Gregg Berhalter has pledged to make the Chicago Hearth’s supporters proud forward of taking the reins for the 2025 season, with Frank Klopas taking to the dugout for the final time in opposition to Nashville SC this weekend.
Neither Chicago nor Nashville could make the playoffs on Determination Day, sitting fifteenth and thirteenth within the Japanese Convention standings respectively.
Chicago are propping up the desk with simply 30 factors, and so they have reacted to their dismal marketing campaign by appointing former United States nationwide staff coach Berhalter.
Forward of assuming a watching temporary for the Hearth’s remaining sport underneath interim boss Klopas, he wrote in an open letter to supporters: “As we flip the web page to this new chapter, I need to make one factor clear: we’re setting our sights on sustained success.
“We’ll create an id on and off the sector that you’ll be pleased with and be certain that the Hearth are aggressive 12 months in and 12 months out.
“My imaginative and prescient is easy: Construct one of many high golf equipment in North America. We’ll give attention to constructing a squad that not solely competes at a excessive degree however performs in a means that makes you proud to see them put on our well-known crimson.”
New period, new power. #cf97 pic.twitter.com/rZRcFE3B2t
— Chicago Hearth FC (@ChicagoFire) October 17, 2024
Nashville are additionally set to enter their first offseason underneath new boss B.J. Callaghan, however he’s assured his staff is not going to take their eye off the ball.
“Preparations for us have gone as regular, how we all the time put together for an opponent,” Callaghan stated.
“There’s additionally a stage of an analysis interval, we’re not competing for the playoffs anymore in order that’s clear however on the identical time it’s nonetheless a aggressive setting.
“We’re doing nothing in need of nonetheless making an attempt to go and win the sport, that’s the intention, to go to Chicago and get three factors.”
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Chicago Hearth – Chris Brady
The 4 targets Chicago conceded of their defeat at Charlotte FC final outing took them to 59 targets allowed this season, second-most in a single season in membership historical past. The Hearth allowed a club-record 61 targets throughout the 2018 marketing campaign.
If they’re to keep away from an undesirable piece of historical past, they could want a giant show from goalkeeper Brady.
Nashville SC – Hany Mukhtar
Mukhtar has been concerned in six targets in his final six regular-season matches (three targets, three assists). He had recorded simply 11 objective contributions in his first 25 league appearances in 2024.
MATCH PREDICTION – CHICAGO FIRE WIN
The Hearth enter their remaining match of the season on 30 factors (seven wins, 9 attracts, 17 losses).
Chicago should earn not less than one level to keep away from equalling their lowest factors tally throughout a full season (excluding the shortened 2020 season) in membership historical past (30 in 2015).
They need to keep away from that undesirable slice of membership historical past, although. Nashville have misplaced 11 of their final 14 regular-season matches, together with the final three in a row. Additionally they have a minus-19 objective distinction after recording a constructive objective distinction of their first 4 MLS seasons.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Chicago Hearth – 41.8%
Nashville SC – 31.5%
Draw – 26.7%
