While the club was unable to bring its latest signing onto the field in a 1-1 road draw against Atlanta United July 15, members of the Seattle Sounders are already saying that new designated player Raul Ruidiaz will provide a big boost to a Sounders team that is 11 points below the red line.
After training with the Peruvian for several days, Sounders left winger Victor Rodriguez spoke highly of Ruidiaz’ skill and said he expected him “to help the team a lot.”
Cristian Roldan explored what Ruidiaz brings to the team in greater detail.
“(He’s a) very skilled player,” Roldan said Wednesday. “A smart player. His movement is very good. He finds those pockets of space and is not afraid to just turn and shoot. It’s something that we absolutely need right now, more goals. Most of our games have appeared to be 1-1 or 1-0, but if we can add that second or third goal we can really ice a game and take control of it. Raul is here for that, and he’ll bring that bit of brilliance that we’ve been needing so far.”
The Sounders are 4-9-5 after 18 matches and sit in 10th place in the Western Conference standings. Of the 13 matches that Seattle has won or lost this season, 10 have been decided by a one-goal margin.
Now, the club hopes that the arrival of Ruidiaz can spur another historic run, like the 8-2-4 run the club went on after signing Nicolas Lodeiro in 2016, which raised the Sounders from the depths of the West and all the way to the club’s first MLS Cup.
“They’re different players,” Roldan said of Lodeiro and Ruidiaz. “They play different positions, but that bit of energy, that bit of spark that Raul brings can catapult this team. Nico did that in ‘16, he did it in his own ways. That was running all over the field, filling in any spot that ways available, turning and playing the assist for the goal. Raul is different. He’ll be a poacher He’ll score that goal. He’ll make the run that will open up a bit of space for Will Bruin or Clint Dempsey or other players in the mix. But that bit of brilliance, that bit of spark, the soccer IQ that Raul brings is very good and we look forward to playing alongside him.”
It is not clear if Ruidiaz will start Saturday’s match against the Vancouver Whitecaps, but head coach Brian Schmetzer has confirmed he expects the 27-year-old to make his debut in that contest.