2010 Los Angeles Galaxy season explained

Club:Los Angeles Galaxy
Season:2010
League:Major League Soccer
League Result:1st
Chrtitle:Owner
Chairman:Philip Anschutz (AEG)
Mgrtitle:Coach
Manager:Bruce Arena
Cup1:MLS Cup
Cup1 Result:Conference finals
Cup2:CONCACAF Champions League
Cup2 Result:Preliminary round
Cup3:U.S. Open Cup
Cup3 Result:Quarterfinals
Cup4:Honda SuperClasico
Cup4 Result:Winners
Highest Attendance:89,134 vs Real Madrid
(August 7, 2010)
Lowest Attendance:2,179 vs St. Louis
(June 29, 2010)
Average Attendance:21,437
League Topscorer:Edson Buddle (17)
Season Topscorer:Edson Buddle (18)
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Prevseason:2009
Nextseason:2011
American:y

The 2010 Los Angeles Galaxy season was the club's fifteenth season of existence. It was also the Galaxy's fifteenth season in Major League Soccer and their fifteenth-consecutive year at the top-flight of American soccer.

The club's season was highlighted by winning their third-ever Supporters' Shield. Statistically, the 2010 MLS season was the Galaxy's strongest season on record, and the club had their strongest start ever, opening their first eleven games unbeaten before losing to the eventual second-place finishers, Real Salt Lake at Rio Tinto. Some of the club's notable achievements included Edson Buddle being a runner-up for the MLS Golden Boot award, with 17 goals tallied during the regular season. Galaxy captain and United States national team star Landon Donovan led the club in assists with 12. The club finished the MLS regular season with a 17–7–8 record, their best in nearly a decade.

The club also competed in the preliminary rounds of the CONCACAF Champions League, and the early rounds of the U.S. Open Cup.

In Champions League play, the Galaxy, considered at one point to be favorites to win the entire tournament suffered a shocking blow, when the club suffered a 4–1 home defeat to confederation minnows, Puerto Rico Islanders, who were 11th place at the time in USSF D2 Pro League, the then-second tier of U.S. soccer. Although the Galaxy would defeat the Islanders 2–1 in Puerto Rico, it was not enough on aggregate to see the club advance into Group play. In the tournament, the Galaxy were the only club to defeat the Islanders in Puerto Rico. However, the Galaxy returned to Champions League play the next year by winning the Supporters' Shield title.

The Galaxy made it to the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open Cup with a convincing 2–0 win over second-tier AC St. Louis, before losing to Seattle Sounders FC by the same score line.

Review

March

Los Angeles began their fifteenth Major League Soccer regular season at home with a 1–0 win against the New England Revolution on March 27, 2010. Edson Buddle scored the only goal for the Galaxy in the sixth minute.[1]

April

David Beckham, with a torn left Achilles tendon injury, was ruled out for the season on April 26. He suffered the injury in a Serie A match for AC Milan against ChievoVerona on March 13,[2] and as a result, will also miss the entire MLS season.[3]

After scoring a league-leading 7 goals, Edson Buddle was named MLS Player of the Month for April[4]

September

After a quick and incredible recovery, David Beckham returns to the LA Galaxy. He is brought in as a late sub for Juniho during the 70th minute of the September 11 L.A Galaxy vs Columbus Crew match, amidst the roaring cheers and applauds of Galaxy fans. The Galaxy go on to win the match 3–1.

October

Club

First team roster

As of August 10, 2010.[5]

Technical staff

PositionStaff
Head coach/general manager Bruce Arena
Associate head coach Dave Sarachan
Assistant coach/Director of player development Trevor James
Assistant coach Cobi Jones
Goalkeeping coach Ian Feuer
Director of Soccer Operations David Kammarman
Athletic Trainer Armando Rivas
Assistant Athletic Trainer Cecelia Gutierrez
Equipment Manager Raul Vargas
Equipment Coordinator Rafael Verdin
Team Administrator Shant Kasparian
Strength & Conditioning Coach Ben Yauss
Active Release Specialist Shunta Shimizu

Notes and References

  1. MLS clubs' 2010 Home Openers unveiled . November 23, 2009 . September 24, 2009 . Major League Soccer . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100130185142/http://web.mlsnet.com/news/mls_news.jsp?ymd=20090924&content_id=7131514 . January 30, 2010 .
  2. News: England's David Beckham is injured playing for AC Milan . BBC Sport . British Broadcasting Corporation . March 14, 2010 . March 14, 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100315054000/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/8567353.stm. March 15, 2010 . live.
  3. News: David Beckham says he won't be able to play soccer until November . The Fabulous Forum . LA Times . April 26, 2010 . May 1, 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100501192346/http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/sports_blog/2010/04/david-beckham-says-he-wont-be-able-to-play-soccer-until-november.html. May 1, 2010 . live.
  4. News: Galaxy's Buddle is MLS Player of the Month . ESPN Los Angeles . ESPN . April 29, 2010 . May 1, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20100509054851/http://espn.go.com/losangeles/columns/soccer/blog/_/post/5149110. May 9, 2010 . live.
  5. Web site: Players Major League Soccer. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20100328212659/http://www.mlssoccer.com/players/los-angeles-galaxy. 2010-03-28.