Major League Soccer 2012: 10 Bold Predictions

On the eve of the 2012 MLS season, here's what we know: not much. This is a league with a reputation for throwing up the unexpected, after all, so accurately projecting how a 34-game season (plus playoffs) will unfold is like trying to keep Bobby Convey happy. It's just not going to happen. But you can't head into a new year without making a few predictions, and there are expectations surrounding the league that might need a second look. Conventional wisdom has spoken, but conventional wisdom gets it wrong quite often. That's especially true when things like the schedule format and officiating outlook are so drastically different from 2011.The defending champions, L.A. Galaxy, are heavy favorites to repeat; maybe they're ripe to under-deliver. The West is still the dominant conference, but maybe there's an East team ready to step forward and steal the spotlight. Perhaps a team expected to contend will flop, or a club everyone overlooks will surprise. The list is endless. It wouldn't be exciting if it all went to plan.In that spirit, meaning the spirit of predicting things because predicting things is fun, here are ten bold predictions for the 2012 MLS season.Begin Slideshow

Cobi Jones, Jaime Moreno Highlight MLS’ Top 30 Players of All-Time

Say what you may about Major League Soccer. But one thing that’s true is there have been many remarkable players that have spent time in a league that has tried to claim its space in world soccer.  From 16 years of MLS come the best 30 players in league history. Some players in this list are a given, while other payers might be a stretch.Keep in mind that those in this list are players that have devoted their careers to this league, not just use it as a stepping stone to something larger (which I must say isn’t a bad thing necessarily). The players aren't really ranked in any particular order.  Hopefully, I achieved my goal in compiling a list worthy of discussion. Begin Slideshow

MLS: 10 Players Who Can Win This Season’s Golden Boot

Last season, Dwayne De Rosario (DC) and Chris Wondolowski (SJ) scored 16 goals apiece to share Major League Soccer's Golden Boot.As the 2012 season prepares to kick off, we take a look at who has a chance to put up big numbers this year.  Can last year's leaders do it again?  Can a youngster step into the spotlight?  Will a new entrant to MLS make a statement?Here are, in no particular order, the 10 players most likely to lift the award at season's end.Begin Slideshow

Los Angeles Galaxy vs. Toronto FC: Analysis, Reaction and More

A long, arduous, demanding season for Bruce Arena’s Los Angeles Galaxy begins in Toronto, Ontario, Canada against Toronto FC in the first leg of the 2011-12 CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinals. The Galaxy, managed by Bruce Arena, finished Group A with a 4-2-0 record (12 points) good for first place due to the head-to-head with Morelia and Alajuelense. As for Toronto FC, managed by Aron Winter, they finished Group C with a 3-1-2 record (10 points), good enough for second place. The winner of this home-and-home will take on either the Seattle Sounders FC of Major League Soccer or Santos Laguna of the Mexican Primera Division. It is expected to be a sellout crowd, with over 45,000 tickets sold for the first leg. Kickoff is scheduled for March 7 at 5 p.m. PT/8 p.m. ET and will be televised by Fox Soccer Channel. Keep it right here on Bleacher Report for continuing coverage of the 2011-12 CONCACAF Champions League and all things world football.Read more MLS news on BleacherReport.com

MLS Season Preview: Predicting the Breakout Performances of 2012

After a long, busy offseason MLS First Kick week is finally back and ready to get the season started.This winter featured a number of big moves and transfers that will give the league a completely new look in the next eight months. With so many great new additions, 2012 looks to be the most competitive and entertaining season in league history.Want to know who is destined for a breakout season in MLS? Click through this slideshow for some preseason predictions.Enjoy!Begin Slideshow

Los Angeles Galaxy vs. Toronto FC: 10 Bold Predictions

And so it begins. The quest for glory begins for Bruce Arena's Los Angeles Galaxy as they prepare for a season that is sure to provide excitement at home, on the road, and all points in between.And the road begins, not with the first match of the MLS season...but with regional action.The Galaxy take on the champions of Canada, Aron Winter's Toronto FC, at the Rogers Centre in front of a sellout crowd sure to wave their Red and White with pride.Here are 10 bold predictions for Wednesday's first leg of the 2011-12 CONCACAF Champions League Quarterfinal Round.Begin Slideshow

Desert Diamond Cup: LA Galaxy Build Steam with 4-2 Penalty Win over New England

One down...up to four, maybe five, to go?Well, it is safe to say, readers on the View from Victoria Street and Bleacher Report that the Los Angeles Galaxy will not end 2012 without at least one trophy to their name. Sure, it's only a preseason cup, but winning preseason hardware equals massive momentum, according to the mindset of this columnist.And for Bruce Arena's Galaxy, they got it in the form of a 4-2 penalty shootout victory over the New England Revolution in the Desert Diamond Cup Final in Tucson, AZ.The shootout came on the heels of what was an abysmal day of finishing. The player that is going to have to endure his share of misfortunes the worst: Jack McBean.This young man had an embarrassment of chances on goal, and he was unable to finish. Now, it may only be his second year, but McBean has to get one on net if he expects to earn more minutes when the real business begins in a few days.Also, Michael Stephens did not look sharp. The passing is not even USL Pro-worthy, and he is on the Galaxy's first team. I like to see Stephens work on his passing skills in the ...

Highly Offensive: How Designated Players Have Influenced the MLS

MLS instituted the Designated Player rule in 2007 to help gin up the offense and, as a result, interest in the league. Since it went into effect, all but one (Red Bull goalie Frank Rost) of the 41 designated players were either midfielders or forwards. Whether DPs have influenced fan interest is hard to determine, but there's no doubt the likes of Beckham, Marquez and Henry have boosted scoring in the league. It hasn't happened overnight. From 2008 to 2010, the numbers were pretty flat. DPs had a hand in about 15 percent of the league goals.Last year, however, not only did the total number of league goals increase 34 percent over 2010, DPs either scored or assisted on 26 percent of them, a suggestion that MLS is also getting better quality players from abroad. Here's the chart:  Season No. of DPs DP Goals DP Assists MLS Goals DP% of Goals DP% of Goals+Assists 2007 6 24 17 518 5 8 2008 8 47 39 591 8 15 2009 9 50 31 571 9 14 2010 16 46 42 591 8 15 2011 25 141 62 791 18 26      With Portland signing the Scottish Premier League's all-time scoring leader, Kris Boyd, ...

This Is the Los Angeles Galaxy: Bill Gaudette, Goalkeeper

This is Part 14 in a series of players who will play for the Los Angeles Galaxy in 2012.One stint in Major League Soccer may not be enough. Sometimes a second stint will come after spending time in the lower leagues of football and reaching success at those levels. Then the big boys will come calling for you to give you another opportunity to shine.Such is the case with goalkeeper Bill Gaudette, who earns a second opportunity to play in MLS, this time as a member of the Los Angeles Galaxy. Gaudette has enjoyed a career that has seen success in Puerto Rico and this season, he looks to improve on his skills as a netminder for MLS's glamor club.Bill Gaudette was born on Sept. 14, 1981 in Hummelstown, Penn., a small town of 4,360 people outside of the state capital, Harrisburg.At St. John's University, he led the Red Storm to a 43-13-12 record from 2001 through 2004 while playing for USL Premier Development League side Brooklyn Knights.Gaudette was selected as the ninth overall draft pick by the Columbus Crew in the 2005 MLS Supplemental draft and was with the club through 2007. However, the lack of playing time forced ...

Desert Diamond Cup: LA Galaxy Fall to New York 2-1 but Advance to Final

The Los Angeles Galaxy will be playing in the 2012 Desert Diamond Cup final against the New England Revolution, but it is apparent that the MLS Eastern Conference is not the lesser of the two conferences many American soccer fans will conclude it to be.Goals from Kenny Cooper and Thierry Henry paced the Red Bulls to a redeeming 2-1 victory over the Galaxy in Tucson, but a consolation goal from Marcelo Sarvas was enough for LA to get another shot at defeating the New England Revolution in what has been an Eastern-dominated preseason tourney.My opinion of this match is this: They are saving energy for the final. It is very clear that for the people who watched this on MLSSoccer.com, the Galaxy players were only doing enough to advance to the final.I didn't see any sense of urgency from the team, but I did see some questionable play from Hector Jimenez. This player, who may only see time with the reserves, has not shined at all this tournament, and it has shown.It's simple: Let Thierry Henry get his chance to score because his team will not be playing for silverware because we have Sarvas, and they don't. And Thierry is ...