PREVIEW: FIRE AT SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC

CLICK HERE for my Week 19 Examiner.com MLS Preview, which leads with the Chicago Fire-Seattle Sounders FC showdown. The match takes place at 2 p.m. (CST) Saturday at Qwest Field in Seattle. The game is televised on ESPN.

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Fire adjust offensively to fill McBride's scoring void

The Chicago Fire are 1-for-1 so far without veteran forward Brian McBride, who is out several months with a right shoulder injury. Chicago posted a 2-0 victory over the San Jose Earthquakes last week, and the final 10 minutes were a positive sign heading into this weekend's road game against Seattle.

With a target man out of the lineup, however, the Fire's attack obviously has to make some adjustments.

"We'll have to knock the ball around a little bit more, and some of the long balls that we hit have to be more to the corners instead of more central to (where McBride attacks)," Fire midfielder and forward Chris Rolfe said.

Rolfe (pictured) has had an interesting season that has ranged from becoming one of the first players off the bench in the early part of the season, to midfield play, and several opportunities returning to the forward role he has been more used to in his career. Coach Denis Hamlett has utilized Rolfe's versatility, and Rolfe was excited to get the chance to push forward last week.

"Tonight it was awesome playing that role," Rolfe said. "It's just a quick change in mind-set. You've got to change a little bit of your thinking on your runs, what you can do on the ball in different areas on the field. It felt great."

Forward Patrick Nyarko (pictured left) has showcased some strong flashes of quickness and sure-footed maneuvers. Nyarko tallied the game-winning goal against San Jose, and he knows that he needs to supply some finishing power that McBride established early on in the season. But obviously in his own methodical style.

"(Brian's) an integral part. He's a big guy, he's strong, and he scores goals," Nyarko said. "That's what he does. ... There's no way I can match Brian McBride. I bring a little bit more pace, and it's just a matter of getting a little bit closer to what Brian does on the field."

The word "depth" has been thrown around all season. And on both ends of the field, this team has felt more than comfortable saying that if there are some key absences, just about anyone can fill the void.

"From Day 1, right from preseason, I knew this team had depth, and that anything we put out there, we feel like we can win any game," Nyarko said. "It's unfortunate for Brian to go down. I feel like we have a better chance of winning with him in there. And we're left a little bit shorthanded. But then we feel like we have a deep team and anyone can step up on any single day."

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Pause reflects on Gold Cup experience, semifinal victory

On Thursday, Fire midfielder Logan Pause was at Soldier Field as the U.S. Men's National Team defeated Honduras, 2-0, to win their semifinal match in the CONCACAF Gold Cup. The U.S. MNT advanced to Sunday's final against Mexico.

Pause's stint with the team has been a huge success, and the journey now reaches the final, which starts at 2 p.m. (CST) Sunday and is televised on Fox Soccer Channel. Here are a few comments he had following the match:

• "It was exciting, obviously. Getting the result was huge. I'm looking forward to Sunday. Anytime you get a chance to play at home, it's wonderful."

• "I think we were confident in ourselves. We knew that it was going to be a much different, tougher game than the third game (of the tournament). We put a lot into it. We were concentrating on that. We focused on ourselves. We just felt like if we played well and did the little things right that we would come out on top."

• "It was a great, great effort, starting with Troy (Perkins) in goal, making some huge saves, especially in the latter part of the game. Our back line was phenomenal. I think it started up top with Brian (Ching) and Davy (Arnaud) working their tales off up top and it just trickled all the way down to the back."

• "Anytime you put yourself with a chance to win a cup, that's what it's about. That's what this group and the national team has been working so hard for for a long time. It's good to get the opportunity."

• "Anytime you get an opportunity like that, to wear the jersey of the national team, you take honor in it. It's a privilege. Coming into it, I just looked at it as that - an opportunity to come. I tried to stay within myself and play my role and do what I can to help the team, similar to my other job here in Chicago."