CARSON, Calif. – Nearing the end of a season filled with frustration and disappointment, the Los Angeles Galaxy have decided it is time to get tough.

On the pitch, there are small signs of a harder edge, with the team looking more like the Galaxy of old in a 2-1 victory over FC Dallas on Sunday. But it is away from the glare of the spotlight that a significant shakeup will take place over the next few months.

Even David Beckham could find himself caught in the crosshairs as Galaxy president Alexi Lalas prepares to usher in a tough new era that he hopes will avoid a repeat of this fractured and uneasy campaign.

The first step will be closer scrutiny of Beckham's physical condition as he recovers from knee and ankle injuries. No longer will the England midfielder's self-evaluations of his progress be taken at face value after playing only three league games.

Beckham is the Galaxy's marquee name and their most experienced player, but with a contract that pays him $6.5 million a year, he

Houston Dynamo players will tell you that Dwayne De Rosario rarely is seen without a set of high-tech headphones slung around his neck.

According to the midfielder, the music that pumps through them is a major reason why there may be something else placed around his neck in two months time – another MLS Cup winner's medal.

The 29-year-old Canadian insists that his listening habits are not simply a relaxation or motivational tool but rather an integral part of his game. As the heartbeat of the defending MLS champion Dynamo, De Rosario shoulders the responsibility for getting his teammates in sync. He firmly believes that the rhythm developed by his lifelong love of music has a positive effect on his performances.

"Music is a very important part of my game and my way of living," De Rosario said. "My music has a lot of rhythm, and I implement that into the way I play.

"My style of play – attacking – you have to be very creative (and) spontaneous, and you have to change direction on a

More Hollywood United: Is MLS in its future?

SANTA MONICA, Calif. – It doesn't matter if David Beckham is playing or not. The Los Angeles Galaxy are still not the most star-studded team in L.A.

That honor belongs to a club that plays most of its matches in front of no more than a handful of spectators, calls a worn and rented artificial turf pitch at a west L.A. private school "home" and has an official player payroll of zero.

More Hollywood United: L.A.'s other galaxy of stars

SANTA MONICA, Calif. – Anthony LaPaglia wants to bring a dash of Hollywood glamour to North American soccer by taking over a Major League Soccer franchise.

LaPaglia, who plays agent Jack Malone in the New York missing persons drama "Without a Trace," said he will end his long and distinguished acting career once his current contract expires in 2010. His plans for "retirement" revolve almost entirely around soccer, and after already dabbling in club ownership as a frustrated (and often out-voted) stakeholder in Australian club Sydney FC, he wants to play the lead role for a pro team in the United States.

LaPaglia has already invested time and money into Hollywood United, an amateur club boasting several celebrities and former professionals, and the next step would be to become an MLS owner and capitalize on what he feels is the huge potential for soccer in the U.S.

Actor Anthony LaPaglia played Australian pro soccer as a goalkeeper

The comparative strength of the finest leagues in club soccer is a subject that will always divide opinion and is an argument that can never be effectively settled.

Tournaments like the European Champions League and the UEFA Cup give some indication, but the performance of a handful of teams in an elite competition does not tell the full story of a league's strength in depth.

Following David Beckham's recent comments defending the quality of Major League Soccer, when he hit back at criticism that he has moved to a "Mickey Mouse" league, Yahoo! Sports has put together a list of the best leagues in the game.

Our top five is based on entertainment, quality of play, competitiveness and global interest. It is followed by five more leagues that are emerging quickly and will continue to rise over the next few years.

TOP LEAGUES IN THE WORLD

1. Spain: La Liga. The fact that the Galacticos of Real Madrid went three years without winning the title says plenty about this entertaining and

"It is amazing what you can accomplish when no one cares who gets the credit."

CARSON, Calif. – The words jump out from the message board in Chivas USA's locker room. They were made famous by President Harry Truman, but it took the reciting of NBA superstar Kevin Garnett for the phrase to catch the eye of Chivas' players.

The quote has helped drive the most impressive underdog story of the Major League Soccer season.

Its relevance to the surprise contenders for the MLS Cup could not be more striking. Chivas' rise up the Western Conference standings is an exceptional example of the magic that can be conjured with team spirit, passion and motivation.

With David Beckham having joined the Los Angeles Galaxy to great acclaim, Chivas was cast as the forgotten cousins in L.A. – a role that has manifested itself in several ways. The team has clearly had a point to prove since its inception in 2004, and it has flourished just as spectacularly outside of the glare of the spotlight as the Galaxy

Major League Soccer is in danger of losing one of its top homegrown stars after Eddie Johnson admitted he is close to switching to the English Premiership.

Johnson, 23, has scored 14 times in 18 games for the Kansas City Wizards this season and his strength, pace and finishing ability has attracted some serious interest on the European soccer grapevine.

The Wizards and MLS were relieved earlier this year when the Florida native turned down a transfer to Derby County, currently at the bottom of the Premiership standings. However, it now seems as if Johnson feels his time has come and his hunger to prove himself among the best will not be held in check for much longer.

Speaking exclusively to Yahoo! Sports, he said: "The Premiership is my goal; that's my next goal. MLS is great and I am doing well. But the way I have done things in my career I am going to want a change. That is how life is, people change.

"They say in life that if you keep doing well then opportunities come, and some

CHICAGO – The United States national team may have discovered a rare sporting phenomenon: the breakthrough defeat.

Bob Bradley's players weren't celebrating Sunday after Brazil's 4-2 victory at Soldier Field, but the confidence the Americans will take from their most impressive recent performance was already apparent.