Did England accomodate David Beckham?

[Uncle Albert]

In the boozer over the last weekend we were discussing, Scholes, Gerrard and Lamaprd, after the Carragher Neville conversation on the last MNF, like most we were all split on who's the best and what not and we were talking about how much of a shame it was that they never all played for England well in the same team.

 

Then it hit me, after the 2002 World Cup and leading to Euro 2004, all the major Countries France, Germany, Spain, Holland, Portugal and Brazil all changed their styles of play and formations, most opted for a 5 man midfield, with the holding midfielder and 3 central midfielders and the wingers being more attack minded, hence the 4-3-3. England never did that.

 

England stayed with 4-4-2 and the midfield of Gerrard and Lampard central midfielders, Scholes for some reason on the left (before retiring) and Beckham on the right. This is when England should of moved with the times and had Scholes, Gerrard and Lampard as a 3, with Owen, Rooney and Joe Cole as the three ahead of them.

 

I think England accommodated the 'Global Superstar' David Beckham after 2002, yeah he was England Captain, playing for Real Madrid but did he do anything on significance after the 2002 World Cup? I don't think he did and I think he prevented England of having one of the greatest midfield 3s this Country and the World of Football at the time had seen.

 

People won't agree with this, fair enough don't expect everyone too, I would like though if people don't agree to tell me something that David Beckham did for England after 2002, maybe his goal v Ecuador in the 2006 World Cup, that's about it.

[Jace]

Personally I feel when you look back at how many crucial goals he scored he was well worthy of his place. Unfortunately we had too much talant in the same areas and not enough in other areas like upfront and someone with pace who could play down the left wing. The balance was never correct is a shame because it could be a long time before we see another team with as much technical ability as that 1 had.

[Fox92]

He is a definition of 'global superstar' (I think George Best was the first), but he isn't a great footballer/he isn't one of the greatest footballers ever... There were/are many players that are better than him. His dead ball stuff might have been decent, but he wasn't good in the air, and rarely challenged for the ball... We've had more complete players, and I include Scholes, Lampard and Gerrard with that.

 

I used to like Beckham, but then he turned into somekind of 'celebrity'. There is no doubt he is seen as more of a superstar than he is footballer. 

 

He is one of the most overrated players in my time... I know loads of people won't agree with that, but I feel that way and I don't really like him.

[Manwell Pablo]

In the boozer over the last weekend we were discussing, Scholes, Gerrard and Lamaprd, after the Carragher Neville conversation on the last MNF, like most we were all split on who's the best and what not and we were talking about how much of a shame it was that they never all played for England well in the same team.

 

Then it hit me, after the 2002 World Cup and leading to Euro 2004, all the major Countries France, Germany, Spain, Holland, Portugal and Brazil all changed their styles of play and formations, most opted for a 5 man midfield, with the holding midfielder and 3 central midfielders and the wingers being more attack minded, hence the 4-3-3. England never did that.

 

England stayed with 4-4-2 and the midfield of Gerrard and Lampard central midfielders, Scholes for some reason on the left (before retiring) and Beckham on the right. This is when England should of moved with the times and had Scholes, Gerrard and Lampard as a 3, with Owen, Rooney and Joe Cole as the three ahead of them.

 

I think England accommodated the 'Global Superstar' David Beckham after 2002, yeah he was England Captain, playing for Real Madrid but did he do anything on significance after the 2002 World Cup? I don't think he did and I think he prevented England of having one of the greatest midfield 3s this Country and the World of Football at the time had seen.

 

People won't agree with this, fair enough don't expect everyone too, I would like though if people don't agree to tell me something that David Beckham did for England after 2002, maybe his goal v Ecuador in the 2006 World Cup, that's about it.

 

"Did nothing" after 2002, fair enough 2004 wasn't his greatest tournament....If you take out the Sweden game he set up or scored every goal we scored in 2006 though. 

[AKCJ]

I wouldn't say it would have been the greatest midfield 3 of all time.

 

 

Spain's 2008 Xavi, Iniesta and Alonso takes that.

[Guest MattP]

Playing Scholes on the left wing was probably the most criminal thing about the England teanm of the last ten years.

We missed a trick bigtime and Beckham was very average the vast majority of the time.

[Corky]

Sven indulged him certainly, McClaren tried to move him out of the squad but the media and fan pressure brought him back into the squad.

 

Giving him the captaincy made it difficult to drop him too, and we wasted Scholes completely.

 

Whether he was worth the indulgement Sven offered is up for debate, no doubting his commitment and at times quality but everything should've been done to keep Scholes in the set-up.

[Heart-Shaped Fox]

After 2002 he won many more caps than he should have done. Thought after the WC he was poor overall. Good player overrated the more years went by.

[ScouseFox]

What has Lampard done for England ever then? Seen as World Cup goals, assists and captaining the team don't count for Beckham after 2002, I can't think of many people who have ever "done anything for England". 

[Uncle Albert]

I wouldn't say it would have been the greatest midfield 3 of all time.

 

 

Spain's 2008 Xavi, Iniesta and Alonso takes that.

 

That's why I was pretty clear when I said England's greatest midfield.

[Guesty]

I think it was obvious Sven overindulged Beckham when he stuck him in the holding role in a midfield 3 against N. Ireland and they beat us 1-0.

[Uncle Albert]

What has Lampard done for England ever then? Seen as World Cup goals, assists and captaining the team don't count for Beckham after 2002, I can't think of many people who have ever "done anything for England". 

 

He scored one World Cup goal after 2002, put a free kick in for a Paraguay OG, set up Crouch's header v Trinidad and Tobago and scored v Ecuador.. That's all he did.

 

But before the 2006 World Cup he did nothing for 4 years at International level, prevented England from moving on to a new system, a system where England could have had a midfield 3 of Gerrard, Lampard and Scholes, all in their primes, all World Class at the time as well. Was David Beckham World Class between 2002 and 2006? No, not a chance.

 

I respect what David Beckham has done for England, prior to the 2002 World Cup but after that you have to be very blinkered to think he didn't damper our chances and pretty much cost Paul Scholes his International career.

[Guest ttfn]

Beckham was a fvcking great player.

Sven probably did overindulge him, but it's easy to forget that he was a level above anything we've got now. He'd walk into the current England team at right or centre mid and probably right back too.

[Manwell Pablo]

He scored one World Cup goal after 2002, put a free kick in for a Paraguay OG, set up Crouch's header v Trinidad and Tobago and scored v Ecuador.. That's all he did.

 

But before the 2006 World Cup he did nothing for 4 years at International level, prevented England from moving on to a new system, a system where England could have had a midfield 3 of Gerrard, Lampard and Scholes, all in their primes, all World Class at the time as well. Was David Beckham World Class between 2002 and 2006? No, not a chance.

 

I respect what David Beckham has done for England, prior to the 2002 World Cup but after that you have to be very blinkered to think he didn't damper our chances and pretty much cost Paul Scholes his International career.

 

 

I'm confused here because I seem to remember him setting up loads of goals up in qualification for both tournaments, he has 31 direct assists for his country given how hard it is to claim a direct assist  nearly one in 3 is a incredible record, in fact I can remember him scoring a few goals in qualifying as well. Not really my definition of "doing nothing at international level." He had one pretty indifferent tournament in 2004 where he didn't really play badly it was just over shadowed by the two pen misses.

 

I do agree more should have been done to retain Schole's services for longer and Beckham wasn't always used in the correct way by Sven but, you overall argument sorry not in agreement. 

[Fox92]

When it comes to why people like him and reasons behind his popularity, very few have much to do with his actual footballing ability. He must be the only player ever that gets away with this.

[Haydos]

Lampard, Gerrard, Scholes, Rooney, Cole and Owen as a front 6? This isn't Fifa mate. Not gonna work.

[Dan]

When it comes to why people like him and reasons behind his popularity, very few have much to do with his actual footballing ability. He must be the only player ever that gets away with this.

 

Balotelli.

[Samilktray]

England team hasnt been the same since David Beckham stopped playing for us.

[Guest MattP]

When it comes to why people like him and reasons behind his popularity, very few have much to do with his actual footballing ability.

 

Spot on. How he got so many caps is baffling when you look at his performances.

 

Career highlights being a free kick to get us a draw at home to Greece and a penalty against Argentina shows how low our expectations have sunk as a footballing nation.

[Uncle Albert]

I knew this would split peoples opinions.

[Manwell Pablo]

It just baffles me, proof is in the pudding when the wally with the brolly decided to do away with him and our team fell apart. 

[Guest MattP]

It just baffles me, proof is in the pudding when the wally with the brolly decided to do away with him and our team fell apart. 

 

Are you suggesting it would have been all rosy had he stayed with the wally in the brolley in charge?

[Guest Sharpe's Fox]

He was a great player, but in the late 90's and early 2000's. The criminal thing was wasting a world class Scholes just because we never had a great left midfield player. 

[Uncle Albert]

To say England failed to qualify for Euro 2008 under the management of McLaren because he dropped David Beckham is ridiculous, we were just a poor team but at the same time we were only one goal away from the qualification, so if you think that is down to David Beckham not playing then more fool you. A 0-0 draw at home to Macedonia was the reason we didn't qualify or you can blame it on a Scott Carson horror show at home to Croatia.

[Manwell Pablo]

Are you suggesting it would have been all rosy had he stayed with the wally in the brolley in charge?

 

I am certainly suggesting we would have been better when the idiot bought him back in he immediately started setting goals up the vast majority of our goals again. Of all Mclarens mistakes gutting him from the team was one of the biggest. It's a game of fine margins professional football and when you've got someone who can as a trademark, plant a ball on a strikers head from 40 yards away it is ridiculous not include them in your team.

 

David Beckham over rated only rated because of his fame talk it often football fans attempting to look clever for me, it's just not true, his game was far from complete but there are very few players who can even lay claim to having a better right foot in the history of world football.