United Looks to Break Its Fall

It was early August, and D.C. United was feeling mighty good about itself and its season.

A 2 1/2 -month unbeaten streak had led to an enormous lead in the MLS's Eastern Conference standings. The club had thumped Scottish champion Glasgow Celtic, sent eight players and its coach to the All-Star Game and, in front of a sellout crowd 2,500 miles from home, earned a 1-1 tie with David Beckham and world power Real Madrid.

In the three weeks since that friendly in Seattle, however, United's sterling season has been tarnished by a series of bland performances and, most recently, an embarrassing defeat that exposed defensive vulnerability and a fatigued attack.

"We're not panicking, but you've got to be somewhat concerned," club president Kevin Payne said of United's five-game MLS winless streak. "There's plenty of time to get it fixed and to remember what you did to get you there."

United's slump actually began a couple of weeks before the Madrid match, but while a tie at Chicago and a last-minute loss in Salt Lake City were regarded at the time as aberrations, the last three results were clear signs of trouble.

After uninspiring draws with New York and Colorado, United (13-3-8) was overwhelmed Saturday night at RFK Stadium by the surging Los Angeles Galaxy, 5-2 -- United's first loss of the year at home and its poorest performance since last year's 4-0 playoff elimination at the hands of Chicago.

"We got spanked," midfielder Freddy Adu said. "If that's not a wake-up call, I don't know what is."

Added veteran midfielder Ben Olsen: "We kind of got punched in the face. We can't freak out."

Players and coaches have cited several factors in the club's drop in form -- the monotony of a long season, nagging injuries, inspired opponents, several mid-week games and officiating decisions -- but also acknowledged deeper problems reminiscent of last season's weak finish.

Most noticeable Saturday were the gaps between United's midfield and defensive line, abundant space that Los Angeles exploited to create an alarming number of early opportunities and take the lead in the fourth minute.

With playmaker Christian Gomez not in the starting lineup because of a knee injury, Coach Peter Nowak started three defensive midfielders. Nonetheless, Galaxy star Landon Donovan found the freedom to direct passes into dangerous spots.

"As a team, we've been taking too many chances in pressuring -- it's almost like gambling," assistant coach Tom Soehn said. "We're going all or nothing, and then we're setting ourselves up for the counterattack. From front to back, we've got to get a little more organized."