Coach Veljko Paunovic is well aware of the Fire’s 27-game road winless streak, tied for the worst in MLS history.
So as Paunovic prepares for consecutive road games against the Vancouver Whitecaps, New England Revolution and New York Red Bulls, he won’t focus on his team’s futility. Instead, he’s looking for positives that could change the Fire’s fortunes.
“We will have three opportunities to finally break that negative record and win on the road,” Paunovic said. “I see that as very positive motivation.”
And that might not be the only positive.
Forward David Accam might be healthy enough to face the Whitecaps on Wednesday. Accam hasn’t played in six weeks because of a knee injury. The Fire’s bye week gave Accam the chance to improve his fitness and his chances of returning to the lineup.
Accam was on the bench for the Fire’s 1-1 draw Saturday against D.C. United. How quickly he can get his conditioning up to speed for the pace of play will determine how much he’s used.
“We’re planning to give him a [run],” Paunovic said. “As soon as he progresses well — and he will — we will manage the minutes in the game, and we believe that we will have him at least for the final two games this month, full go.”
The Fire also got a boost when midfielder Khaly Thiam was added on loan from MTK Budapest on Wednesday. The Fire acquired the rights to Thiam from the Columbus Crew for a second-round pick in the MLS draft next year.
Paunovic, whose team has struggled to generate scoring chances without Accam, likes Thiam’s versatility. He said Thiam will improve the Fire’s competitiveness.
Thiam will compete for time with Matt Polster, but Paunovic said they could play together, which would allow the Fire to vary their schemes.
“[Thiam] can play in different positions in the midfield, and he can play in different systems,” Paunovic said. “He can play either beneath or with another midfielder.
“That quality that he has of being adaptable and playing in different systems and roles is something that we value a lot.”
Polster, along with midfielder John Goossens, missed the game against D.C. United because of injury, but he should be available against the Whitecaps.
The three-game road stretch will be an important one for the Fire, who have struggled to play at the level Paunovic believes they can reach. He has had to remain patient.
“Right now, we are not where we want to be,” Paunovic said. “It’s a long way to go still, and it’s going to take some time, but we are very confident that we will reach our goal, which is to be a winning team.”
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