Cut The Mullet!

After watching another underachieving Fire performance in front of the home fans, which included another boneheaded mistake resulting in a goal from defender Wilman Conde, I think I have a simple solution to motivate the athletic-but-error-prone center back.

Until he gets his shit together, he's got to cut his hair. I'm not sure where you set the bar on allowing him to grow it back, but Carlos de los Cobos has to show he means business.

To be honest, Carlos de los Cobos has to show some reason why he's here and Denis Hamlett isn't. If you look at last year's team -- you know, the one that was one or two penalty kicks away from the championship match -- the main problems were getting results at home and finishing chances in the attacking third. Ignore the whole "playing quick through the midfield" canard, because that was bullshit.

This year's squad seems to have gone backwards on both of those fronts, while tacking on the additional problems of more costly mistakes in the back and in establishing any kind of consistency with lineups and roles. I once again have to point out how strong Chicago was last season when players were allowed to gel as a unit. If only Tim Ward could stay healthy.

Of course, the offseason spin out of the front office was that Hamlett was too defensive, but the best team in the league right now has only given up 2 goals all season. It's called taking care of business, because if you don't give up goals, you can't lose. And L.A. hasn't, and has themselves well-prepared to continue without their two best attacking players for a month.

Meanwhile, how's that attacking-y, attractive-y thing workin' out for ya?