Los Angeles midfielder David Beckham’s complaints about Major League Soccer officiating is baffling if only based on Wednesday’s match against Toronto FC. Everyone has a go at MLS referees but on Wednesday's evidence Beckham's case falls flat.

Seconds before LA Galaxy forward Chad Barrett rattled the crossbar at the south end of BMO Field, Alen Stevanovic was stripped off the ball in a wholly illegal manner, causing the turnover that led to the scoring chance.

It’s fair to ask had that ball gone in under very dubious circumstances, if that postgame media scrum takes a different tone from Beckham.  

During several moments in the evening LA players used tactics that were less than sporting and outright malicious. The first of two yellow cards to Juninho on a Tony Tchani challenge that involuntarily elevated the 6’4” 22-year old off the ground is the LA Beckham ignores from his soap box.

Los Angeles is a great team with some of the most talented players in MLS. It’s understandable that the Galaxy has concerns over early season card accumulation, but much of it is their fault for pursuing negative tactics instead of attractive football they are obviously capable of playing.

What’s really eating away at LA in making their call for “consistency” is the recent Charlie Davies embellishment against Toronto’s next opponent, D.C. United (Saturday, 7 p.m. on GOL TV Canada).

Last Saturday Davies sold a foul that led to a penalty and two dropped points for the Galaxy.  A sense of victimhood traveled with LA from RFK Stadium into BMO Field for the Toronto match. They have a case against Davies, but based on Wednesday’s game alone, Beckham's comments are inconsistent with LA's style of play.

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