The one bonus (or flaw, depending on one’s perspective) of American professional soccer in relation to the rest of world football is that the end of the season is guaranteed to finish with a bang.

While the overwhelming majority of professional soccer leagues in the world play in a single-table format where the regular season determines the champion, Major League Soccer is one of the few leagues that uses an end-of-the-year playoff to determine its champion.

In a single-table system, there are many instances of the champion being decided weeks before the season is even over (last year’s English Premier League finish is obviously a glaring exception).

In the playoff system MLS uses, much like the UEFA Champions League knockout rounds, the winner comes down to one highly anticipated game.

So now, after preseason friendlies, 34 regular season games, CONCACAF Champions League games and the U.S. Open Cup, MLS is finally ready to determine its champion.

On December 1st, the LA Galaxy will take on the Houston Dynamo to determine the winner of the 2012 MLS Cup.

Here are four reasons the LA Galaxy deserve to come out on top.

Bruce Arena’s Management of His Designated Players

It would be easy to assume that just because the Galaxy have one of the best collections of talent Bruce Arena’s job has been easy.

Anyone who thinks that should have a conversation with former New York Red Bulls manager Hans Backe.

While the Red Bulls had three topnotch DPs, just like the Galaxy, the NYRB have been consistent underachievers.

Thierry Henry’s body language towards his teammates constantly reveals a combination of frustration, bewilderment and contempt. And Rafa Marquez’s ability to single-handedly wreck the Red Bulls’ playoff runs the last two years has been tragically laughable.

And, all around MLS, other teams have seen similarly disappointing results from their DPs. DC United’s Hamdi Salihi’s poor finishing was largely responsible for DC’s failure to knock off the Houston Dynamo. The Seattle Sounders’ Fredy Montero can’t buy a playoff goal. The Philadelphia Union’s Freddy Adu could not even consistently crack the Union’s starting XI.

The Galaxy, on the other hand, always seem to get an honest effort from their DPs Robbie Keane, David Beckham and Landon Donovan.

While there have certainly been exceptions to this (Beckham’s early MLS years are a good example), Arena has pulled a maximum effort from his DPs the last two seasons and has seen remarkable results.

He must be given a large amount of the credit for LA’s performance over the past two seasons.

A Storybook Ending for David Beckham—Part 2

Last season, when David Beckham was in the final year of his contract and the Galaxy won the 2011 MLS Cup, it was widely expected that Beckham would leave the team.

This would have been an appropriate ending for Beckham’s career in America, as he finished his final seasons with both Manchester United and Real Madrid with championships as well.

However, in the offseason, Beckham surprisingly signed a new two-year deal with the Galaxy to continue his MLS career.

Yet last week, despite having one year left on his deal, Beckham announced that he would be leaving the team after the final.

A championship for Beckham would be a fitting end for the man who has done so much to help the growth of professional soccer in America.

The Galaxy Are Simply More Fun to Watch

This doesn’t necessarily mean that LA is more “deserving” of a win in the MLS Cup final (and the Dynamo’s success with their bruising, hard-working style deserves loads of credit), but there is little doubt that the Galaxy are a more fun team to watch.

With Beckham spraying balls across the field from a deep-lying midfield position, Sean Franklin bombing up the right flank, Mike Magee’s timely ability to score big goals in the playoffs and Landon Donovan and Robbie Keane connecting in the attack, LA simply plays a more “beautiful” game.

The Galaxy Beat the Best Team in MLS to Get This Far

Both teams deserve an immense amount of credit for reaching the MLS finals.

Houston had to play a first-round one-off against the Chicago Fire in Chicago. Then, they had to beat Sporting KC, the Eastern Conference’s best team and the league’s best defense in the conference semifinal. Finally, Houston had to beat DC United, a team that was extremely hot at the end of the season.

Plus, the Dynamo had to do it fighting through a number of injuries to key players.

But the Galaxy had a difficult playoff run as well. They also had a first-round play-in game, although theirs was against the admittedly weaker Vancouver Whitecaps. Then, the Galaxy had to take on the San Jose Earthquakes, who were the best team in Major League Soccer this year and had the most prolific offense with an amazing 72 goals scored. Finally, the Galaxy had to beat the Seattle Sounders, including a tricky second leg in front of an enormous and boisterous Seattle crowd on turf in the rain.

It should be a close game, but the edge goes to the Galaxy.

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This week, David Beckham made a huge announcement that will shape the story arc in the final chapter of his exceptionally successful football career. On December 1, Beckham will play his last competitive game for LA Galaxy, and there's no doubt he has divided opinion since his arrival to Major League Soccer in 2007.

Sometimes, the opinion of Beckham has little to do with him as a football player and more to do with him as a person. Despite the fame and fortune, Beckham has always remained a passionate football player. Ultimately, he just loves to play. He wishes he could play forever. And surely, the game would be better off with him prolonging his career for as long as he could, right? You would think so.

There seems to be an unnecessary undertone to some of the dialogue related to Beckham. Upon his announcement, fans took to social media to voice their opinions, and he is definitely a polarizing figure who can bring out the ugly in some people.

But why is this the case when Beckham has always been a solid professional, a great role model for kids and is generally a very good bloke?

Is there a tinge of jealousy in the air?

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It was finally announced this morning that David Beckham’s MLS adventure is reaching its finale.

The Twittersphere has been awash this week with tweets about Beckham supposedly opting for one last venture before retirement, but we are never one to comment on rumors or conjecture here at Bleacher Report.

However, the tweeters were correct, and he will play his last game against Houston Dynamo, with LA Galaxy looking to defend their MLS title.

The official announcement about Beckham’s departure from the MLS in December gave me the opportunity to pass judgment on his LA Galaxy career.

Beckham joined LA Galaxy from Real Madrid in 2007 to the backdrop of much media fanfare and the astonishment of the football community. His contract was worth an estimated $6.5 million per year, a sizable salary for someone who was already 32 years old.

When he signed on the dotted line, he stated his intention to grow the MLS’s reputation, making it a household brand to compete with the global football giants like La Liga and the EPL.

The football world was about to witness the emergence of a new powerhouse domestic football league.

So, did the colossal expenditure justify the means?

"No" is the simple answer

In a previous article, I detailed how the MLS’ stock is not rising as quickly as it should, as it struggles to acquire substantial TV ratings both in the USA and overseas whilst still being firmly in the shadow of the more established and popular EPL, NBA and NFL.

The influx of big-named players in the twilight of their careers—not just Beckham, but also the likes of Thierry Henry—did not whet the appetite of the casual football fan to the degree of which MLS bosses expected.

In the positive column, Beckham's stint at La Galaxy brought success in the guise of three MLS titles, with a fourth on the horizon this year.

However, that success is clouded over by controversy.

Almost immediately, he also faced criticism from some sections of LA Galaxy fans for a perceived lack of commitment to the cause.

Two loan stints at Italian giants AC Milan, during the second of which he suffered a serious Achilles injury, in an attempt to keep his place in the England setup did little to help that perception.

During this less-than-auspicious period, he continued to rake in untold millions of dollars from his American employer.

To justify his paycheck, Beckham should have been focused on increasing the MLS’ brand awareness, not attempting to prolong his England career.

Other low points included the a verbal altercation in 2009 with teammate and American soccer superstar Landon Donovan, who criticized Beckham for treating the MLS “like a joke,” and a confrontation with a Galaxy fan in 2010 over alleged personal indiscretions did little to enhance his reputation, or, maybe more importantly, the MLS’

Kevin Lee’s article details some of the good things that Beckham brought to the MLS and how his departure might effect LA Galaxy, but I very much doubt the Beckham roadshow leaving Los Angeles will be a hammer blow to American soccer.

That said, I wholeheartedly agree with sentiments of MLS Commissioner Don Garber, who stated that "There is no doubt that MLS is far more popular and important here and abroad than it was when he arrived"   

But, with $6.5 million per year being delivered into Mr. Beckham’s already bulging bank account, his MLS' tenure could, and should, have been much more successful

Just like the grade I received for the majority of my high school William Shakespeare essays, Beckham’s stint in the MLS gets a B-

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Bruce Arena is referred to by many soccer fans and pundits as the greatest American coach ever.

An article on Grantland by Andrew Lewellen is yet another voice affirming that. He writes about how Arena has taken on the job of coach of the Los Angeles Galaxy, turning around a team neck deep in pressure, tension and turmoil.

Lewellen also noted Arena’s success in developing successful teams at the University of Virginia, D.C. United and the United State’s men’s national team.

One high profile job (and failure) conveniently left out was his year and a half stint with the New York Red Bulls. Arena was hired by the franchise after the 2006 FIFA World Cup and resigned two days after their 2007 season ended.

The failing aspect of the job was not as much Arena’s fault, however, as it was the failure for the Red Bulls organization to be patient, highlighting why in 17 seasons there have been 13 head coaches (including current interim Mike Petke) and a revolving door of players but zero trophies to brag about.

In the two years Arena was the head coach of the Red Bulls, he compiled a record of 18-19-11. It was the lowest winning percentage he has had at any job he’s held in MLS or with the USMNT. But he did make the playoffs in both seasons.

He brought in talented players like Juan Pablo Angel—one of the best Designated Players in league history—Dave van den Bergh and Dane Richards. Team legend Clint Mathis was reacquired. Claudio Reyna, despite a disappointing tenure in the league, added some legitimacy and veteran leadership to the team. Two rookies drafted before Arena became coach, Marvelle Wynne and Jozy Altidore, flourished under Arena.

The first-round exits were typical Red Bull disappointments. How much can one man do in a season and a half, however?

Once Arena left, Altidore was sold, Marvelle Wynne was traded and van den Bergh was traded a season later. Jorge Rojas, Juan Pietravallo, Gabriel Cichero and Oscar Echeverry were all signed and all failed to make a positive impact on the team and the league.

The 2008 Red Bulls did reach the MLS Cup, their best finish ever, but lost in the finals and then fell to last in the league in 2009 with a league-worst 21 points. The roster development that Arena laid the foundation for was gone.

Arena is known in the league for his player scouting and development abilities. As documented in Lewellen’s article, he is popular for building chemistry in a team that leads to success.

With the Galaxy, Arena took the Galaxy to the 2009 MLS Cup, the 2010 Western Conference finals and won the 2011 MLS Cup. They’re back in the 2012 MLS Cup this year. The Galaxy won the Supporter’s Shield in 2010 and 2011 and Arena won the MLS Coach of the Year award in 2009.

In that time frame the Red Bulls never got further than the quarterfinals of the MLS Cup playoffs.

Bruce Arena drafted Omar Gonzalez and A.J. DeLaGarza, two backline mainstays and players that would earn USMNT caps. Along with Arena acquisitions Todd Dunivant and goalie Donovan Ricketts, the Galaxy defense is arguably the best in the league; conveniently the Red Bulls struggle to maintain any consistency on defense.

Valuable Galaxy players like Robbie Keane, former Red Bull Mike Magee, Juninho and Jack McBean were Arena signings.

Arena has been able to field a championship contender balancing a team with three Designated Players under contract (just like New York) with good draft picks and shrewd international signings (unlike New York).

Had Arena stayed on with the Red Bulls they too might have developed a consistent roster with chemistry, pricey and inexpensive players and a good mix of youngsters and veterans.

Instead, while the Galaxy are in the MLS Cup final for the third time in four years, the Red Bulls experienced another early exit in the playoffs.

It’s the same old routine for the Red Bulls. They are in win-now mode, yet have never won.

Maybe if they had the patience and vision that Arena has and utilizes, things could be different.

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With the conference finals now over, the MLS Cup is set.

On December 1, the Houston Dynamo will travel to Los Angeles to take on the Galaxy at the Home Depot Center, with kickoff slated for 1:30 PST.

The game will be a rematch of the 2011 MLS Cup, which the Galaxy won 1-0.

Here are six key battles to watch in the game.

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After five years, the Beckham experiment is done in Los Angeles.

The MLS' most recognizable face announced Monday that he would be leaving the L.A. Galaxy after the team's MLS Cup rematch with the Houston Dynamo December 1.

The 37-year-old Beckham also implied that he would be taking his talents out of the United States as he suggested that his relationship with the MLS would eventually continue through ownership.

So one obvious question arises from this announcement: Where will Beckham end up after he cuts ties with the Galaxy?

Here are seven clubs the former England captain could find himself playing for in the near future.

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Introspection is only natural in situations like this. With or without David Beckham involved, an end to any era always prompts the kind of Hornby-esque, what-does-it-all-mean soul-searching that most of us, as American soccer fans, are already doing. That Beckham serves as the main actor in our drama only makes it inevitable.

Even so, in the aftermath of the Beckham Bombshell, it's important not to take all of this too far.

The situation is this: Beckham is leaving the Los Angeles Galaxy. The MLS Cup final on Dec. 1 will be his final match with the club.

This is undeniably a big deal. And yet, as he leaves the Galaxy, possibly for far-away shores, it would be a mistake to rush into making grand pronouncements about Beckham's legacy and effect on the sport in America.

Beckham is, after all, only a man, and the process is still running. Global fame and all, Beckham is not and never was the sport's savior in America (assuming such a singular figure will ever exist). Major League Soccer will go on, and the game will continue to grow in the United States.

Before and after Beckham, soccer was and is still the world's most popular sport. His arrival has increased its popularity in America, but soccer still lags behind other sports in a crowded landscape. The Beckham Experiment must be considered a success overall, but work remains to be done, and MLS remains for now a second-tier league, or worse.

Beckham, in other words, did exactly what he was supposed to do. He did no more and no less.

In a brilliant article this week at SB Nation, English writer Graham MacAree pointed out a signature quirk of American soccer culture. American soccer fans, MacAree would argue, tend to ascribe cosmic importance to just about everything, including the meaning of the game in relation to the human experience and the world around us.

I would argue that the Beckham era serves as a classic example. Beckham signed with Los Angeles in 2007, and immediately the move was hailed as a new era for American soccer. In summary, a legitimate superstar, equally famous for his performance on the pitch and profile off it, was "invading" America in order to popularize the game (via the Associated Press).

Similar language popped up surrounding Beckham's announcement Monday. In his public statement, MLS commissioner Don Garber included these lines (per MLSSoccer.com):

When David Beckham signed with the LA Galaxy in 2007, he set out to help grow MLS and the sport of soccer in North America. There is no doubt that MLS is far more popular and important here and abroad than it was when he arrived.

Garber is right (more on that momentarily), but the point here is that Beckham's time in America was never just about playing soccer. More than just playing the sport, Beckham was expected to evangelize America's unbelieving masses.

The American soccer public has always viewed Beckham through that lens, and that fact has limited the way we have been able to think about him. As he leaves Los Angeles, it's time we looked at the whole picture.

By the time he arrived in Los Angeles, Beckham had already passed his peak. Even so, he gave us several memorable moments, from his match-winning assist in last year's MLS final to a series of trademark free kicks and high-quality goals.

The goals and assists were part of a playing record with the Galaxy that included one MLS Cup title, four playoff berths, three appearances in the cup final and a spot on the MLS Best XI in 2011.

That is a successful record, if not overwhelmingly so. His record in evangelizing unbelievers looks similar.

MLS has expanded by seven teams since Beckham signed with the Galaxy in January of 2007. The league now features 19 clubs, 15 of which play in soccer-specific stadiums like Los Angeles' Home Depot Center.

To outsiders, that might not sound impressive. For American soccer fans who followed MLS through the days of empty NFL cathedrals, it represents major progress.

Attendance has soared during the Beckham era. Early in Beckham's Galaxy career, more than 66,000 spectators came to watch him play in New York (per the New York Times). In 2011, MLS passed the NBA as America's third-most attended professional sports league (via Sporting News).

But while attendance has improved, strong ratings have not followed (via The Big Lead). Still, television network NBC made a big-money move for English Premier League rights this fall (via New York Times), which suggests interest in the sport as a whole has never been higher.

Beckham's presence has revolutionized the pay structure of the league. The designated player rule was established ahead of his arrival, and as the Los Angeles Times points out, more teams are paying players better salaries than ever:

Beckham's original five-year, $32.5-million deal made him worth more than the entire roster of any other MLS team. But by the time he signed a contract extension in January, his $4-million guaranteed salary was less than the New York Red Bulls were paying former Mexican national team captain Raffa Marquez and French World Cup star Thierry Henry, two of the 31 designated players to play in MLS last season.

As more teams and higher-profile players joined the league, Beckham remained a crossover superstar. Beckham's "bromance" with actor Tom Cruise is well documented, and he made headlines with a racy underwear campaign for retailer H&M earlier this year. Beckham even has a profile at People Magazine, an icon of American pop culture.

During his time in the league, MLS has added teams, built new stadiums and signed better players than ever for more money than ever. Beckham is not directly responsible for these changes, but the role his crossover popularity in American pop culture has played in popularizing soccer cannot be ignored. The boom has come along with Beckham's presence, and that cannot be entirely a coincidence.

Attendance is up, and although ratings remain low, NBC's acquisition of exclusive Premier League TV rights suggests even more people soon will be exposed to the game. For now, though, the sport remains in its niche in America, potentially ready to break out.

Altogether, Beckham's tenure in Southern California has been both successful in some ways and unsuccessful in others. As American soccer fans, the tendency here might be to overstate Beckham's importance. But maybe we should take the time to appreciate him as a player and look back on what has been an immensely interesting ride these past few years.

Beckham was not and is not the savior of soccer in America. That's fine. The 2011 season was his best with the Galaxy, and 2012 hasn't been too far off. Amid all the other stuff, it's easy to forget that even at 37, Beckham is an important piece of a team that's preparing to play for a second straight league title.

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Six years ago, David Beckham arrived in the United States to a mighty fanfare. At 31 years of age and still one of the sport's biggest names, the arrival of Beckham looked as if it could be the catalyst that propelled Major League Soccer into a category befitting its name.

But now, as Beckham announces his intention to leave the Los Angeles Galaxy—his home during his entire American tenure—has the position of soccer in the US really moved on?

In 2007, I wrote an article about Juan Pablo Angel, the former Aston Villa striker who had since moved to the New York Red Bulls. Angel had arrived in the Big Apple under the Designated Player Rule, the very rule that allowed the Galaxy to break their budget cap and sign Beckham. 

Both of the players were 31 and neither of them past their prime. These were the types of players, I argued, that would prevent the MLS from going the way of the North American Soccer League in the 70s and 80s.

Big-name foreign players have arrived in the years since—Thierry Henry, Alessandro Nesta and, most recently, Marco Di Vaio to name but three—but none of them have done so during the peak of their careers.

When Beckham left Real Madrid in 2007, he had options: He had just won La Liga with as part of the Galacticos and was wanted both in England and throughout Europe. He came to America, in no small part, because of location, glamour and the celebrity lifestyle, but he did so by choice—not as a final financial kick before retirement.

The hope was that others would follow suit. Beckham was and is a major global brand, and being in LA was something designed to increase that further. Who was to say it couldn't work for other players?

Yet, that route hasn't really been followed. The stars aligned for Beckham: His style, his celebrity wife and his aspirations outside the world of the kicked ball made America a major market; for those only concerned with the football pitch, it's still the minor leagues.

So Beckham's American adventure looks set to be an isolated incident. Until, and this may never happen, soccer is considered a major sport within the country, its league is unlikely to be considered one from without.

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Since David Beckham’s move to the U.S. in 2007, Major League Soccer has gained a lot of credibility, both at home and abroad. Some of this is undoubtedly down to the former England captain, but does that make him the most important player MLS has ever seen?

Beckham’s announcement that the MLS Cup Final on December 1 will be his last for LA Galaxy was greeted with surprise. Not as much surprise as when he first announced he would be playing in LA, however.

Leaving Real Madrid at the age of 31 in favour of playing for the Galaxy was greeted with something just short of derision in his home country.

Madrid had offered to extend his contract and he was popular with the supporters—despite the team’s failure to win any trophies during his time at the club—but Beckham had fallen out of favour with then-manager Fabio Capello. Steve McClaren, too, had neglected to include him in his England squad.

Even so, playing football (soccer) in America wasn’t something that anyone expected or respected. A precedent was set in the 1970s when Pele, George Best and Johan Cruyff played in the North American Soccer League, but the common consensus in England was that it was a combination of money and his wife that influenced Beckham’s decision.

While the five-year, $250 million deal would certainly have helped, both Beckham and then-GM Alexi Lalas seemed to consider his main responsibility that of raising the profile of MLS and increasing the popularity of world football across America.

Beckham’s early seasons with the Galaxy were ones of disappointment. Although he had arrived on a tidal wave of hype, he spent a lot of the time either injured or on loan to AC Milan, which was understandably a source of annoyance to Galaxy fans.

The initial interest in the game never went away however, and merchandising levels continued to grow. MLS commissioner Don Garber stated that having Beckham’s name on a Galaxy jersey meant that 300,000 were sold in 2007, which was 700 times the amount the same team sold the year before.

Garber went on to shower praise on Beckham’s impact on the game:

"Merchandise sales overall have gone up two or three times. International TV sales have gone up from next to nothing to distribution in 100 countries, with live games in Asia and Mexico.

Without doubt, MLS has more global awareness than at any other time in our history and has more legitimacy in the United States because of David. Every measure of our business has grown because of him (via The New York Times)."

It’s undeniable that Beckham brought about a sharp increase in MLS’s popularity, whereas serious football fans had previously dismissed it as a second-class league. MLS was—and in some respects still is—a fledgling league, so the endorsement of one of the most popular players of the current era gave it a credence that simply wasn’t there before.

American journalist Sean Wheelock disagrees with the assumption that the current popularity of MLS is down to Beckham alone. When featuring as a guest on the BBC’s world football radio show, Wheelock argued that the growth of the league was inevitable, with or without Beckham:

"The league has grown exponentially but it would have grown anyway. I see a direct link with players like Thierry Henry and Robbie Keane coming over to MLS but I'm not going to buy into the argument that he [Beckham] revolutionised it because the league has been making slow, gradual climbs forward (via BBC.co.uk)."

The inclusion of the words “slow” and “gradual” hinder Wheelock’s point, however. Beckham’s arrival gave the league a shot in the arm, and more people were drawn to it as a result.

When it was reported last week that the Galaxy had landed a 10-year, $55 million deal with Time Warner Cable, AEG President Tim Leiweke stated that “It's a major deal for our team and I'm telling you it never happens without David Beckham” (via Sporting News).

Over the last couple of seasons, Beckham has thrown himself into his Galaxy role and the team has flourished.  He won the MLS Cup last season and was voted the MLS Comeback Player of the Year and named to the league’s Best XI.

Of course, it’s arguable that he only did this after it was clear he would no longer be featuring in the England setup, regardless of whether he was loaned out to more traditionally credible teams like Milan.

His commitment to the team was questioned through 2009-10 as he seemed to quit on the Galaxy in favour of one last shot at international glory, right when they needed him the most.

It’s always been known that the Beckham name became a brand while he was at Manchester United, and a move to America gave him the brand expansion that he wished for. Even if they didn’t know anything about his profession, the culture of celebrity in L.A. ensured that everyone at least knew who he was.

However, to cite that as his motivating reason is slightly cynical. The last two years have shown that L.A. is not just a paycheck for Beckham, and his team is in real contention for a championship this year, as well as the MLS Cup final that serves as his swansong.

As Wheelock pointed out, the influx of Premier League players to MLS is due to the credibility Beckham brought to the league, and he deserves an enormous amount of credit for that.

While it’s true that the increasing popularity of world football across America predated Beckham, no other player has done as much as him for bringing MLS to the attention of the rest of the world. For that fact alone, he is the league’s most important player ever.

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David Beckham. Check.

All his goals in one convenient video. Check.

"Bitter Sweet Symphony" by The Verve. Oh yeah.

It's David Beckham Day here at Set Piece, and to mark the occasion, we're bringing you this video of each and every one of Beckham's goals with the Los Angeles Galaxy (excluding friendlies) in one place.

Beckham and the Galaxy announced Monday that next month's MLS Cup final will be his last match with the club. For American soccer fans and Galaxy supporters, it brings to a close a memorable run that began in 2007 and saw the sport make real gains in the country.

No surprise, then, that for MLS fans, Beckham's announcement felt bittersweet. Thus the backing musical track to the video above.

So, without further delay, take a look at the clip above and appreciate the goals Beckham has scored for the Galaxy. The clip is our Set Piece Video of the Day for this Tuesday. Enjoy.

According to MLSSoccer.com, Beckham has scored five match winners in his 18 career MLS goals. His best scoring season has been the current campaign, in which Beckham has scored seven times.

The Home Depot Center, which is the Galaxy's home stadium, has witnessed 10 of Beckham's 18 MLS goals. His first goal for the Galaxy came Aug. 15, 2007, against DC United.

Beckham, 37, has not said what his next move will be, but it's not actually certain that he'll leave MLS. Still, it's a bittersweet day for American soccer, and a day to look back and appreciate one of the league's biggest stars.

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