Keeping with the theme we started on Monday, we move to the MLS Central and take a look at the big questions that need to be answered during the next month of MLS preseason. We also caught a peek at the "closed door" match between the U.S. National Team and the Chicago Fire this morning.

Chicago Fire:
Who can make up for Ante Razov's goals?

Josh Wolff has been waiting for this opportunity for the past two seasons. Now the Fire are counting on him to be one of the top scorers in the league. In the few games that Wolff played with Hristo Stoitchkov last season before leaving for the Olympics, the tandem seemed to have a telepathic understanding, with Wolff making the runs and Stoitchkov finding him with the ball. The Fire also have to worry about the games Wolff will miss if he's called in for U.S. World Cup qualifiers. Right now, they can slide Dema Kovalenko into a forward position for those games or hope that a reserve, either John Wolyniec or Seth George, can pick up the slack. It's not out of the question that Chicago will make a deal or a discovery to acquire another forward.

Tampa Bay Mutiny:
Will two forwards be better than one?

Tampa GM Bill Manning said it was one of the Mutiny's draft priorities to find a forward who could partner with Mamadou Diallo. They accomplished that goal by picking up a promising player in Ali Curtis. Now, we've all just got to wait and see if Diallo plays as well with Curtis as he played by himself. It's not a no-brainer, because now Big Mama has to coordinate with another front-runner rather than just finding his own space to run. Also, because they're going to add a forward, the Mutiny are going to be subtracting a midfielder and that could mean the old master Carlos Valderrama cannot cheat as much defensively. That could hurt as Tampa was not a great defensive team last season, even with four defenders and five midfielders. This switch to a 4-4-2 bears watching.

Dallas Burn:
Will Lubos Kubik expose the Burn defense?

One of the great misnomers in MLS is when Lubos Kubik is referred to as a "central defender." Even calling him a "sweeper" is a stretch. Really, Kubik is a pure "libero," a player who is free to do what he wants. What Kubik loves most is to create and join the attack, which is fun to watch from the stands but scary to watch if you are left behind to defend. The Burn's marking defenders will have to learn how to cope with Kubik's frequent offensive adventures. If they can, this could be a championship-caliber team. If they cannot, the Burn may have to tinker with their system.

Columbus Crew:
How's the mentality?

Watching the Crew down the stretch last season, you got the feeling you were watching a team that was mentally depleted from so many tough losses. Did the offseason allow them to turn the page? Adding Tenywa Bonseu will help Columbus defensively, but two bigger issues are: Will Brian Maissoneuve return to full strength? And, Will Brian McBride be able to hold up physically through a full-season plus World Cup qualifiers? The Crew have talent, but have to develop a winning mentality early in 2001.

Limited Access

I am a journalist, yes, but first I am an American, by gosh.

I was allowed inside the fence at Florida Atlantic University this morning to watch the U.S. National Team scrimmage the Chicago Fire, but it was under the condition that I not report anything that would hurt the Americans' chances in their World Cup qualifier next Wednesday in Columbus. In other words, no mention of names, formations or tactics.

So for my country first, and the Boot Room second, here's my report:

In the first half, Bruce Arena started a strange combination of players and lined them up in a formation I've never seen before -- at any level. The U.S. had (Privileged Information) defenders, (PI) midfielders and, get this, (PI) forwards. Crazy.

Yet it worked. And for the first 35-minute half, the Yanks ran the Fire ragged. If it weren't for four brilliant saves by Chicago rookie keeper Henry Ring, who stopped (PI) on a pair of breakaways and (PI) on another, the score would have been 3-0 early. The U.S. had another great chance late in the half, but Ring made a diving save to deny (PI) on a point-blank header.

The Fire had three decent chances on the counterattack in the half, but (PI) made a pair of nice saves on Hristo Stoitchkov and another on Peter Nowak. Halftime, 0-0.

In the second half, with the Fire making a number of substitutions, the game turned into more of a midfield battle. (PI), (PI) and (PI) had chances for the U.S. -- all off set pieces -- but did not finish. I'm assuming Arena was a little disappointed in (PI)'s finishing.

There was a goal in the half, but if I told you about it, I'd probably have to kill myself. It was not a very attractive goal, and I'll leave it at that. Hope I don't get in trouble for writing that much. This is pretty nerve-wracking.

As for my overall assessment of the match, I think (PI) and (PI) played well, but (PI) and (PI) had better shape up or they'll never be called in for another national team camp. They're running out of chances. (PI) and (PI) were both screaming at them throughout the match.

Anyway, that's all. I hope I painted a decent picture of the match for you.

And, oh yes, God Bless America.

In Tight Space

·U.S. National Team press officer Rich Schneider had a faxed statement from Joe-Max Moore (and his agent) shooting down the rumor that Joe-Max would be leaving Everton and joining the Miami Fusion. Moore has two years remaining on his contract with the Toffees.

·Ronnie Ekelund, a Danish midfielder who has played for Barcelona, Southamptom and Manchester City, will likely join the Colorado Rapids in Florida in mid-March on trial. He is currently playing for Walsall and is available free of transfer.

·San Jose has placed feelers for Adam Ndlovu, a forward from Zimbabwe, who has been playing in Switzerland for F.C. Zurich.

·Former UCLA forward McKinley Tennyson, who was drafted by Columbus but has not signed an MLS contract, is with Bryne FK of Norwegian Premier League at the annual Scandinavian tourney in La Manga, Spain.

·Jason Bent, who is out of contract and looking abroad, is also said to be pursuing a job in Scandinavia. He was recently denied a work permit to play in England for Preston.

·The Fire are looking to bring in Kent Njoku, a Nigerian striker who has played the past two seasons in Mexico. He is 22 years old and would only be able to stick with the Fire if he could gain Youth International status -- meaning some of the current YI's would have to be released.

Jeff Bradley is a senior writer for ESPN The Magazine. E-mail jeff.bradley@espnmag.com.