2012 Los Angeles Galaxy season

LA 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
← 2011 2013 →

The 2012 Los Angeles Galaxy season was the club's 18th year of existence as well as their 17th season in Major League Soccer (MLS) 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

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

Pre-season

Desert Diamond Cup

Standings

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

Matches

CONCACAF Champions League (2011–12)

Major League Soccer

Standings

Western Conference Table

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

• Winner of the 2012 MLS Cup (Pot A)
• Runner-up of the 2012 MLS Cup (Pot B)
• Winner of the 2012 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup (Pot B)

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

Matches

  Win   Tie   Loss

MLS Cup Playoffs

Knockout round

Conference semifinals

Conference finals

Championship

U.S. Open Cup

International Friendlies

World Football Challenge

CONCACAF Champions League (2012–13)

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	3 !MF	Sarvas, Marcelo ! Marcelo Sarvas	LD Alajuelense	Free	000000002011-12-13-0000December 13, 2011	[9]
33	3 !MF	Villarreal, Jose ! Jose Villarreal	LA Galaxy Youth Academy	Free	000000002011-12-22-0000December 22, 2011	[10]
34	3 !MF	Nakazawa, Kyle ! Kyle Nakazawa	Philadelphia Union	Traded for	000000002012-02-01-0000February 1, 2012	[11]
14	4 !FW	Buddle, Edson ! Edson Buddle	Ingolstadt 04	Free	000000002012-02-01-0000February 1, 2012	[12]
22	2 !DF	Leonardo ! Leonardo	São Paulo	Free	000000002012-02-07-0000February 7, 2012	[13]
1	1 !GK	Gaudette, Bill ! Bill Gaudette	Montreal Impact	Free	000000002012-02-29-0000February 29, 2012	[14]
3	2 !DF	Lopes ! David Junior Lopes	Chivas USA	Traded for	000000002012-04-10-0000April 10, 2012	[15]
1	1 !GK	Rowe, Brian ! Brian Rowe	Unattached	Free	000000002012-07-13-0000July 13, 2012	[16]
9	3 !MF	Wilhelmsson, Christian ! Christian Wilhelmsson	Al-Hilal FC	Free	000000002012-09-05-0000September 5, 2012	[17]

MLS Drafts

Pos.	Player	Transferred From	Fee/Notes	Date	Ref.
2 !DF	Boyens, Andrew ! Andrew Boyens	Chivas USA	Stage Two MLS Re-Entry Draft, Round 1	000000002011-12-12-0000December 12, 2011	[18]
2 !DF	Leitch, Chris ! Chris Leitch	San Jose Earthquakes	Stage Two MLS Re-Entry Draft, Round 2	000000002011-12-12-0000December 12, 2011	[19]
4 !FW	Noonan, Pat ! Pat Noonan	Seattle Sounders	Stage Two MLS Re-Entry Draft, Round 3	000000002011-12-12-0000December 12, 2011	[20]
1 !GK	Conway, Jon ! Jon Conway	Chicago Fire	Stage Two MLS Re-Entry Draft, Round 4	000000002011-12-12-0000December 12, 2011	[19]
2 !DF	Meyer, Tommy ! Tommy Meyer	Indiana University	SuperDraft, 1st round	000000002012-01-12-0000January 12, 2012	[21]
3 !MF	Walker, Kenney ! Kenney Walker	University of Louisville	SuperDraft, 2nd round	000000002012-01-12-0000January 12, 2012	[22]
2 !DF	Gaul, Bryan ! Bryan Gaul	Bradley University	Supplemental Draft, 1st round	000000002012-01-17-0000January 17, 2012	[23]
3 !MF	Garcia, Rafael ! Rafael Garcia	Cal State Northridge	Supplemental Draft, 2nd round	000000002012-01-17-0000January 17, 2012	[23]
4 !FW	Gorentzvaig, Yuri ! Yuri Gorentzvaig	Flamengo	Supplemental Draft, 3rd round	000000002012-01-17-0000January 17, 2012	[23]
4 !FW	Posa, Steven ! Steven Posa	University of San Diego	Supplemental Draft, 4th round	000000002012-01-17-0000January 17, 2012	[23]
2 !DF	Davies, Justin ! Justin Davies	San Diego State University	Supplemental Draft, 4th round	000000002012-01-17-0000January 17, 2012	[24]

Out

No.	Pos.	Player	Transferred To	Fee/Notes	Date	Ref.
3	2 !DF	Berhalter, Gregg ! Gregg Berhalter	None	Retired	000000002011-10-12-0000October 12, 2011	[25]
1	1 !GK	Ricketts, Donovan ! Donovan Ricketts	Montreal Impact	Traded	000000002011-11-28-0000November 28, 2011	[26]
25	3 !MF	López ! Miguel López	Quilmes	Loan expired	000000002011-12-31-0000December 31, 2011	[27]
6	2 !DF	Hejduk, Frankie ! Frankie Hejduk	None	Out of contract	000000002012-01-19-0000January 19, 2012	[28]
7	4 !FW	Kirovski, Jovan ! Jovan Kirovski	None	Retired	000000002012-01-19-0000January 19, 2012	[28]
29	2 !DF	Robinson, Dasan ! Dasan Robinson	None	Retired	000000002012-01-23-0000January 23, 2012	[29]
33	2 !DF	Alvarado, Sean ! Sean Alvarado	None	Released	000000002012-01-23-0000January 23, 2012	[29]
8	3 !MF	Birchall,Chris ! Chris Birchall	Columbus Crew	Out of contract	000000002012-02-06-0000February 6, 2012	[30]
21	3 !MF	McCarty,Dustin ! Dustin McCarty	None	Released	000000002012-02-13-0000February 13, 2012	[31]
28	2 !DF	Thomas, Ryan ! Ryan Thomas	None	Released	000000002012-02-13-0000February 13, 2012	[31]
55	2 !DF	Kelly, Joshua ! Joshua Kelly	None	Out of contract	000000002012-02-13-0000February 13, 2012	[31]
3 !MF	López ! Paolo Cardozo	Chivas USA	Traded	000000002012-04-10-0000April 10, 2012	[32]
17	4 !FW	Cristman, Adam ! Adam Cristman	None	Retired	000000002012-07-03-0000July 3, 2012	[33]
1	1 !GK	Gaudette, Bill ! Bill Gaudette	New York Red Bulls	Traded	000000002012-07-13-0000July 13, 2012	[34]

Loan In

No.	Pos.	Player	Previous Club	Start	End	Ref.
19	3 !MF	Juninho ! Juninho	São Paulo	December 23, 2009	December 31, 2012	[13]

Loan Out

No.	Pos.	Player	Loaned to	Start	End	Ref.
10	3 !MF	Donovan, Landon ! Landon Donovan	Everton	January 1, 2012	February 19, 2012	[35]
4	2 !DF	Gonzalez, Omar ! Omar Gonzalez	Nuremberg	January 5, 2012	February 15, 2012	[36]
14	4 !FW	Keane, Robbie ! Robbie Keane	Aston Villa	January 9, 2012	February 26, 2012	[37]
9	4 !FW	Barrett, Chad ! Chad Barrett	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:

• 2013 MLS SuperDraft Round 2 pick from Philadelphia Union
• 2014 MLS Supplemental Draft Round 2 pick from New York Red Bulls

Future picks traded:

• 2014 MLS SuperDraft Round 4 pick to Houston Dynamo

References