CONCACAF Champions League: Are the Los Angeles Galaxy finished?

In the defense of Bruce Arena's Los Angeles Galaxy, it was a match day to forget for Major League Soccer.

Real Espana defeated the Colorado Rapids, 2-1; FC Dallas got shut out by Pumas UNAM, 2-0; the Seattle Sounders saw their house broken by Herediano, 1-0; and the Galaxy dropped an important contest against Liga Deportiva Alajuelense by the same scoreline, with Pablo Antonio Gabas tying the season series at one victory and one defeat.

The only winner from MLS was Toronto FC. Toronto, of all teams! They swept Tauro with a 1-0 victory at BMO Field, but paled in comparison to the USA, getting shutout this week in the CONCACAF Champions League.

This brings up the question for Los Angeles: is it finished in terms of progressing?

Sure, Los Angeles has one more chance to salvage some pride on the road when it faces C.D. Motagua, but it has to put up with Monarcas Morelia at the Home Depot Center, and that will not be an easy state of affairs.

But, as everyone knows by now, the best teams in the CONCACAF Champions League are able to defend against class strike like that from Gabas or even Miguel Sabah against Morelia.

Josh Saunders is not a goalkeeper that would be a smart buy in any other league. Making saves on class strikes is the hallmark of a good keeper. This is why Donovan Ricketts's leg injury last week in training was a warning sign against La Liga, because that meant Saunders was forced into the fray.

In this embattled goalkeeper's defense, it was not just his poor attempt to stop set pieces that have doomed this sorry LA Galaxy outfit on the road in the CONCACAF Champions League.

Downright awful passing, circumspect finishing, shabby defending brought on by inferior match fitness and nonexistent off-the-ball movement doomed Los Angeles tonight. From the first whistle to the last, Los Angeles did not feel like a side that wanted to be in the CONCACAF Champions' League.

And if their own home-field advantage is finally deflowered at the hands of Tomas Boy's Monarcas Morelia, it's safe to say that the Galaxy are indeed finished.

There is, however, a silver lining to all of this. Back in league action—I'm talking about Major League Soccer, readers—the Galaxy are seven points clear of the Seattle Sounders in the race for the MLS Supporters' Shield. Now, an important four-game stretch is on the way for Galaxy in the form of matches with the Columbus Crew, Morelia, Real Salt Lake and the New York Red Bulls.

The CONCACAF Champions League may be all but lost by month's end, but should they win out the other three games in that stretch, the Galaxy get another shot to rectify their failures to deliver on the road in the CONCACAF Champions League.

So, another question arises for the Galaxy: How will Los Angeles respond to this harrowing defeat against the Columbus Crew Saturday?

Perhaps the answer will speak for itself.

Kickoff between the Galaxy and Crew is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. PT and will be televised by Fox Sports West.