Mike Magee is surely on the shortlist for Major League Soccer’s MVP award after another stellar performance on Saturday night sent Chicago Fire into the top half of the Eastern Conference.
Magee scored a goal and created another as the Fire brushed past FC Dallas 3-2 to record their second win on the bounce and push towards a playoff place.
If Chicago are to make the playoffs, they need Magee in this sort of form. However, there is still concern that Frank Klopas’ team isn’t strong enough to mount a genuine challenge on the MLS title.
Juan Luis Anangono netted his second goal of the season on Saturday but he needs to do more up front if the Fire are to succeed. The midfield look strong – Patrick Nyarko and Dilly Duka particularly impressive over recent weeks – but there is a growing feeling the Fire is a one-man team.
Magee has 14 goals this season, a solid yield, but the Fire’s second-highest scorers (Duka, Nyarko and Chris Rolfe) have just four apiece. In a knock-out situation Chicago cannot rely on one man to get the goals and this is a major flaw in Klopas’ set-up.
While the playoffs seem a daunting task, many fans who bet on football on the bet365 website argue the fact Chicago are even challenging for qualification proves this has been a successful season. Four weeks ago the team were written off but solid performances have followed and now, with a home game against Toronto before a road trip to the Red Bulls, there is a confidence this side can make fifth place.
We’ve got momentum even if we don’t have star quality in every position, and that is something invaluable when it comes to the playoffs.