The first domino for the Galaxy fell the day after Edson Buddle signed with a German club when LA announced early this morning they had signed 26-year-old D.C. United reserve forward Adam Cristman, right, in exchange for the Galaxy's first round pick in the 2011 MLS Supplemental Draft.

Cristman has had three MLS clubs, including the New England Revolution and the late Kansas City Wizards, in four years and two serious injuries including a fractured metatarsal that required lengthy stays on the sideline.

Adam Cristman is heading west to be with the Galaxy. (Getty Images)

After losing Edson Buddle to a German side yesterday (good for you Edson), the Galaxy are starting to sound like a desperate team here. No knock on this deal today but they have gone out and traded for striker Adam Cristman from D.

Adam Cristman is heading west to be with the Galaxy. (Getty Images)

After losing Edson Buddle to a German side yesterday (good for you Edson), the Galaxy are starting to sound like a desperate team here. No knock on this deal today but they have gone out and traded for striker Adam Cristman from D.

By JOHN BOSCHINI

Chivas USA forward Justin Braun and Dallas defender Ugo Ihemelu have been released from the U.S. National Team camp due to injuries and will miss the team's upcoming friendly against Chile on January 22.

Braun is out for a week after four stitches were required to close a cut on his Achilles' tendon and Ihemelu was unable to shake off nagging hip and groin injuries.

Time for another former Sporting KC update. The Mexican league has kicked back off, so Herculez Gomez is back in action. Will John's time with the Missouri Comets also appears to be over now as well. Nelson Pizarro is still out there, he's been brought on to the San Diego Sockers from the San Diego Fusion.

Time for another former Sporting KC update. The Mexican league has kicked back off, so Herculez Gomez is back in action. Will John's time with the Missouri Comets also appears to be over now as well. Nelson Pizarro is still out there, he's been brought on to the San Diego Sockers from the San Diego Fusion.

*The club will play the expansion Portland Timbers Feb. 8 and the San Jose Earthquakes Feb. 10 at Home Depot Center, although there's no word whether fans will be able to peer over a fence and watch or the games will be behind closed doors.

The Galaxy will also play three games against MLS opponents while training in Arizona from Feb.

Better. Possibly.
We all remember the YouTube greatness of one Cristian Castillo, don't we? Assuming Brasesco pans out (though that's a mighty big assumption considering our recent forays south of the border), we've at least got some reasonable depth at the back if we include the recent addition of Daniel Woolard and the signing of Ethan White to a homegrown contract.

Photo by Perry McIntyre/ISIPhotos.com

BY ADAM SERRANO

Oguchi Onyewu is returning to the Low Countries.

The United States national team defender is joining Dutch club, FC Twente on loan until the end of the season from AC Milan.

"The Vasectomy, where balls go to die, Chad Barrett!" du Nord

"Chad Barrett can't hit the side of a barn with a cruise missile." Our own Nathan HJ

It seems that everything is changing and everything remains the same. Last year the Galaxy had a fairly solid back line, an unsettled midfield, and a shaky strike force.

By AVI CREDITOR

After putting last season's historically bad campaign in the rear-view mirror, D.C. United is aiming for a fresh start with Ben Olsen at the helm of a team on a mission.

With a bevy of new faces in camp and a fresh attitude to boot, expectations of a vast improvement are abound in the nation's capital.