After conceding 12 goals in six games to start the season, the Galaxy finally dealt for an experienced center back today, picking up Brazilian David Junior Lopes from Chivas USA in exchange for midfielder Paolo Cardozo.

Whether Lopes is the answer to filling the obvious gap left by the knee injury to Omar Gonzalez remains to be seen.

Lopes made eight appearances for Chivas USA last season after signing for the club in August and started their final seven games of the season. That stretch saw Chivas USA, which boasted one of the worst defenses in the league last season, win just one game to end the year.

The current Galaxy squad now boasts two former members of that awful back line; center back Andrew Boyens remains on the roster although it doesn’t appear Coach and GM Bruce Arena has much confidence in him given the trade.

The press release unusually included no quote from Arena, but I’m guessing the first word on the headline of this blog post sums up the Galaxy’s rationale for the trade.

Lopes, 29, hasn’t been able to break into Chivas USA’s much improved back line and hasn’t appeared in a game yet this season.

Lopes hasn’t stuck around any club very long either, appearing for seven clubs in six nations over eight years before coming to MLS.

Cardozo, the club’s first round draft pick in the 2011 draft, appeared in 18 regular season MLS games during his time with the Galaxy, but played just once so far this year.

The 1-3 Galaxy, last in the Western Conference, play the team that sits one spot above them in the table Saturday in Carson, the Portland Timbers, a club winless in four games.

What do you folks think of the move?

Judging by the results of this poll, I’m guessing most of you think the move is long overdue (i’ll leave aside for now whether it’s the move for the right player to fill the void, however).

Updated

Here’s more from Assistant Galaxy Head Coach Dave Sarachan on the trade: