Photo by David Bernal/ISIphotos.com
The 2012 MLS season likely holds a number of twists, turns and surprises, but as we try and project what will happen about nine months from now, we've come to a consensus on one thing: The MLS Cup winner will be emerging from the Western Conference again.
Out of eight SBI writers, five have picked the Los Angeles Galaxy to repeat as champions, while others have pegged Real Salt Lake, the Seattle Sounders and FC Dallas as the eventual cup holders, which would keep the Anschutz Trophy in the West for the fourth straight year. All but one have the Galaxy maintaining the Supporters' Shield for the third straight season.
As for other preseason prognostications, opinions are a bit more divided. The races for league MVP and Golden Boot yield a number of viable candidates on the eve of the season opener, while the influx of international talent should make for a heated competition for Newcomer of the Year.
Let us know your picks for the upcoming season in the comments section below, but here are SBI's staff predictions for the 2012 MLS season:
SBI'S 2012 MLS SEASON PREDICTIONS
MLS CUP
Ives Galarcep – Los Angeles Galaxy
Avi Creditor – Galaxy
Adam Serrano – Galaxy
Franco Panizo – FC Dallas
Thomas Floyd – Galaxy
Joey Samuel – Seattle Sounders
Caleb Sonneland – Real Salt Lake
David Gubala – Galaxy
SUPPORTER'S SHIELD
Galarcep – Galaxy
Creditor – Galaxy
Serrano – Galaxy
Panizo – Galaxy
Floyd – RSL
Samuel – Galaxy
Sonneland – Galaxy
Gubala – Galaxy
LEAGUE MVP
Galarcep – Fredy Montero, Seattle Sounders
Creditor – Mauro Rosales, Seattle Sounders
Serrano – Landon Donovan, Los Angeles Galaxy
Panizo – Brek Shea, FC Dallas
Floyd – Donovan
Samuel – Montero
Sonneland – Graham Zusi, Sporting Kansas City
Gubala – Shea
GOLDEN BOOT
Galarcep – Montero
Creditor – Danny Koevermans, Toronto FC
Serrano – Chris Wondolowski, San Jose Earthquakes
Panizo – Edson Buddle, Los Angeles Galaxy
Floyd – Buddle
Samuel – Koevermans
Sonneland – Montero
Gubala – Dominic Oduro, Chicago Fire
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Galarcep – Luis Silva, Toronto FC
Creditor – Silva
Serrano – Silva
Panizo – Silva
Floyd – Andrew Wenger, Montreal Impact
Samuel – Kelyn Rowe, New England Revolution
Sonneland – Rowe
Gubala – Rowe
DEFENDER OF THE YEAR
Galarcep – Geoff Cameron, Houston Dynamo
Creditor – Cameron
Serrano – Cameron
Panizo – Cameron
Floyd – Cameron
Samuel – Carlos Valdes, Philadelphia Union
Sonneland – Cameron
Gubala – Cameron
GOALKEEPER OF THE YEAR
Galarcep – Nick Rimando, Real Salt Lake
Creditor – Rimando
Serrano – Rimando
Panizo – Rimando
Floyd – Rimando
Samuel – Rimando
Sonneland – Sean Johnson, Chicago Fire
Gubala – Josh Saunders, Los Angeles Galaxy
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR
Galarcep – Hamdi Salihi, D.C. United
Creditor – Kris Boyd, Portland Timbers
Serrano – Blas Perez, FC Dallas
Panizo – Boyd
Floyd – Salihi
Samuel – Boyd
Sonneland – Boyd
Gubala – Boyd
MOST IMPROVED PLAYER
Galarcep – Kofi Sarkodie, Houston Dynamo
Creditor – Dilly Duka, Columbus Crew
Serrano – Michael Lahoud, Chivas USA
Panizo – Duka
Floyd – Ike Opara, San Jose Earthquakes
Samuel – Danny Mwanga, Philadelphia Union
Sonneland – Will Bruin, Houston Dynamo
Gubala – Luis Gil, Real Salt Lake
COMEBACK PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Galarcep – Opara
Creditor – David Ferreira, FC Dallas
Serrano – Steve Zakuani, Seattle Sounders
Panizo – Opara
Floyd – Zakuani
Samuel – Ferreira
Sonneland – Ferreira
Gubala – Zakuani
Christian Sivebaek will be blowing your mind.
You have to win a playoff series first.
The cups are ours in 2012
More like the Sounders win it in LA on the final game of the season. Gals fans burn Beckman in effigy .. Mayan 2012 curse unfolds
Sometimes it goes to someone who sucks for a year or two after being really good, and then returns to greatness, but would not go to someone returning from abroad.
Comeback Polayer of the Year votes do not go to players coming back to MLS after a stint in Europe. The award is meant for someone “coming back” from something dramatic — injury or life crisis.