The New England Revolution and the LA Galaxy both have made changes at the outset of the second half. Both changes are noteworthy, though for far different reasons.
Bruce Arena and the Galaxy have elected to remove David Beckham from play. The move prompted speculation from pundits and fans alike, but word from the Los Angeles camp eventually came out that the move was made for “tactical reasons.” Beckham had been having some difficulty getting on the ball, but his free kicks were creating the most dangerous opportunities Los Angeles was seeing all night. It remains to be seen if this move will pay off.
On the New England side, Jay Heaps elected to pull Kevin Alston for precautionary reasons related to some manner of injury, and handed German fullback Florian Lechner his MLS debut. Lechner, who last played for Karlsruher in the 2nd Bundesliga, does not possess the blinding, game-changing speed that Alston brings to the table, but his wealth of experience at the highest levels of the game should serve the Revs well as they look to close out their second victory of the season.