Ruiz happy to embrace busy fixture schedule

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Albion head to London City Lionesses in the WSL on Saturday for the third of five games in 14 days.

Bruce Talbot

2026-09-26T08:30+01:00

Arturo Ruiz will be looking for his first WSL win as head coach on Saturday.

Arturo Ruiz believes the current congested fixture schedule is exactly what his squad needs to build a strong foundation, following their 4-0 midweek victory over Charlton.

Speaking ahead of Saturday's WSL game at London City Lionesses (5pm) Ruiz expressed his delight at seeing a variety of players get minutes on the pitch, highlighting the importance of competitive match time for their development.

One player who seized her opportunity was Olaug Tvedten, who scored her first two goals for the club.

Ruiz was thrilled with her contribution, noting that her work ethic in training is paying off amidst fierce competition for midfield places.

"Performance like Wednesday make us grow, and absolutely Olaug is doing things very well and I'm really glad about that," Ruiz explained, emphasising how strong individual performances elevate the entire group.

While training sessions are crucial, the head coach acknowledged that matches remain the ultimate test in a high-performance environment.

The display against Charlton not only boosted confidence but also helped solidify the new head coach's game plan and tactical style.

And rather than viewing a busy schedule as a burden, Ruiz wholeheartedly embraces the challenge.

Having taken the job only a month ago, he feels that playing twice a week accelerates the process of implementing his ideas. He described the current phase as an internal pre-season, where video sessions, individual chats, and unit meetings can be tested and applied in match situations.

Managing the physical and tactical load across a large squad requires careful coordination with his backroom staff, whom he praised highly, but the head coach sees this as a positive opportunity to utilise his deep squad.

He stressed that the team’s daily environment must now be even more demanding and professional to cope with the relentless demands of playing frequently, especially after the international break next month.

"These first weeks, these first months are going to be the base of our future and we just need to keep building and enjoying," he added.