Chicago Fire coach Carlos de los Cobos has explained his reasoning for only using one substitute in the tough away fixture with Seattle Sounders on the weekend.

The Fire went down 2-1 to the Sounders after a late Fredy Montero goal and again de los Cobos fell under scrutiny for not making the most of his depth.

But the Mexican tactician revealed he conversed with his players and they indicated they did not need any alterations late in the piece.

"We were good in the midfield, and sometimes when you move the team you create some disorder, some instability maybe," de los Cobos said of Saturday's loss to Seattle.

"During the match I was talking with the guys and asking them how they feel, and they felt good. That was the reason. The team was defending good in the last minutes."

It was the second match in the row that the Fire dropped points on the road when the match was tied ion the latter stages indicating that de los Cobos may need to ring the changes when his side is on a tough road trip.