Upon the closing of the Secondary Transfer Window, the Seattle Sounders returned to training at Starfire Sports on Thursday.
There was a new face among the group, as recent acquisitionEmanuel Cecchini practiced alongside his new teammates for the first time since inking a loan deal from Spanish side Malaga C.F.
“They took me in right away,” Cecchini said of his new teammates and coaches. “The training was good, and I hope to adapt and contribute rapidly.”
Joining up with the team tomorrow is the club’s other late addition, Luis Silva. A skilled, clever attacker who can drop between the lines or operate as a hold-up striker, Silva brings with him an intimate knowledge of the league.
“We played against him many times,” said Sounders FC Head Coach Brian Schmetzer. “He’s scored some good goals [in MLS]. He actually scored a good goal against us before he left [Real Salt Lake]. We just feel that he’s an experienced MLS forward and it helps us.”
Sounders FC General Manager & President of Soccer Garth Lagerwey also addressed the media after training, revealing the acquisition strategy for both Silva and Cecchini, and how their signings will bolster the roster.
“We wanted to add a specifically attacking piece, knowing that Will Bruin wasn’t coming back this year,” said Lagerwey. “With Cecchini, I think he makes us better in two or three different ways, in terms of how we can deploy Cristian [Roldan], Gustav [Svensson], Danny [Leyva], Emanuel and Jordy [Delem]. We really like that position group in terms of how we can play or how we can matchup [against specific opponents].”
In Schmetzer’s preferred 4-2-3-1 formation, the midfield two – or the double-pivot – are tasked with both shielding the back four and advancing possession.
While the double-pivot is, typically speaking, composed of a pure defensive midfielder and a more box-to-box player, the addition of Cecchini, who is best described as a No. 6/8 hybrid, allows Schmetzer to tinker a bit. Rather than stick to rigid archetypes, he can tailor his midfield to his tactical game-plan for specific opponents.
“Some teams in the world in the 4-2-3-1, the two can play right and left,” said Sounders FC Vice President of Soccer Chris Henderson. “They don’t have to play one offense and one defense. They can play right side and left side. He’s a player that can play either way. He can play as a 6 who is holding more, or an 8 who can get in the box. He has a very good shot from outside, so I’m sure at some point we’ll see him unload one of those shots.”
Now that both Cecchini and Silva have been secured, the Sounders enjoy one of their deepest-ever rosters, dating back the inaugural season in 2009.
“We now have more over-the-max players, to my knowledge, than anybody in the league,” said Lagerwey. “We have 10 [Targeted Allocation Money] guys and three [Designated Players], plus one of the best goalkeepers in the league in Stefan Frei.”
The Sounders will return to action at CenturyLink Field on Sunday when they host the New England Revolution (1:00 p.m. PT; JOEtv, YouTube TV, 950 KJR AM, El Rey 1360AM | TICKETS).
