It may have been all change in the starting line-up for Vancouver Whitecaps tonight, but it was same old, same old when it came to the lack of creativity in the middle, as the Caps went down to a 2-0 loss to the Galaxy in LA - their fourth straight defeat.
The Whitecaps made five changes to their starting line-up from last week's loss in Portland. The changes were aimed at bringing in fresh legs and to rest some of the tired veterans of the team.
It was also a chance for the fringe players coming in to try to impress and stamp their name on a starting spot. The plan didn't work.
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The new look Caps had their first test four minutes in when David Beckham curled a free kick towards goal and Brad Knighton collected the ball with ease.
Vancouver had a few forays forward and were already looking more lively than they did for most of last week's game.
The slow pace of the match was suiting the Whitecaps, with neither side carving out any chances or putting the other goal under any sort of pressure.
LA turned up a little bit of heat on Vancouver in the 28th minute.
Martin Bonjour was on his way to the ground when he handled a ball from Robbie Keane. The Irishman appealed for a penalty but referee Baldomero Toledo gave a corner.
As Beckham whipped the ball over for a second time, Knighton punched the ball away under pressure but only as far as Keane, who acrobatically blasted over.
Keane did have the ball in the net in the 32nd minute but the linesman had his flag up for offside, although replays showed the decision to be very tight at best.
Vancouver were holding firm and keeping LA at bay.
Juninho tried a 25 yard effort in the 39th minute, which Knighton got behind well. Two minutes later, the Brazilian tried again and this time his long range screamer gave Knighton no chance and flew straight into the postage stamp corner to give the home side a 1-0 lead.
That's how it stayed until the half and although the makeshift Caps had done well not to be over-run, there seemed little hope that they could drag themselves back into the game.
With no changes at the half, the Galaxy tried to kill off the game immediately and Keane forced Knighton to make a save at his near post just 29 seconds in.
LA kept the danger on and the ball came across the goalmouth to Hector Jimenez, who saw his shot cleared off the line by Jun Marques Davidson.
The game soon died in pace and excitement again, but Dane Richards nearly brought it back to life with a bang for the visitors in the 64th minute, when his cross-come-shot had Josh Saunders scrambling as it went across the LA goal.
With the match crying out for something to bring it out of it's lull, it got it in the 79th minute as Beckham curled a free kick from just outside the Caps box into the top left hand corner of the net, rooting Knighton to the spot.
The Galaxy had a few chances late on in which they could, and should, have added to their tally, but somehow they had to settle with a two goal winning margin and the final whistle put the Whitecaps, and the 100 strong travelling support, out of their misery.
Four straight defeats in a row now for Vancouver, as their decline continues to show no sign of stopping.
The Caps seemed to have given up the ghost in this match before they had even left for LA. The makeshift line-up did their best but the lack of chances created and the inability of the midfield to make their mark on the game, continues to prove costly.
Vancouver now head to Dallas in two week's time for a massive 5th v 6th battle, where another loss could prove fatal to their faltering playoff hopes.
FINAL SCORE: Los Angeles Galaxy 2 - 0 Vancouver Whitecaps
ATT: 20,168
LOS ANGELES: Josh Saunders; Sean Franklin, Omar Gonzalez, A.J. DeLaGarza, Todd Dunivant; Hector Jimenez (Jose Villareal 71), Juninho, David Beckham (Edson Buddle 85), Marcelo Sarvas; Robbie Keane, Mike Magee [subs Not Used: Brian Perk, Pat Noonan, Tommy Meyer, Michael Stephens, Bryan Gaul]
VANCOUVER: Brad Knighton; John Thorrington, Martin Bonjour, Jay DeMerit, Jordan Harvey; Matt Watson, Jun-Marques Davidson (Camilo Sanvezzo 85), Barry Robson; Dane Richards (Michael Nanchoff 71), Kenny Miller, Russell Teibert (Etienne Barbara 87) [subs Not Used: Joe Cannon, Alain Rochat, Atiba Harris, Carlyle Mitchell]
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