The Briton Is Coming, but Not Soon Enough for Galaxy

Beckham May Arrive to Find L.A. Struggling

The Los Angeles Galaxy's season was supposed to unfold this way:

With an experienced nucleus and a decorated coach, the five-time MLS finalist would start fast and purge the memories of a dismal 2006 campaign. Landon Donovan, refreshed after an unacceptable World Cup adventure last summer, would reclaim his status as the league's most influential attacker. Winter acquisition Joe Cannon would solidify the goalkeeping duties, Portuguese defender Abel Xavier would be integrated into the lineup after his midseason arrival and Cobi Jones would celebrate his 12th and final year in grand style.

With all of its secondary pieces in place, the Galaxy would be perfectly positioned to welcome English superstar David Beckham -- and all the madness that came with him -- in late July.

That was the plan, anyway.

Weakened by injuries, impaired by dreary play and perhaps shaken by the looming celebrity storm, the Galaxy has just one victory in six matches and will be missing eight players for assorted reasons tonight when surging D.C. United visits Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif.

"This team is good enough to win," midfielder Santino Quaranta said, "and it's just not happening right now for a lot of reasons."

If the crisis continues, Beckham might be asked to do more than simply become the final piece in the club's competition and marketing plan. He may be called upon to rescue the season.

Beckham is expected to make his Los Angeles debut July 21 in a friendly against English power Chelsea and play his first league matches Aug. 5 at Toronto and four days later in Washington.

"If we are struggling before he arrives, and he arrives and he does well for us, he's saved the team," Coach Frank Yallop said. "That wasn't the intention when we started off. The intention was to have a strong squad, which I think we've got. We obviously need to start to pick up some results and at least get us back in the picture."

The Galaxy's situation could get worse before it gets better. Tomorrow, Donovan will report to the U.S. national team for the Gold Cup, joining Los Angeles regulars Ante Jazic and Kevin Harmse, who have already left for Canadian duty in the tournament. Donovan likely will miss three league games.

U.S. World Cup defender Chris Albright is out for several months with a torn hamstring, probable starter Alan Gordon has a foot injury and has yet to play, and three reserves are sidelined with injuries. Starting midfielder Kyle Martino will not play tonight after receiving a red card last week, and Xavier, 34, is not eligible for another two weeks after leaving behind a 17-year European career. The club also is searching for an international forward to add to the roster this month.

Yallop has spent the week piecing together a starting lineup and finding enough healthy players to fill out the bench. He also has to find a way to field a squad for tomorrow's reserve division game against United.

The Galaxy's issues, though, go deeper than available personnel. Yallop believes his team has been affected by the elevated expectations brought on by the Beckham signing.

"I think the first home game we came out and were a little scared, a little nervous, a little apprehensive because of all the pressure from all the talk of David joining us," he acknowledged.

Added Quaranta: "There's a lot of pressure here -- it's a little different from other places -- especially with Beckham coming in. We don't want it to be a situation where this guy comes in and has to save the team."

Even in its wounded state, the Galaxy (1-3-2) remains a dangerous opponent because of Donovan, who has six goals in 10 career appearances against United (3-3-1). Los Angeles is 4-1-3 in its past eight meetings with D.C., including a 5-2 rout at RFK Stadium last August when Donovan scored twice.

When Donovan accelerates into open space, "I fear I'm going to end up on a MLS highlight video," joked United midfielder Ben Olsen, who was Donovan's World Cup teammate in Germany last summer.

"They want to win and they need to win," he added. "There is a big spotlight on this team to start getting some wins, and we can either lie down and let their emotion carry them to a win or we can go in there with the same mentality we've had the last couple weeks, battle it out and turn it into a soccer game."

United Notes: Midfielder Brian Carroll, who has started the past three games, missed practice much of the week with a leg injury and did not travel with the team Thursday. . . . Rookie Bryan Arguez has joined the U.S. under-20 national team for a weeklong Canadian tour.