Edson Buddle Rejoins Galaxy

Last night this post was titled Rumor: Edson Buddle to rejoin the Galaxy, but in less than 12 hours it is no longer a rumor. MLS and LA have come out this morning and announced that he has returned home. Buddle was the Galaxy's leading scorer in 2010, but went to Germany after he was offered triple his salary. He did well in the Bundesliga's second devision, and was the leading scorer on his team FC Ingolstadt, scoring 6 goals. However, his club faced some financial issues and was not inclined to resign Buddle. 


Many assumed that Buddle would be picked up by another European club, but the transfer window closed yesterday, and Buddle was left without a contract. There quickly became two options for Buddle, the Italian side Lazio, and the LA Galaxy. LA still had Buddle's rights for the MLS, so if he did decide to return, LA would be the destination without question. Whether or not Lazio was a realistic option quickly became irrelevant, when LA rolled out this statement on twitter:

Dust off your #14 Buddle jerseys #LAGalaxy fans! pic.twitter.com/lPZRdKIL

With Buddle back, the absence of Juninho for the coming season is almost completely forgotten. Donovan can play a similar role to Juninho, and he has proven, in his short time at Everton, that he is deadly when he has forwards who can finish. Keane and Buddle will be up to this task. Beckham is also back, so his vision and precision won't need replacement, and the only question left is if the defense will be able to maintain their success with Omar Gonzales out with an injury. If the answer to that question is yes, Galaxy are definitely favorites to win MLS Cup, and I think they have a great shot at winning CONCACAF Champions League.

LA Unveil new Kit

The new LA Galaxy Home kit was unveiled today less than an hour ago. The most obvious change to the jersey is the addition of a blue sash to the front of the jersey. It is reminiscent of the old school Galaxy sash, and will most likely meet mixed reviews. I've included my Galaxy home kit from 2011 for comparison to the new kit. In addition to the sash being added, the coloring of the shoulders has been reversed. The previously white stripes are now blue, and the entire shoulder is now white. The yellow stripe across the chest and the singular yellow stripes along each side have also been modified.

It has truly been an exciting week for the Galaxy, having successfully resigned David Beckham and completed the draft process. Galaxy will look sharp as the head into a difficult 2012 season. They are charged with the task of defending both the Suporter's Shield and MLS Cup, while continuing their quest to become CONCACAF Champions.

What do you think of the new kit?


Photo obtained via @LAGalaxy Twitter

2012 Supplemental Draft: Success for Big West Conference

After the Big West conference saw two alumni picked fourth and sixth overall in the 2012 MLS Super Draft, many Big West Soccer fans were excited to see how the draft would play out.  However, Jacob Hustedt  (who played 3 years at Cal Poly before transferring to Washington)  was the only other player drafted with any Big West affiliation. The Super Draft concluded with Creighton and Louisville tied with 4 draftees apiece, double that of the Big West conference. With the Super Draft finished, the hopes of remaining players rested on the Supplemental Draft.


This year's Supplemental Draft consisted of 4 rounds for a total of 76 picks, and followed the format of the Super Draft. Teams aren't limited to combine players during the draft, and have the option to draft eligible college players during this time as well. This is what makes the Supplemental Draft more interesting to some, its unpredictability.

2012 Draft Predictions and Wish-List

After the MLS combine concluded earlier this week, I took a break to re-watch some of the highlights, and digest some of the talk around the league about various players. With just over an hour remaining before the draft, I felt now would be a good time to issue my final thoughts and wish-list for the 2012 Major League Soccer Draft.

Eto'o to LA: Doubt it

What a story to start the new year! The Los Angeles Galaxy are rumored to be in pursuit of Samuel Eto'o. Surely he is a worthy replacement of David Beckham (if Beckham is indeed leaving), but I think this rumor is little more than wishful thinking. Eto'o joined Russian team Anzhi Makhachkala in August of 2011, and was signed for three years. That contract also made Eto'o one of the most expensive players in the world. Although the Galaxy have been known to spend a pretty penny for players, they have not come close to spending the salary of Eto'o. This one will be interesting to follow, but I have a feeling Eto'o won't be coming stateside any time soon.