How Much Did Beckham Mean to Manchester United?

[Bigpapa42]

Alright, I'm a fairly new devotee to the sport, and I'm still trying to get a real handle on some of its history. I'm curious about how Manchester United fans view Beckham's place in the clubs history. How important is he?

I know he was/is talented - enough to be considered as or near a world class player. And there is no doubt about his marketable image.

But was he a true Manchester United great? How much bigger was his reputation than his performance on the pitch?

Were the fans sad to see him leave, or was it an indifferent parting?

I'm just kind of curious. Thanks.

[Omar23033]

Alright, I'm a fairly new devotee to the sport, and I'm still trying to get a real handle on some of its history. I'm curious about how Manchester United fans view Beckham's place in the clubs history. How important is he?

I know he was/is talented - enough to be considered as or near a world class player. And there is no doubt about his marketable image.

But was he a true Manchester United great? How much bigger was his reputation than his performance on the pitch?

Were the fans sad to see him leave, or was it an indifferent parting?

I'm just kind of curious. Thanks.

do we really want to bring him up ???? I'm gonna tell you right now Beckham is missed dearly on free kicks :( .

[Bigpapa42]

Sorry, I didn't realize it was actually a sore point for MUFC fans. Just trying to get an understanding of how he's regarded by the club's fans. I figure he isn't a true legend like Cantona, but somewhere just below that or far less than?

[Ronaldo07]

do we really want to bring him up ???? I'm gonna tell you right now Beckham is missed dearly on free kicks :( .

yeah, probably on corners too, we dont real have a decent set-piece taker now, which is kind of worrying as we used to take full advantage of our set pieces most of the time, perhaps its something Alex needs to look at getting.

[DaeHaMinGuk]

You can thank Fergie's ego for this one...

[haven]

Beckham sucked his final year in Manchester. Sucked. He was replaced, rightfully so, by Solksjaer on the right wing. Because Solksjaer very obviously played better. And Solksjaer isn't a winger. He's a striker. That says a great deal.

Beckham was the best in the world at what he did. And that's not hyperbole or false flattery. He was an amazing crosser of the ball. Nobody - not Zidane, not Figo, not Ronaldinho - was better at it. He was easily in the top 3 at free kick taking. The curl on the ball was truly lovely. He had exceptional technique, though Scholes has as good when it comes to trapping the ball, etc.

But he had severe limitations on his game. Perhaps too severe to be termed a true world great. He couldn't dribble worth a damn. I mean, it was truly sad - he had trouble going around even poor defenders. He was also too predictable. He sent in all these gorgeous balls - but you always knew how it was going to fly. Man Utd never scored much on corners towards the end of Beckham's stay - a good part of that was his balls were always the same, if lovely.

He was good defensively for a winger. But he lacked pace for the position.

Overall, Beckham was an excellent player. But by the time left Manchester, he wasn't sorely missed. Imagine a combination of Cristiano Ronaldo and David Beckham - that player would be the best player in the world, hands down, no questions asked, sorry Ronaldinho, Henry, and Shevchenko - you guys aren't remotely in the same league.

But he wasn't that player. And that's why he was sold. And that's why it was a good bargain for the team.

[hawk_claw]

Imagine a combination of Cristiano Ronaldo and David Beckham - that player would be the best player in the world, hands down, no questions asked, sorry Ronaldinho, Henry, and Shevchenko - you guys aren't remotely in the same league.

I have the same thought every day CR+Becks :)

[exodus82]

Beckham sucked his final year in Manchester. Sucked. He was replaced, rightfully so, by Solksjaer on the right wing. Because Solksjaer very obviously played better. And Solksjaer isn't a winger. He's a striker. That says a great deal.

That is a ridiculous statment. In the 2002-2003 season he is the reason RVN scored so many goals. Beckhams early balls are what RVN needs. Watch the season review and you realise that he had a part in at least a goal per game. Ferguson hated him because he was more famous than Manchester United. He proved how vital he was by coming off the bench against Madrid and scoring 2 and putting his second FK off the crossbar. The reason man utd is struggling now is because noone can cross consistantly, so we can't penetrate the box inless Ronaldo goes on a run or Rooney lets it go from outside.

I don't care if if someone is a Utd fan and hated Beckham, the year after they realised what they now miss. And although I am a die hard United fan I would love to see Man Utd vs Madrid and Beckham playing a starring role, just to see Fergie's face.

[antifan]

...Overall, Beckham was an excellent player. But by the time left Manchester, he wasn't sorely missed. Imagine a combination of Cristiano Ronaldo and David Beckham - that player would be the best player in the world, hands down, no questions asked, sorry Ronaldinho, Henry, and Shevchenko - you guys aren't remotely in the same league...
Yes, Cristiano Beckham is undoubtedly the best player in the world, LOL, :D

[Achtung]

That is a ridiculous statment. In the 2002-2003 season he is the reason RVN scored so many goals. Beckhams early balls are what RVN needs. Watch the season review and you realise that he had a part in at least a goal per game.

A goal per game? Surely you're joking/delusional/a pathetic fanboy, right? Taking a look at Ruud's goals during that season (on the portion of the DVD conveniently titled "Ruud's Goals") bears the following stats. Of Ruud's 44 goals that season, 27 were directly assisted. Here's the breakdown, at least based on an honest observation of who deserves each assist:

Solskjaer - 5 assists
Veron - 5
Beckham - 5
Giggs - 4
Scholes - 2
Forlan - 2
Gary Neville - 1
Butt - 1
Silvestre - 1
Fortune - 1

Out of Beckham's MASSIVE assist total to Ruud, I counted just three that I would consider to truly be crosses. The other two were balls through the middle. If only people would take a few minutes to have a look, they'd see what most real fans do--that Beckham was no longer the essential scoring tool he used to be to us. Solskjaer had better vision, especially in the box, and a much better eye for goal himself, and it was plainly obvious that we played better with him on the field as he got more regular runs in the team.

Ferguson hated him because he was more famous than Manchester United. He proved how vital he was by coming off the bench against Madrid and scoring 2 and putting his second FK off the crossbar. The reason man utd is struggling now is because noone can cross consistantly, so we can't penetrate the box inless Ronaldo goes on a run or Rooney lets it go from outside.

If Ferguson really did "hate" Becks, he sure chose a glamorous, high-paying, high-profile destination for the kid. Scoring two goals in one game proves that a player is "vital"? Geez, we should've never gotten rid of Forlan in that case after he scored two goals against Liverpool. The only thing Beckham proved in that game was that Madrid and their Swiss cheese defense were just the suckers to pay an obscene amount of money for a relatively limited player.

How exactly are we struggling due to a supposed lack of crossing ability? We've played as well as anyone else in the league since November (oh right, but we drew away to Crystal Palace, time to gut the team). In Europe, crossing was never a key tactic for almost any successful team. Ronaldo and Rooney are our only threats? So when did you become a fan, last month?

...I would love to see Man Utd vs Madrid and Beckham playing a starring role, just to see Fergie's face.

Are you ZANI in disguise?
Are you ZANI in disguise? ...

[caco794]

Ummmm..... yeah, achtung pretty much shut up exodus. :D

Btw, the move did leave me with a sour taste mainly because I was a big fan of the player. the funds that we were able to receive from RM quickly cheered me up. :D

[billyho96]

The kid with the Beckham question has a fair question, especially if he is pretty new. If you're an American your Beckham imagine is a tad distorded if you don't follow Europe well.

But this is a subject that a certain moderator just can't handle being discussed, and that was a classless knee jerk reaction to a legitimate and not trolling question. And 90% of the responses were constructive.

I said the same thing to a moderator in our forum when this happened in our forum a while back and got blasted. Frankly I don't care, this is a public forum, and the moderators don't own the content.

[johno]

Excellent point... however these threads only pop up after a loss... no one ever wants to know how much we missed Beckham in the middle of a 18 game unbeaten streak... oh no... never then... so while you do have a point... I can also see the other side as well...

[Motterman]

The kid with the Beckham question has a fair question, especially if he is pretty new. If you're an American you Beckham imagine is a tad distorded if you don't follow Europe well.

But this is a subject that a certain moderator just can't handle being discussed, and that was a classless knee jerk reaction to a legitimate and not trolling question. And 90% of the responses were constructive.

I said the same thing to a moderator in our forum when this happened in our forum and while back and got blasted. Frankly I don't care, this is a public forum, and the moderators don't own the content.

The thread was done.

Achtung pretty much finished it off...

Upset you didn't get a chance to pile on perhaps?

If you have a problem, you can always PM.

[billyho96]

The thread was done.

Achtung pretty much finished it off...

Upset you didn't get a chance to pile on perhaps?

Thank you for making that decision independently Motter, I guess its your decision.

Surely you speak for EVERYONE . . . GEEEEEEEEEEZZZZZZZZZZ :rolleyes:

[Motterman]

Thank you for making that decision independently Motter, I guess its your decision.

Surely you speak for EVERYONE . . . GEEEEEEEEEEZZZZZZZZZZ :rolleyes:

Funny how it popped up the day after we go out of Europe, innit?

Come on, he's been gone for years now... he has NO bearing on this club at all. Ronaldo wears the number 7 shirt and is our starting right winger.

The only reason people still talk about him, is the same reason he was sold. Any player who slacked it for a year or two before leaving the club deserves nothing less....

[John L]

I'd say a lot -

On Offense he supplied early through balls to the strikers - And was fantastic on crosses and corners - And he would add the occasional run-of-the-play goal

On Defense his work rate OFF THE BALL was among the highest in Midfield

Run of Play - missed mostly for his grit and hustle during the run of play - His hustle wasn't the mindless running around you see in most EPL games - It was going to space to support on Off and Def and challenging 30:70 balls just to make sure the opponent wouldn't be able to get off an immediate clean pass -

Ronaldo - ?? - a purer and more natural scorer but not a contributor otherwise - He's just there as a threat from the outside but can not distribute to save his life - And absolutely no Defense - And no grit -

[Motterman]

I'd say a lot -

On Offense he supplied early through balls to the strikers - And was fantastic on crosses and corners - And he would add the occasional run-of-the-play goal

On Defense his work rate OFF THE BALL was among the highest in Midfield

Run of Play - missed mostly for his grit and hustle during the run of play - His hustle wasn't the mindless running around you see in most EPL games - It was going to space to support on Off and Def and challenging 30:70 balls just to make sure the opponent wouldn't be able to get off an immediate clean pass -

Ronaldo - ?? - a purer and more natural scorer but not a contributor otherwise - He's just there as a threat from the outside but can not distribute to save his life - And absolutely no Defense - And no grit -

Maybe until 2001-2002 you could say those things about Beckham. His workrate for United was phenomenal up till that point. After that, he'd play harder for England than he would for United, and he was rightly dropped in the title run-in for Solksjaer who's allegiance and efforts could never be questioned, not to mention his contributions either.

Ronaldo is a different style of player than Beckham and requires more help on the defensive end, but he's still effective (occasionally our best and dangerous player) and still only a kid - which explains his inconsistency....

I don't think we've missed David Beckham a tenth of how much we missed Rio and his suspension which could have been the difference in last season's champions as well as this season's....

[Vermont Red]

At the time of the sale I felt that the move could be fairly judged after three seasons. I think, thus far, it's a push. We haven't seriously challenged for the the biggest trophies since he left and neither has Madrid.

[DoodleBob]

Beckhams last year at ManU Sucked :p