The Seattle Sounders will be forced to play without their leading scorer for at least the next couple of months.
According to the Seattle Times, David Estrada will miss the next 8-to-12 weeks with a broken foot, one that was suffered in training on Tuesday. Estrada's five goals are tops for a team focused on reclaiming its top form in league play while maintaining its run toward an unprecedented fourth straight U.S. Open Cup and getting off to a good start in 2012-13 CONCACAF Champions League play.Â
The onus falls on the attacking quartet of Fredy Montero, Eddie Johnson, Mauro Rosales and Alvaro Fernandez to raise their games, while a host of players will be charged with filling the minutes that were expected to be played by Estrada, whose versatility allowed Sigi Schmid to play him either up top or on the wing.
Estrada, in his third year out of UCLA, had been a breakout player this season, appearing in all of Seattle's 13 games while making 12 starts. After scoring four goals in the first two games of the season, Estrada endured a 10-game goal drought, but he snapped that by scoring the equalizer in Seattle's last game, a 1-1 draw with Chivas USA.
What do you think of this development? How much of a setback do you think this is for the Sounders?
Share your thoughts below.