A little more than four months has passed since the Crew won its first Major League Soccer championship, defeating the New York Red Bulls in the Home Depot Center.

The Crew will return to the site of its triumph today to take on undefeated Chivas USA in Carson, Calif., no doubt stirring many happy memories. But given the team's state, coach Robert Warzycha would rather not reminisce.

"I think we have to forget as soon as possible that we were the champions last year," he said. "We need to forget about it, start to work hard and get some results."

The Crew (0-1-2) has yet to win and limps into Los Angeles fresh off its worst loss in almost two years, a nationally televised 4-1 shellacking Thursday at Real Salt Lake.

The four goals scored by Salt Lake were the most allowed by the Crew since May 2007. Allowing even one goal today will be too many. The Crew, Warzycha said, will get back to basics: Play for the shutout.

"We have to stop giving up the goals," Warzycha said. "That's the bottom line. Then maybe we can worry about scoring."

Keeper William Hesmer committed two gaffes against Salt Lake that led to goals. It was one of his worst performances since winning the starting job in 2007, and he took the blame for the Salt Lake loss.

He is eager to get back onto the field and pleased with Warzycha's defense-first approach.

"I agree wholeheartedly with that philosophy," Hesmer said. "We said from the beginning of last year that defense wins championships and it did. I think maybe what happened (on Thursday), in the long run, it might be good for our team."

The Crew got off to a much better start last season, winning six of its first seven games. That was followed by a club-record four-game scoreless streak in which it went 0-3-1, its only serious stretch of adversity on its way to winning the championship.

The midseason stumble was sobering, but the Crew regained its stride with a shutout on the road against what would be a playoff team. Chad Marshall broke the dry spell June 14 with the first goal of a 3-0 victory at Kansas City. The Crew lost only three of its next 23 games.

"I think the guys feel more grounded now," Hesmer said of this season's slow start. "If there was some arrogance, it's not there now."

Warzycha said there will be lineup changes today, partly out of necessity. A slow-healing hamstring strain forced midfielder Robbie Rogers from Thursday's game, and Warzycha said defender Frankie Hejduk suffered a tweaked hamstring playing for the United States on Wednesday in a World Cup qualifier.

Forward Jason Garey started the past two games and scored against Salt Lake but suffered a sprained right ankle in the final minutes. He will likely be replaced by regular starter Alejandro Moreno, who returned from duty with the Venezuelan national team and came off the bench.

smitchell@dispatch.com