While the Los Angeles Galaxy have been insisting they aren't concerned about their slow start, David Beckham may no longer feel that's the case.
Having been shut out in their last two games and with their starting goalkeeper still sidelined, the Galaxy try to avoid losing three straight for the first time in more than four years when they visit the Montreal Impact on Saturday.
Los Angeles (3-5-1) is struggling to find the back of the net despite its star-laden lineup. The Galaxy, winless in its last three with one goal in that span, haven't lost three MLS games in a row since a six-game skid Aug. 9-Sept. 1, 2007.
That season was also the last time they failed to score in three straight contests. Los Angeles matched its loss total from last season with a 1-0 defeat to New York last Saturday.
"We keep saying we're not worried about it," said Beckham, who has two assists in 2012 after tying for the league lead with 18 last year. "But there's going to be a point where we need to be worried about it and we're close to that now."
Los Angeles scored 48 goals in 2011, second most in the Western Conference, but ranks fifth in the West with 11 in 2012. Landon Donovan, who had 15 goals last season, has two this year and has gone three games without scoring.
"We're by no means going to give up and by no means going to hang our heads," defender Todd Dunivant told the Galaxy's official website. "We've got a big game at Montreal ... and that's what we're going to focus on."
While Los Angeles' high-priced talent is feeling the pressure to produce, it won't be easy to score against former Galaxy goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts, who hasn't given up a goal in 202 minutes.
Ricketts helped lead Los Angeles to the MLS Cup final in 2009 and was the league's goaltender of the year in 2010, but he lost his starting job to Josh Saunders last season after suffering a broken arm and made only three starts upon returning.
The Galaxy traded him to Montreal (3-5-2) in the expansion draft and he has keyed the Impact's respectable start. He made four saves in each of the last two games, the most recent a 2-0 win over Sporting Kansas City last Saturday.
"He'd certainly like to get a shutout against us," Dunivant said. "Knowing Donovan, he's going to come to play."
Los Angeles may be regretting the decision to move Ricketts as Saunders has missed the last three matches due to a personal matter and is out indefinitely. Bill Gaudette has filled in during his absence and has allowed four goals.
The Impact are looking to become the first team to win three in a row in their expansion season since Seattle in 2009, with the league having added four teams since. Felipe Martins and Patrice Bernier backed Ricketts with goals last weekend.
Montreal is coming off a 2-0 defeat to Toronto in the Canadian Championship semifinals Wednesday.
"We lost, but now that we're out of the Cup, we have to move on," Bernier said. "We have to concentrate on our next game and we're lucky it's coming fast. We can switch things around right away."
