Before the Leagues Cup break, the Fire were one of the hottest teams in Major League Soccer. They had won five of six games, and coach Frank Klopas seemed to be having a significant effect after replacing the dismissed Ezra Hendrickson.
Unfortunately for them, the Fire have cooled off considerably after the pause.
Entering play Saturday at D.C. United, the Fire have dropped three consecutive games since the resumption of league play. They’ve been outscored 7-1 in those games, and their 1-0 home loss Wednesday against Vancouver was perhaps their worst performance since before Klopas took over.
Now the Fire (8-10-8, 32 points) find themselves looking for answers as they try to recover from their untimely skid.
‘‘It’s good that we have so many games so quickly because, [after] an unfortunate result like [Wednesday], the first thing you want to do is get back out there and play,’’ goalkeeper Chris Brady said. ‘‘So having a game on Saturday really helps.’’
One difference between this season and those of the recent past is that the Fire are still in playoff position with eight games remaining, though their chances are slipping. According to PlayoffStatus.com, the Fire have a 28% chance to reach the postseason.
True, those relatively poor odds are what they are because MLS expanded the playoffs to include nine teams from each conference, but it’s still a better place to be than where the Fire have been for most of the last decade.
Still, to make this season different than the mediocrity their fans and observers have come to expect, the Fire must be better than they’ve been recently. And that starts with some of their biggest names and highest-paid players.
Striker Kei Kamara, whose arrival seemed to galvanize the attack and shore up a weak spot in the lineup, hasn’t scored in MLS play since June 21. Midfielder Brian Gutierrez hasn’t had a goal or assist in the three games since the Leagues Cup break. Designated player Jairo Torres hasn’t made the scoresheet since an assist June 10 against Austin and looks like another poor signing by sporting director Georg Heitz.
Xherdan Shaqiri, the player with the Fire’s richest contract, has been blanked in the last three matches and asked to come out of the loss Wednesday when the Fire needed a goal.
‘‘I don’t know if he was getting tired, that something was going on with his body, but mainly that’s why he came out,’’ Klopas said. ‘‘We were going to take another player out and bring [Georgios] Koutsias in. But then right before that, you know, we saw [Shaqiri] signaling to the sideline that he needed to come out.’’
With or without Shaqiri at his best, the Fire need to improve soon. Brady said the message in the locker room Wednesday ‘‘was to have a bounce-back memory’’ as they prepare to face a team that is two points behind them in the standings.
‘‘Making sure we’re putting this game behind us as quickly as possible and coming in with energy and more liveliness for this weekend,’’ Brady said. ‘‘It’s always tough to lose at home, but you’ve got to have a short memory, and we’re eager to get on the road.’’
