RENTON — After a rigorous start to the season in which they played eight matches in 25 days, the Seattle Sounders finally got to take a few days off. They returned to training on Wednesday refreshed from a three-day break and ready to tackle the next phase of their season.
“I think the days off were needed more mentally than physically,” Sounders midfielder Albert Rusnák said, adding only half-joking that he thought he spent more time in hotels than at home over the past month. “I hope it helped everyone. I feel like everyone came in a little more fresh and had an extra step today.”
The Sounders will now have three consecutive training days ahead of Saturday’s match against the Houston Dynamo, the first time they’ve managed to do that since the season started on Feb. 19.
Ferreira will get more run at No. 9
Jesús Ferreira didn’t exactly light it up in his first start at the No. 9, but Sounders head coach Brian Schmetzer indicated he’s inclined to be patient. He noted that Ferreira made several good runs that went unrewarded and chose to interpret the moments of frustration as a sign that his player was engaged.
Schmetzer also revealed that part of why Ferreira hasn’t played more up until now is that he’s been on a minutes restriction.
“That stretch of three games in seven days threw us all for a loop,” Schmetzer said. “Maybe we were a little gun-shy because we didn’t want a third guy to get injured after starting three games in a row.
“There’s some interesting things for the sports science goes to go over. But he’s going to play a lot of minutes now.”
Availability update
Joining the rest of the squad in training for the first time since the start of the season were centerback Kim Kee-Hee and midfielder Reed Baker-Whiting. Kim has been working himself into fitness since signing about a month ago, while Baker-Whiting has been recovering from a hamstring injury.
“They’re close,” Schmetzer said. “I doubt we’ll get them for Houston but I expect both to be available for San Jose.”
