Welcome to Hot Time in Old Town’s coverage of the 2021 MLS and NWSL Seasons. We thought you’d like to know what articles, analysis, and opinions you’ll read (and listen to) this season. So without going any further, it’s time to meet this year’s Hot Time staff in Old Town!
I am Ruben and this will be my 10th year of football for Hot Time (10 years, Jesus). Fire aside, I’m a fan of the White Sox, the Ferrari F1 team, and the Team Liquid esports organization. I also love Magic: The Gathering and play a lot of it in my spare time.
hello, I am Patrick. I’m back on Hot Time for a second season. Other than the fire, I like Arsenal and the bears, so, yeah, a lot of pain across the board. I also train youth soccer and spend my afternoons driving my two sons to their various sporting activities.
hello, I am Alex Campbell and this will be my second season contributing to Hot Time. I’m a huge fan of the White Sox, Blackhawks and Bears and I also support Chelsea in the Premier League. Outside of writing for Hot Time, I host a podcast called SoccerCast Chicago and do play-by-play for a variety of sports.
My name is Alex Calabrese and this will be my first season with Hot Time. Aside from Fire and Red Stars, I follow Chelsea, the Cubs and our national teams. When I finish my homework, I spend my time playing soccer and soccer manager.
Hello! My name is Ruelor you can just give me a call RJ. This is my fourth season with Hot Time. Fire aside, I like baseball and all kinds of soccer, from the J-League to the EFL championship. Outside of sports, I write about video games and listen to idol music.
Ruben– I will mainly do the game preview and post-game analysis with some editorial content. I also produce and host The Hot Cast – our Chicago Fire podcast, which usually records Monday nights and publishes Tuesday afternoons.
Patrick I do a lot of Fire news, inside stuff, and the occasional long-form feature for the players.
Alex- My primary responsibility will be anything to do with red stars, but I will also occasionally help with fire coverage and provide commentary and written forms of SoccerCast Chicago interviews.
Alex Calabrese- I will be writing about both the fire and the red stars this season, mostly analysis / prediction pieces.
RJ – I’ll be on the hot cast most of the time – but maybe one day I’ll be back in the bylines!
Ruben– The midfield trio of Gastón Giménez, Alvaro Medrán and Luka Stojanović will witness this season. Last year Medrán and Giménez established themselves as one of the funniest duos in the central midfield of the league. If Luka can become the 10 the club needs and can complement those two, the onslaught of fire will be extremely dangerous. The only problem then is who will score the goals.
Patrick I’m with Ruben. Luka Stojanovic is my player. We saw him for 60 minutes last season before he was injured, but I expect a big comeback season for him this year. I also look forward to watching our homegrown players and seeing which ones break through and start getting real game time.
Alex- On the Red Star Frontline, the biggest question is how the newly acquired Mallory Pugh and Sarah Woldmoe fit into the team. Pugh has obvious talent and potential, but her effects will depend on her getting / staying healthy. From there, I’m interested in what the attack looks like when constructed around her and Kealia Watts. Sarah Woldmoe, an experienced former Sky Blue captain, brings with it a midfield selection problem and also raises the question of whether Rory Dames will leave his beloved 4-2-3-1. A quick note on the fire, you start the season off with serious depth problems on offense, and how younger players are able to pick up the pieces will determine whether the fire will be able to push a playoff once it’s healthy.
Alex Calabrese- It’s tough for the fire this season to ignore the aforementioned midfield trio of Medran, Gimenez and Stojanović, whom we didn’t see much of because of an injury last season. The Dual Sixes were one of the best pairings in MLS last season and I’m looking forward to seeing how Luka fits in with Čukarički after the SuperLiga flashes up. The concern in this position, however, is the alarming lack of depth. As for the Red Stars, it will be very interesting to see if the team can perform while much of the squad of the squad is in international service, especially during the Olympics. We took a look at the impact these absences will have when the Challenge Cup kicks off last week.
RJ – The midfield of the fire is always a pleasure to see. However, I am concerned about the defense (as always) and where the targets will come from. In terms of defense, Calvo remains liable. There’s no denying that he’s a good leader, but he’s just not a good player. I hope he’ll prove me wrong this season. As for goals, I don’t think Beric will set the world on fire this season (no pun intended). The club needs to get a solid signature this summer to fill the void.
Ruben– It’s really hard to say, but to be honest, I’m not overly optimistic. Unless the fire triggers the “Where do the goals come from?” Problem, I don’t see that they can keep up with teams around them on the scoreboard. It will certainly be difficult for the first few games. We have to wait and see what comes next.
Patrick I think another year together will help resolve some of the defensive problems that plagued the team last season. But can they score? Consequent? The xG of Fire was the tip of the east last season but they struggled to finish outside of Beric and an occasional goal from Fabian Herbers or Mauricio Pineda. That has to change and Stojanovic will be a key to making that happen. I say they get the last place in the playoffs in the east.
Alex- With Portland Thorns at the forefront and North Carolina a long way from their previous powers, it’s difficult to project how the teams will fall under them. It will take the Red Stars some time to figure out their ideal XI, and the Olympics will likely bring at least four players to Tokyo. I think they’ll find out and make it to the NWSL semi-finals. As for the fire, I just missed the playoffs and finished 8th or 9th in the east
Alex Calabrese- I very much doubt the fire will be able to propel the playoffs much forward this season. Although the full-backs looked strong last season, the central defensive pairing’s fighting will likely continue last season and the goalkeeper’s position has a big question mark. The loss of last season’s most creative player, Djordje Mihailovic, will have a big impact. I can see the fire end between the 8th and 11th, but if everything goes according to plan they can potentially make an unlikely playoff run. As for the Red Stars, the Olympics leave a lot of unknown variables, but they should extend their playoff streak and get back into the top 4.
RJ – I want to be optimistic for once, but the fire won’t get anywhere near the playoffs. I predict a solid cup run.
Ruben You can follow me on Twitter @rubentisch and follow our podcast @TheHotCast
Patrick I’m @patrickmccraney on Twitter, making sure you follow @HotTimeOldTown too!
Alex- I’m @alex_s_campbell on Twitter (and also follow @Soccer_Cast!), You can also follow me on Instagram @alexander_s_campbell
Alex Calabrese- I’m on Twitter @ amcalabrese12, on Instagram @ amcalabrese22 and on TikTok @calashuayi.
RJ – I’m @ rga_02 on Twitter and @ rga02 on Instagram.
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