Landon Donovan? We don't need no stinkin' Landon Donovan!

Edson Buddle? We don't need stinkin' Edson Buddle!

Though their presence would have made the Los Angeles Galaxy's 1-0 victory over FC Dallas at Pizza Hut Park on Thursday a bit nicer, it was not needed for Bruce Arena's club, who are unbeaten at 8-0-2 (26 points) and consolidate their hold on Major League Soccer and the MLS Western Conference.

Who would have thought that Mike Magee's patience would result in a goal in the 17th minute that would see G's earn some humble revenge for the 6-3 shellacking last season?

Early in the season, Magee's finishing has seen him squash every chance he had to get on the score sheet for the year.

Leave it to a blown assignment early by the Hoops backline to allow Chris Birchall and Tristan Bowen succeed in scoring a textbook connection to Magee, who made no mistake in tapping it past FC Dallas goalkeeper Kevin Hartman.

Kudos to Donovan Ricketts for his efforts in the 58th minute. A chance by Jeff Cunningham to equalize was stymied by the Jamaican international. You're not going to get one past the Big Cat from Montego Bay when he bounces back from an injury in practice.

At the same time I ponder on top of the MLS mountain this rhetorical question: What is with Abbey Okulaja getting whatever face time he can get? Four yellow cards in one match? Glad it wasn't worse.

But in the end, the Okulaja affair was a mere sideshow in the main event: the test of depth for the Galaxy. They passed the first one through an early first-half strike and their trademark stingy defending.

No Landon plus no Edson equals no problems.

And with the win, Los Angeles is nine points ahead of the new leaders of the MLS Eastern Conference, the Columbus Crew.

A 2-0 win over the New York Red Bulls has seen Robert Warzycha's club rise to second overall in the MLS standings and have the chance inch a little closer against the Kansas City Wizards on May 23.

The Crew currently have three games hand over the Galaxy.

Los Angeles travels to Columbus Crew Stadium on May 29. Kickoff against the Massive is scheduled for 4:30 pm PT.

Ins And Outs

Landon Donovan Goes With the FLO.

With the 2010 FIFA World Cup just three weeks and change away, the Galaxy's Landon Donovan has been named spokesman for FLO TV's national ad campaigns this week.

FLO TV is a mobile television subsidiary of San Diego's Qualcomm Incorporated, and will offer ESPN's non-stop coverage of the action from the Rainbow Nation. (Quite a sensation.)

You can see the ad in which Donovan juggles Jabulani while watching footage from a FLO TV personal television on Donovan’s Facebook page, FLO TV’s Facebook page, and www.FLOTV.com.

And don't forget to check out the UFC action, too. Oops, wrong subject. Moving right along...

Bruce Almighty...Making Another Call?

That's right, he is.

After the match, Arena took a flight to Madrid, Spain to prepare for some Fox Soccer Channel work. That's because Arena will be working as an analyst for Friday morning's broadcast of the UEFA Champions League final between Inter Milan and Bayern Munich.

Have fun covering the action at the Santiago Bernabeu, and say helo to Jose Mourinho for me. Finally...

It Takes Two to Tango, but Only the Galaxy to Play Boca (on Sunday).

The Los Angeles Galaxy will divert from their MLS adventures and focus their attention to a Sunday friendly with Club Atletico Boca Juniors at 5pm PT.

The match will be televised by Galavision and Fox Sports West. A full match preview will follow later this week.

Read more MLS news on BleacherReport.com

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