Chicago Fire SuperDraft Preview: Endless questions in the Windy City | Armchair Analyst

Matthew Doyle

Ahead of the 2015 SuperDraft, MLSsoccer.com is breaking down each team's needs and potential draft targets. The Chicago Fire have been making moves all offseason after a disappointing 2014.

Frank Yallop & Co. started wheeling and dealing pretty much the moment the final whistle blew on their record-setting season. (I know it's juvenile of me, but I just can't let go of the fact that this team drew 18 of their 34 games last year. That's insane). In have come the likes of David Accam, Kennedy Igboananike, Guly do Prado and Adailton.

It seems like a good start, but Chicago are still a team in flux. They don't have clear starters at a couple of spots, they lack depth pretty much everywhere except forward and goal, and I'm not even willing to wager on what formation they'll play in 2015.

Mock Draft: Pre-Combine Edition

All that adds up to a "best talent on the board" pick for them. This roster needs MLS-caliber players not just for 2015, but for the five years following this coming season.

Getting it right in the draft -- at any spot -- is a must.

Fire SuperDraft selections: #7 (1st round), #28 (2nd round), #68 (4th round)

Fire Depth Chart: 22 players

Goalkeeper (3): Sean Johnson, Kyle Reynish, Alec Kann
Left Back (2): Joevin Jones, Greg Cochrane
Center Back (3): Jeff Larentowicz, Adailton, Patrick Doody
Right Back (2): Lovel Palmer, Eric Gehrig
Center Midfield (3): Razvan Cocis, Matt Watson, Michael Stephens, Chris Ritter, Collin Fernandez
Left Midfield (1): Harry Shipp
Right Midfield (1): Patrick Nyarko
Forward (5): David Accam, Kennedy Igboannike, Quincy Amarikwa, Mike Magee, Guly do Prado

Primary Need: Wide midfield

Shipp's actually more of a No. 10 -- I think he has "Lee Nguyen in 2014"-type upside -- and Nyarko is likely to miss the start of the season with his ACL rehab. Magee, who's also coming off an injury, used to play left midfield for the Galaxy, but it's probably smarter to use the former league MVP at his best position.

Accam could be used at left midfield, but he's really more of a winger suited for a 4-3-3 or even a 4-2-3-1. Hence my ultimate confusion about what formation Yallop's going to trot out there this season. It all feels like a work in progress, and I'm not sure what the endgame is.

Regardless of the formation, the Fire need more bodies to throw at the wide spots. Problem is there's no pure wide midfielder worth taking at No. 7, so the following targets are more for the No. 28 pick.

Targets:Connor Hallisey (California), Akeil Barrett (Tulsa), Robbie Lovejoy (North Carolina)

Secondary Need: Center back

See how I plugged Jeff Larentowicz, long one of the best center midfielders in the league, into the middle of the Fire back line up there? That's a gamble on my part. Big Red could push to go back to his preferred position, and this whole depth chart could go up in smoke.

With or without him back there, however, Chicago are woefully thin and are a good bet to spend the No. 7 pick on a central defender in a draft loaded at that spot.

Targets:Conor Donovan (NC State / GA), Axel Sjoberg (Marquette), Tim Parker (St. John's), Fatai Alashe (Michigan State)

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