RENTON — The quickest way to erase a smile from Raul Ruidiaz’s face is to ask him about last season.
“It was the worst year in my professional career,” Ruidiaz said, as translated from Spanish, with a pained look while glancing downward.
By descriptor alone he was a striker for the Sounders. Ruidiaz was demoted to a reserve forward role and finished with five goals in 18 MLS regular season matches, 11 of which were starts. His lightest haul since turning professional in 2009 with Club Universitario de Deportes in his native Lima, Peru (three goals).
Ruidiaz isn’t the only one picking apart last season with disdain.
Sounders coach Brian Schmetzer opened preseason training camp with a slideshow hyping the new training facility in Renton, the club’s 50th anniversary celebration and all the possible trophies the team could win this year. An innocuous question to the team about 2023 revealed multiple players were still hurt despite finishing second in the Western Conference standings and advancing to the playoff semifinals.
For forward Jordan Morris, it was a shot at goal in the fourth minute of the semifinal loss to Los Angeles FC. He attempted to chip the ball over keeper Maxime Crepeau, who was way outside his box, the latter blocking the shot with his left hand. Crepeau had seven saves in the eventual 1-0 LAFC win at Lumen Field.
“That’s one I thought about a lot in the offseason,” said Morris, of his only shot on target in the match. “If I had scored that, things are different, and the game opens up a little bit. It’s tough and something I own.”
The frustration has led to a Sounders 2024 season without pretense.
One thing was missing last year — goals. One thing is needed for the Sounders to be successful — goals. One thing will show the team has improved — scoring goals.
As the Sounders open their 2024 season Saturday in Los Angeles, they know they need to put the ball in the back of the net to reach their ultimate goal. And Ruidiaz and Morris will have to lead them there.
“Bit of a problem”
Maybe if the Sounders defense wasn’t so good, Seattle’s lack of consistent production offensively wouldn’t have been so glaring.
The club tied Nashville SC for fewest goals allowed in MLS, conceding 32 in 34 regular season matches. But the Sounders finished the season with 41 goals on 30.1% shooting.
Sounders general manger Craig Waibel returned the entire defensive line — inking new deals for fullbacks Alex Roldan and Nouhou and re-signing keeper Stefan Frei. The changes were in the attack and in depth.
Fredy Montero, the Sounders’ all-time scoring leader (79 goals), didn’t have his contract renewed along with forward Heber. Instead, Waibel promoted forward Braudilio Rodrigues from MLS Next Pro side Tacoma Defiance and signed free-agent Danny Musovski.
Musovski tallied five goals and four assists for Real Salt Lake last season, making 14 starts in his 24 regular season appearances.
“I feel I can come in and help provide goals,” said Musovski, a fifth-year MLS veteran. “That was a bit of a problem last year from what I heard.”
The focus will be on Ruidiaz and Morris.
They’ve tussled for the starting role up top since Ruidiaz joined the Sounders in 2018. And the Peruvian always won because of his ability to punish keepers no matter the competition.
Ruidiaz has 78 goals through all competitions for Seattle. But Ruidiaz’s last goal came Sept. 2 against Portland.
In addition to mourning his father, who died in June, Ruidiaz was dealing with lower-back and hamstring injuries that forced the Sounders to look elsewhere for goals last season.
Morris was moved up top with Leo Chu playing on the left wing last spring and it was an explosive pairing. Morris didn’t relinquish the spot, finishing the season with 13 goals and one assist, in MLS competitions.
Every year, the U.S. international states in his exit interviews with the Sounders technical staff that he wants to start at the traditional forward role. He was finally told he earned the spot in December.
“It’s nice to kind of have one position to focus on rather than bouncing around a little bit,” Morris said. “I can focus on the skills that come with being a No. 9 and I feel like I built on that at the end of last year a lot.”
Ruidiaz, respectfully, doesn’t believe Morris will remain as the starting forward.
“I still feel like I’m the best, but I have to respect whatever decision [Schmetzer] makes,” Ruidiaz said with his signature smile. “If he or the team don’t feel like they can trust me, I still believe in myself.”
The players have different approaches. Morris has the bigger frame and is quick in chasing down balls in pursuit of goals. Ruidiaz is slick in tight spaces and persistent.
And the dueling was evident during preseason training camp.
Ruidiaz looks healthy and powerful as he knocks in goals in short-sided games and friendlies. Morris is creative in his finishes but didn’t score in the four scrimmages, three against European opponents while the Sounders trained in Marbella, Spain.
Schmetzer did jumble lineups to test chemistry. A match against USL Championship side Sacramento Republic FC was supposed to be the final product on display — Morris playing up top — but Schmetzer wasn’t impressed with the team after a 1-0 loss at Sounders FC Center at Longacres.
Seattle is set to play its MLS season opener against LAFC at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at BMO Stadium in California.
“Raul is trying to win his spot back,” Schmetzer said in noticing the change in the designated player. “So, Jordan has to hold on.”
“Totally different year”
While attention has been on Ruidiaz and Morris to score, Schmetzer tweaked the overall offensive tactics to revive a once entertaining style played by the Sounders.
Part of the change was last year’s transition from playing through midfielder Nico Lodeiro to looking for more creativity within structure. Lodeiro signed with Orlando City SC in January, leaving as the Sounders’ all-time assist leader (95) — many to Ruidiaz. The duo was key in the 2019 MLS Cup win and 2022 CONCACAF Champions League title.
Albert Rusnak anchored the Sounders offense toward the end of last year, scoring seven game-winners overall. The midfielder will continue to play high up the field but could be challenged by Pedro de la Vega. The new, young designated-player signing can play on either wing or in the middle — which also pits him against Chu and Cristian Roldan for minutes.
Chu had a breakout season with five goals and eight assists last year. Roldan navigated two concussions that limited him to 16 matches. The Sounders were 8-1-7 with Roldan in the lineup and 6-8-4 without.
Behind the veterans is a host of former Sounders academy players who, because of the long season, will be given a chance to show if they can contribute.
“Guys are competitive,” Sounders assistant coach Freddy Juarez said. “At times we get a little comfortable and all of a sudden you add some guys that are hungry, and it sparks. It sparks. It’s been really fantastic this preseason to see the competitiveness as a whole collective.”
It must lead to goals. Morris and Ruidiaz know that burying the ball in the back of the net is their job description.
“I know it’s going to be a totally different year for me,” Ruidiaz said.
If it is, it’ll show in the goals.
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