On Saturday, he showed that he can score goals, too, beating Galaxy goalkeeper Jonathan Klinsmann with a well-placed finish from well outside the penalty area.
“I’m very happy,” Chú said. “As I mentioned last week, I’ve been putting in the work during the week. I’ve been preparing for this moment, and it’s very important to get this type of sequence. Once you can have this type of sequence, a player can gain confidence, so the more minutes we play, the better it is.”
Chú’s recent breakout and Morris’s blistering form while playing as the No. 9 will give Schmetzer much to ponder as he evaluates his first-choice XI going forward.
Whether Morris will move back to the wing with Ruidíaz healthy is one question. Chú’s status between first-choice starter and sparkplug substitute is another. Those qualify as high-class problems, the type of which also tend to solve themselves as the physical grind and fixture-heavy reality of an MLS season set in.
Either way, Schmetzer said he’s confident his players are fully bought in, regardless of how he chooses to manage it.
“No player likes to get subbed off, everybody wants to play, everybody wants to start,” Schmetzer said. “But that team in that locker room is together. As a collective this team has enough talent and the right mentality to go a long ways in this league.
“So, I’m going to reward the players that do well. I’m going to try and manage the group as best I can. But this is a talented group. And Sounders fans should be happy because we’ve got a really freakin’ good team.”
