So, David Beckham is getting a lot of heat from the tabloids, the general hoi palloi, and even opposing players (one of the players from Trinidad said that he was better at selling shirts than playing football). Some have questioned whether he should be captain of the English side.
But, to date, he’s personally responsible for 2 of the 3 goals that England has scored - one a phenomenal shot in game one that was called an “own goal” only because it knocked over an opposing player on the way to the net, the other a beautiful, long, perfect lofted pass that bounced off of Crouch’s head for the winning goal.
So, England fans and others, how’s he doing? Does he deserve the criticism? Should he be getting accolades?
The first one you mentioned was not so great in my opinion: 1) It was not a shot on goal, it was supposed to be service into the box for one his teammates to get a head on. and 2) the deflection off the opposing player clearly altered the direction enough to elude the keeper, who otherwise would have likely made the save quite easily.
I didn’t see todays service to Crouch yet, so can’t comment.
Overall, I have always though of Beckam as a good player, who is also overrated. He gets much more attention do to his look, style, and personal life. If he was ugly and married to unknown girl I don’t think he would get the attention, rather would simply be known as a solid midfielder who crosses well, but nothing spectacular.
Ditto what **Fat Chance ** said. Beckham is on the downside of his career. In his heyday, he was one of the top 10 players in the world, not so much anymore.
He is still, along with Juninho, one of the top two or three in the world at free kicks and no one can make the 50 yard cross pitch pass and land it on a teammates foot in stride like he can. But its like the same thing with Anna Kournikova, and eventually Danica Patrick. The fans and media flock to them because of their looks. Then when they don’t play up to the artificial standards the media has set based on their looks (?), the media who put them on a pedestal in the first place looks to knock them down. It isn’t an atheletes fault if they are attractive. There are literally thousands of female tennis players who are not attractive who have never won a tournament, why not slam them as well?
Be that as it may, Beckham still is an excellent player and deserves to be captain for his skill, experience, and leadership. It isn’t his fault the coach didn’t select a better class of strikers- Beckham’s role is to set up goals, not score them, and he is still as good as anyone at doing that.
I think Beckham deserves to be on the squad, but I think Gerrard would make a better captain at this point. I also think that Gerrard and Lampard is the wrong midfield. Take off Lampard and put Carragher in as a holding midfielder, giving Gerrard more freedom to attack.
And to disagree a bit with** Fat Chance**, I believe Beckham absolutely deserves credit on the own goal vs. Paraguay because his cross was right in the box in a perfect spot, forcing the defender to deal with the ball or risk an England header. If the cross had been off, the chances for an own goal would have been greatly diminished.
Oh, I think he deserves credit - it was a great ball in, and very dangerous. I just wouldn’t call it a “phenomenal shot” as it wasn’t a shot at all. He basically got lucky as the defense misplayed a great service.
It wouldn’t have gone in anyway, but it was a perfectly placed, well struck ball and one of the “not unusual” consequences of a ball played like that is an “own goal”.
Great feed to Crouch yesterday.
I don’t watch enough outside world cup to comment too deeply on Beckham, but I think he’s been pretty good in the cup so far.
After watching the replay a few times I am not so sure it would have gone in anyway. I think had the defender missed the ball completely the keeper would have (or at least should have) been able to save it.
It was a quality ball in to a dangerous area - had the defender not got a touch on the ball, there were three players directly behind him, any one of whom (attacker or defender alike) could have knocked that into the net, deliberately or otherwise. I don’t see why a deflection detracts in the slightest from what was an excellent free kick. So it wasn’t an intended shot, but that’s irrelevant - the job of a free kick taker is to cause danger to the opposition’s goal, and if he does that so well that it forces an own goal, then the credit is his. I personally think Beckham’s on pretty good form; the ball in to Crouch for England’s first last night was excellent, and he’s provided some decent service overall. No, he’s not quite in his pomp any more, but he’s pretty nearly there.
Re: Carragher in midfield, I think that has been tried and proven to be disastrous. I’m a huge Carragher fan, but he simply isn’t a midfielder; he’s a central defender and loses out on a regular place in that position only because he’s such a similar player to Terry. Against Jamaica he was supposed to release Gerrard and Lampard further up the pitch, but his lack of imagination in moving the ball forward ended up dragging them back to start play deep. If you want a holding midfielder, play a holding midfielder (e.g. Carrick). I think this whole practice of playing players out of position is born of a complete cowardice on Sven’s part when it comes between making choices between the most talented team on paper and a genuinely coherent team with players positioned according to their strengths.