"The Chicago Fire (7-5-3, 24 pts.) host Real Salt Lake (6-6-5, 23 pts.) in the second of two regular season meetings this Saturday, July 19, at TOYOTA PARK. Kickoff for the match is at 7:30 p.m. CT." That's what is it says on the Fire's homepage. So what is beyond that? What should the Fire expect from the newly crowned (if only for a week) top of the little brother conference?

Well, the first of the two meetings this year (March 29th) was a 1-1 draw, and the last year's Toyota Park feature was a 0-0 draw. Although they have yet to win a match at Toyota Park, with RSL leading the West and having such a stingy defense over their past 7 matches, I think it's safe to say that we can expect a rather gritty affair. In fact, since the beginning of June, RSL has only allowed 2 goals in seven matches, whereas the Fire have allowed 8 in their past 6 matches. All that time, the RSL offense has shown life, but never really lit anyone up; although, last week against Columbus was a treat to watch for Fire fans. However, that's where the pleasantries with RSL will end.

I would imagine that the league fixture against the Fire (and the points from it) will be more important to Salt Lake than the friendly with Deportivo Saprissa only 4 days later back at Rice Eccles. That being said, Salt Lake will most likely have a more aggressive look up top in the form of a modified lineup on the part of Jason Kreis by changing out Findley and Deuchar in favour of Movsisyan and Tino Nunez--as in the match with Columbus. Throw a little bit of Beckerman and Dema in the middle, and we may be in for a long night--as we will be without the services of both John Thorrington (MLS Player of the Week 7/14) and Gonzalo Segares to take them to task due to yellow card accumulation.

It may be a tall order, as odd as that is to say, for us to keep pace with RSL if we do not have a midfield performance extraordinaire on the night. In fact, despite Temo, the midfield seems to be a continued weak point--our backs and Jon Busch can keep the ball out of the net seemingly at will, and our forwards get the chances they need (even if they do not finish them as often as we would like), but the holding in midfield has left something to be desired and the distribution has, at times, lacked vision.

When Mapp is on the pitch and 'in' the game, as we hope he will be Saturday, it may that his pace and tactics will lend credence to the hope of another Fire victory--and another CJ dance. Between Mapp's pace and Temo's creative plays, the Fire will look to undo the RSL defense in a way they haven't undone a defense since May 25th in Jersey--as long as whoever is up top can finish the chances they get. And coming off a last minute gasp victory over Toronto, gaining valuable points at home--as well as breaking the hoodoo about the drought of goals scored at the Harlem end (although I'm hardly superstitious) will have hopefully opened the floodgates for a return to May's winning ways.

At present the injury report is not available, and it is unclear if Andy Herron will be available, also unclear is if coach Hammer will go with the lone striker approach, an approach many of the fans have bemoaned since being implemented as a fairly thorough failure. My final point for this early edition of the pre-match bulletin poses more of a question than anything: with Thor and Sega being out for this match, do we see both Conde and Marmol on the pitch? Does Logan get a rest? Does the Woolard and Banner campaign march on? Will we get to see my pre-season freshman pick King get some PT? I won't even venture to post a formation, I will leave it to the professionals--In Frank and Hamlett we trust.

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