the referee, or -- you get the picture.

Some of those are valid points, but that doesn't excuse the Fire's failure to seriously trouble the opposing goalkeeper until 90 minutes had elapsed, nor the insipid performances by Justin Mapp and Chad Barrett.

Tomasz Frankowski's disappearing act can be excused on his MLS debut, but the temptation to move Chris Rolfe to his best position upfront must have grown given the lack of activity from the forward line.

In midfield, meanwhile, Logan Pause plugged many holes and worked gamely, but was often left with too much to do as the sole defensive-minded midfielder in a 4-4-2 formation.

At the back, Chicago looked impressively solid despite missing key players. Soumare did score an unfortunate own goal, and once or twice looked like he might play his way into trouble, but was also an imposing physical presence and stepped up to sniff out trouble on numerous occasions.

In goal, Busch's positioning was exemplary, though a slight injury scare in the first half could have left the Fire scrambling, given the lack of depth at that position.

The Fire's official game guide seems to suggest change is coming for the home opener (though it's 'probable lineup' guide is not always accurate). Thorrington is listed on the left in the place of Mapp, who though he was substituted early in the opener, doesn't appear on the injury report -- does that mean his poor performance has earned him a dropping?

Calen Carr is also listed in place of Barrett upfront. Carr came on and did well on Saturday; though many suggest he should be kept as a "super-sub", his effort level relative to other players might have earned him a start.

Let's consider the opposition and the injury report too as we wrap up this preview.

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