2012 Los Angeles Galaxy season

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Los Angeles Galaxy
2012 season
Owner Philip Anschutz (AEG)
Coach Bruce Arena
Major League Soccer Conference: 4th
Overall: 8th
MLS Cup Champions
CONCACAF Champions
League (11–12)
Quarterfinals
CONCACAF Champions
League (12–13)
Quarterfinals
U.S. Open Cup Third round
Desert Diamond Cup Champions
Honda SuperClasico Won
California Clasico Lost
Top goalscorer Robbie Keane (16)
Highest home attendance 27,000 (six matches)
Lowest home attendance 16,512 v San Jose Earthquakes (May 23, 2012)
Average home league attendance 22,984
Home colors
Away colors
Third colors

The 2012 Los Angeles Galaxy season was the club's 18th year of existence as well as their 17th season in Major League Soccer and their 17th consecutive year in the top-flight of American soccer. The Galaxy entered the season as both the defending MLS Cup and Supporters' Shield winners.

The 2012 campaign was highlighted by the Galaxy successfully defending their MLS Cup title, defeating Houston Dynamo, 3–1, in the MLS Cup final to win their fourth ever MLS Cup championship, tying D.C. United for the most league championships in MLS history, and the second most in North American history.

Although Los Angeles defended their MLS Cup trophy, the club failed to defend the Supporters' Shield, losing on point differential to their upstate rivals, the San Jose Earthquakes on point total. Most of this is to blame due to poorer performance early on in the season, before a second-half season resurgence.

Elsewhere, the Galaxy also competed in 2012 Desert Diamond Cup, winning the preseason tournament, the 2011–12 and 2012–13 CONCACAF Champions League, as well as the 2012 U.S. Open Cup. In the 2011–12 edition of the Champions League, the Galaxy reached the quarterfinals before losing 4–3 on aggregate to Canadian side, Toronto FC. In the 2012–13 edition, the Galaxy won their group for the second straight year, and reached the knockout round, which will be played during the 2013 campaign. Finally, the Galaxy were eliminated in the third round proper of the Open Cup losing to second-tier North American Soccer League outfit, Carolina RailHawks.

In noncompetitive tournaments, the Galaxy hosted Spanish club, Real Madrid, in the 2012 World Football Challenge, losing the exhibition match, 1–5.

Background

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The Galaxy entered the 2012 season off of one of the franchise's most successful campaigns ever. The club earned the league double, winning both the Supporters' Shield and the MLS Cup. Additionally, the Galaxy reached the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open Cup,[1] and were the only American team to win their group in the CONCACAF Champions League,[2] posting a record of four wins, two losses and no draws.[3]

Following the 2011 MLS Cup Playoffs, the Galaxy embarked on a two-week, postseason tour across Asia, stopping in Australia, the Philippines and Indonesia. During the tour, the Galaxy finished undefeated, winning twice and tying once.

Offseason reports involved David Beckham's contract concluding at the end of 2011, and whether or not he would remain with the Galaxy.[4] On January 18, 2012, Galaxy announced Beckham had signed a new two-year contract to remain in Los Angeles.[5][6][7]

Competitions

Preseason

Desert Diamond Cup

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Standings

Pos
Team
Pts
GP
W
L
T
GF
GA
GD
1 New England Revolution 9 3 3 0 0 7 3 +4
2 LA Galaxy 3 3 1 2 0 5 5 0
3 New York Red Bulls 3 3 1 2 0 2 4 −2
4 Real Salt Lake 3 3 1 2 0 2 4 −2


Matches

CONCACAF Champions League (2011–12)

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Major League Soccer

Standings

Western Conference Table
Pos
Team
Pts
GP
W
L
T
GF
GA
GD
Qualification or relegation
1 San Jose Earthquakes (SS) (W1) 66 34 19 6 9 72 43 +29 2012 MLS Cup Conference Semifinals
2 Real Salt Lake 57 34 17 11 6 46 35 +11
3 Seattle Sounders FC 56 34 15 8 11 51 33 +18
4 LA Galaxy 54 34 16 12 6 59 47 +12 2012 MLS Cup Knockout Round
5 Vancouver Whitecaps FC 43 34 11 13 10 35 41 −6
6 FC Dallas 39 34 9 13 12 42 47 −5
7 Colorado Rapids 37 34 11 19 4 44 50 −6
8 Portland Timbers 34 34 8 16 10 34 56 −22
9 Chivas USA 30 34 7 18 9 24 58 −34

Updated to matches played on October 28, 2012. Source: MLSSoccer.com
Notation Key:

(SS) = Supporters Shield winner
(W1) = Western Conference champion
Overall Table
Pos
Team
Pts
GP
W
L
T
GF
GA
GD
Qualification or relegation
1 San Jose Earthquakes (SS) 66 34 19 6 9 72 43 +29 2013–14 CONCACAF Champions League 1
2 Sporting Kansas City 63 34 18 7 9 42 27 +15
3 D.C. United 58 34 17 10 7 53 43 +10
4 New York Red Bulls 57 34 16 9 9 57 46 +11
5 Real Salt Lake 57 34 17 11 6 46 35 +11
6 Chicago Fire 57 34 17 11 6 46 41 +5
7 Seattle Sounders FC 56 34 15 8 11 51 33 +18
8 LA Galaxy 54 34 16 12 6 59 47 +12 2013–14 CONCACAF Champions League 1
9 Houston Dynamo 53 34 14 9 11 48 41 +7
10 Columbus Crew 52 34 15 12 7 44 44 0
11 Vancouver Whitecaps FC 43 34 11 13 10 35 41 −6
12 Montreal Impact 42 34 12 16 6 45 51 −6
13 FC Dallas 39 34 9 13 12 42 47 −5
14 Colorado Rapids 37 34 11 19 4 44 50 −6
15 Philadelphia Union 36 34 10 18 6 37 45 −8
16 New England Revolution 35 34 9 17 8 39 44 −5
17 Portland Timbers 34 34 8 16 10 34 56 −22
18 Chivas USA 30 34 7 18 9 24 58 −34
19 Toronto FC 23 34 5 21 8 36 62 −26 2012–13 CONCACAF Champions League 2

Updated to matches played on October 28, 2012. Source: MLSSoccer.com
Notation Key:

(SS) = Supporters Shield winner

1The highest ranked U.S.-based MLS club qualifies to the 2013–14 CONCACAF Champions League (placed in Pot A). The other U.S. representatives in the 2013–14 CONCACAF Champions League are:

2Toronto FC qualified for the 2012–13 CONCACAF Champions League as winners of the 2012 Canadian Championship.

Results summary

Results by round

Matches

      Win       Tie       Loss

MLS Cup Playoffs

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Knockout round

Conference semifinals

Conference finals

Championship

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U.S. Open Cup

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International Friendlies

World Football Challenge

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CONCACAF Champions League (2012–13)

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The Galaxy earned a berth into Group Stage of the CONCACAF Champions League by winning the Supporters Shield on October 8, 2011. Since the Galaxy also won the MLS Cup, which also merits a direct bye into group play, the Galaxy forfeited their Shield berth to the Sounders and took the MLS Cup berth.

Player movement and trades

Transfers

In

No. Pos. Player Transferred from Fee/Notes Date Ref.
8 MF Brazil Marcelo Sarvas Costa Rica LD Alajuelense Free December 13, 2011 [9]
33 MF United States Jose Villarreal United States LA Galaxy Youth Academy Free December 22, 2011 [10]
34 MF United States Kyle Nakazawa United States Philadelphia Union Traded for February 1, 2012 [11]
14 FW United States Edson Buddle Germany Ingolstadt 04 Free February 1, 2012 [12]
22 DF Brazil Leonardo Brazil São Paulo Free February 7, 2012 [13]
1 GK Puerto Rico Bill Gaudette Canada Montreal Impact Free February 29, 2012 [14]
3 DF Brazil David Junior Lopes United States Chivas USA Traded for April 10, 2012 [15]
1 GK United States Brian Rowe Unattached Free July 13, 2012 [16]
9 MF Sweden Christian Wilhelmsson Saudi Arabia Al-Hilal FC Free September 5, 2012 [17]

MLS Drafts

Pos. Player Transferred From Fee/Notes Date Ref.
DF New Zealand Andrew Boyens United States Chivas USA Stage Two MLS Re-Entry Draft, Round 1 December 12, 2011 [18]
DF United States Chris Leitch United States San Jose Earthquakes Stage Two MLS Re-Entry Draft, Round 2 December 12, 2011 [19]
FW United States Pat Noonan United States Seattle Sounders Stage Two MLS Re-Entry Draft, Round 3 December 12, 2011 [20]
GK United States Jon Conway United States Chicago Fire Stage Two MLS Re-Entry Draft, Round 4 December 12, 2011 [19]
DF United States Tommy Meyer United States Indiana University SuperDraft, 1st round January 12, 2012 [21]
MF United States Kenney Walker United States University of Louisville SuperDraft, 2nd round January 12, 2012 [22]
DF United States Bryan Gaul United States Bradley University Supplemental Draft, 1st round January 17, 2012 [23]
MF United States Rafael Garcia United States Cal State Northridge Supplemental Draft, 2nd round January 17, 2012 [23]
FW Brazil Yuri Gorentzvaig Brazil Flamengo Supplemental Draft, 3rd round January 17, 2012 [23]
FW United States Steven Posa United States University of San Diego Supplemental Draft, 4th round January 17, 2012 [23]
DF United States Justin Davies United States San Diego State University Supplemental Draft, 4th round January 17, 2012 [24]

Out

No. Pos. Player Transferred To Fee/Notes Date Ref.
3 DF United States Gregg Berhalter None Retired October 12, 2011 [25]
1 GK Jamaica Donovan Ricketts Canada Montreal Impact Traded November 28, 2011 [26]
25 MF Argentina Miguel López Argentina Quilmes Loan expired December 31, 2011 [27]
6 DF United States Frankie Hejduk None Out of contract January 19, 2012 [28]
7 FW United States Jovan Kirovski None Retired January 19, 2012 [28]
29 DF United States Dasan Robinson None Retired January 23, 2012 [29]
33 DF United States Sean Alvarado None Released January 23, 2012 [29]
8 MF Trinidad and Tobago Chris Birchall United StatesColumbus Crew Out of contract February 6, 2012 [30]
21 MF United States Dustin McCarty None Released February 13, 2012 [31]
28 DF United States Ryan Thomas None Released February 13, 2012 [31]
55 DF United States Joshua Kelly None Out of contract February 13, 2012 [31]
MF Uruguay Paolo Cardozo United States Chivas USA Traded April 10, 2012 [32]
17 FW United States Adam Cristman None Retired July 3, 2012 [33]
1 GK Puerto Rico Bill Gaudette United States New York Red Bulls Traded July 13, 2012 [34]

Loan In

No. Pos. Player Previous Club Start End Ref.
19 MF Brazil Juninho Brazil São Paulo December 23, 2009 December 31, 2012 [13]

Loan Out

No. Pos. Player Loaned to Start End Ref.
10 MF United States Landon Donovan England Everton January 1, 2012 February 19, 2012 [35]
4 DF United States Omar Gonzalez Germany Nuremberg January 5, 2012 February 15, 2012 [36]
14 FW Republic of Ireland Robbie Keane England Aston Villa January 9, 2012 February 26, 2012 [37]
9 FW United States Chad Barrett Norway Vålerenga July 31, 2012 December 31, 2012 [38]

Kits

Home
Away
Third
Special
Type Shirt Shorts Socks First appearance / Info
Home White White White
Away Blue-grey Blue-grey Blue-grey
Third Black Black Black
Special White Blue-grey White 2011–12 CCL, ¼-Finals, March 7 against Toronto → Training Shirt

Miscellany

Allocation ranking

Los Angeles is in the #19 position in the MLS Allocation Ranking. The allocation ranking is the mechanism used to determine which MLS club has first priority to acquire a U.S. National Team player who signs with MLS after playing abroad, or a former MLS player who returns to the league after having gone to a club abroad for a transfer fee. A ranking can be traded, provided that part of the compensation received in return is another club’s ranking.[39]

International roster slots

Los Angeles has 7 MLS International Roster Slots for use in the 2012 season. Each club in Major League Soccer is allocated 8 international roster spots. Los Angeles traded one slot to Portland Timbers, traded another to Philadelphia Union, and acquired one from D.C. United. Each of these trades expire on January 1, 2013.

Future draft pick trades

Future picks acquired:

Future picks traded:

Awards and honors

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References

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  24. http://www.mlssoccer.com/superdraft/2012/supplemental/roundbyround
  25. http://www.lagalaxy.com/news/2011/10/la-galaxy-defender-gregg-berhalter-retire
  26. http://sports.espn.go.com/los-angeles/soccer/news/story?id=7291756
  27. http://www.soccerfame.com/transfer/6415/miguel-lopez
  28. 28.0 28.1 http://espn.go.com/blog/los-angeles/soccer/post/_/id/14041/galaxy-beckham-helps-in-talent-search/
  29. 29.0 29.1 http://www.insidesocal.com/soccer/2012/01/day-1-galaxy-training-camp-upd.html/
  30. http://www.mlssoccer.com/blog/rumor-central/2012/02/06/rumor-central-birchalls-time-la-coming-close
  31. 31.0 31.1 31.2 http://www.lagalaxy.com/news/2012/02/la-galaxy-weekly-update-february-13-2012/
  32. http://www.lagalaxy.com/news/2012/04/la-galaxy-acquire-david-junior-lopes-chivas-usa
  33. http://www.lagalaxy.com/news/2012/07/la-galaxy-forward-adam-cristman-retire
  34. http://www.lagalaxy.com/news/2012/07/la-galaxy-trade-goalkeeper-bill-gaudette
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  38. http://www.lagalaxy.com/news/2012/07/la-galaxy-loan-chad-barrett-v%C3%A5lerenga
  39. 2011 MLS Roster Rules | Major League Soccer