David Beckham...Leading contender for the Golden Ball?

[Bobinhood]

So far he's won us every game from his set pieces and crosses. Hes gotta be a contender at this point. Can't believe it.

Discuss.

[avante_ultras]

he should be benched

the only time i see him is at set peices.

and quite frankly, lamaprd and gerrard arent too far off his quality

[lanman]

His overall play has been very poor (althoguh I thought he was better today) and with the exception of the couple of set pieces that have come off his delivery has been a joke. So the answer would be no.

[Stud83]

Only if England wins the World Cup.

[Arsenal_pwns_all]

If Lennon was on the field from the start England probably would have won by a few goals. Without resorting to set pieces.

[Spur_Forever]

You know what, everyone who says Beckham should be benched needs to take a long hard look at the past games and analyze the contributions of those players who were supposed to "carry" the team.

Owen. Lampard. Rooney. Gerrard. All 4 of them can supposedly "play" England to victory, but all 4 have been sub-standard. Granted Rooney is only just coming off injury and Owen was never fully fit, but still. Owen's job was to score. Failed. Lampard's job was to create and score. Failed. Rooney's job was to score. Failed. Gerrard's job was unclear (because of Lampard). I'll give him a pass because he did score twice when we needed it.

Just to make things crystal clear - no one (other than Marcello Balboa) expected Beckham to carry the team. He was never going to take anyone on, go on any mazy runs, or beat anyone with speed (everyone knows he has none). His role was always to deliver pinpoint crosses and to create goals from free kicks. In a couple of games (including today's) he's even done a decent job tracking back, running himself ragged in the process. Basically, he has a job and he does it - making him arguably the most effective (which is different from the "best") player on the England team right now.

As much as people have got into a habit of Beckham-bashing, an honest, unbiased look at England's past 4 games will reveal that he has done exactly what Sven expected him to. The threat he provides from dead-balls and crosses is a calculated trade-off for his lack of creativity on the right. But people like Gerrard and Lampard are supposed to step up to make up for that lack of creativity. So far they have failed. Not sure if this makes him Golden ball worthy, but it certainly needed to be said.

[Arsenal_pwns_all]

That's why Beckham should be benched. No one at the present moment is carrying the team, but Lennon has the potential to. From all the England matches so far, he has been the most dangerous player. Look at yesterday's game, the moment he came on England started to look a lot more dangerous. What which makes me think England should bench Beckham is not only the fact that he is doing badly (*cough* Lampard is worse *cough*) but how much Lennon could give to the present England.
People look at Beckham and the set pieces he scores and declare that Beckham shouldn't be dropped because of that, but guess what the day Beckham fails to score his set pieces is going to be the day England crash and burn.

[BenP]

That's why Beckham should be benched. No one at the present moment is carrying the team, but Lennon has the potential to. From all the England matches so far, he has been the most dangerous player. Look at yesterday's game, the moment he came on England started to look a lot more dangerous. What which makes me think England should bench Beckham is not only the fact that he is doing badly (*cough* Lampard is worse *cough*) but how much Lennon could give to the present England.
People look at Beckham and the set pieces he scores and declare that Beckham shouldn't be dropped because of that, but guess what the day Beckham fails to score his set pieces is going to be the day England crash and burn.

He plays this role as a sub in the last 20 mins, but I don't think that translates as a starter. Mind you, I don't think it'd be a bad idea to try him from the beginning of the game on right wing.

[Agent Red]

Beckhams engine has suffered in recent years but he's made up for it with brains. It would be suicide to drop Beckham and I'm so thankful that Erikkson knows it. His contribution this world cup has been massive. This will be his last world cup and England will miss his skill like a limb.

[Alan D]

You know what, everyone who says Beckham should be benched needs to take a long hard look at the past games and analyze the contributions of those players who were supposed to "carry" the team.

Owen. Lampard. Rooney. Gerrard. All 4 of them can supposedly "play" England to victory, but all 4 have been sub-standard. Granted Rooney is only just coming off injury and Owen was never fully fit, but still. Owen's job was to score. Failed. Lampard's job was to create and score. Failed. Rooney's job was to score. Failed. Gerrard's job was unclear (because of Lampard). I'll give him a pass because he did score twice when we needed it.

Just to make things crystal clear - no one (other than Marcello Balboa) expected Beckham to carry the team. He was never going to take anyone on, go on any mazy runs, or beat anyone with speed (everyone knows he has none). His role was always to deliver pinpoint crosses and to create goals from free kicks. In a couple of games (including today's) he's even done a decent job tracking back, running himself ragged in the process. Basically, he has a job and he does it - making him arguably the most effective (which is different from the "best") player on the England team right now.

As much as people have got into a habit of Beckham-bashing, an honest, unbiased look at England's past 4 games will reveal that he has done exactly what Sven expected him to. The threat he provides from dead-balls and crosses is a calculated trade-off for his lack of creativity on the right. But people like Gerrard and Lampard are supposed to step up to make up for that lack of creativity. So far they have failed. Not sure if this makes him Golden ball worthy, but it certainly needed to be said.

I completely agree with this post. He didn't play absolutely brilliantly yesterday but neither did any of our midfield to be fair and at the end of the day, regardless of how he plays, he scores and creates chances when it matters and that is what its all about. I agree Lennon is much faster but his crossing isn't anywhere near as good but he will improve with experience and he will be more than an ideal replacement for Beckham in the future. So far I think Beckham has scored one goal and two or three assists? That is pretty good to be fair. I remember when SWP was at Man City when there was all the hype he should replace Beckham in the starting line-up but he didn't take his chances when he played for Chelsea. Beckham doesn't play well all of the time, but he does lead my example, always works hard and provides the goods when needed and he was sick yesterday and he still managed to play pretty well.

[Rose8675]

Don't know if you guys caught BBC match of the day last night but apparently Beckham was really sick yesterday as well. They kept showing oictures of him bent over looking like he wanted to hurl.

Regardless, he isn't on the pitch to to create run of play goals. His job is to be deadly on set-pieces, which he has been. Seriously, if you guys want to go screaming for heads, pick on one the lampard/gerrard duo, cause clearly they have no chemistry.

[sendorange]

Don't know if you guys caught BBC match of the day last night but apparently Beckham was really sick yesterday as well. They kept showing oictures of him bent over looking like he wanted to hurl.

Regardless, he isn't on the pitch to to create run of play goals. His job is to be deadly on set-pieces, which he has been. Seriously, if you guys want to go screaming for heads, pick on one the lampard/gerrard duo, cause clearly they have no chemistry.
You must have little idea of fooball. The majority of Beckham's setpieces are poor, his first freekick goal in 3 years, and having someone in the team purely to take them is ridiculous. This isn't NFL.

[sinner78]

You must have little idea of fooball. The majority of Beckham's setpieces are poor, his first freekick goal in 3 years, and having someone in the team purely to take them is ridiculous. This isn't NFL.


gerrard and lampard have had better success at set pieces then beckham in the last 3 years.
Most of his set pieces hit the first defender these days.
he hasnt got anything left in the tank .he is completely spent.

but sven will never ever drop him .even when he was puking up on the field sven didnt sub him for another 20 minutes.
he will literally have to die before sven drops him.

[Spur_Forever]

Couldn't care less who has done what in the last 3 years. All that matters is current form, which I judge based on the past 4 games.

Beckham has 1 goal and 2 assists. He has also tracked back more than either Gerrard and Lampard in most of the games. Not bad from an ageing player who is not even supposed to be the fulcrum of the team.

[Clan]

Leading contender?

Not a chance.

[MartinJol]

Couldn't care less who has done what in the last 3 years. All that matters is current form, which I judge based on the past 4 games.

Beckham has 1 goal and 2 assists. He has also tracked back more than either Gerrard and Lampard in most of the games. Not bad from an ageing player who is not even supposed to be the fulcrum of the team.
track back? he spends most of the game in his own half hitting long balls so it is hardly tracking back.

sendorange and sinner are spot on - beckham's set-piece delivery has not been that good. i am certain that had lampard been taking the free-kicks yesterday then England would have created far more opportunities than they did. The first free-kick beckham took at the world cup was a great one but since then his crossing has been poor. We have one of the best players in the world at attacking the ball in the air (John Terry), yet how many times has Beckham picked him out so far? At the very least they should share the set-piece taking, particularly when Beckham's crossing was as poor as it was yesterday.

[Spur_Forever]

track back? he spends most of the game in his own half hitting long balls so it is hardly tracking back.
Watch the games again - with your eyes open this time. Usually I'd say that Beckham is one of the laziest players on the field, but this world cup he's really given it his all - probably because he knows it'll be his last.

beckham's set-piece delivery has not been that good. It's been just fine. Caused a goal against Paraguay (when no one else looked like scoring) and scored a goal yesterday. 2 goals from his free kicks in 4 games. What exactly would it take to be considered "good" in your eyes?

i am certain that had lampard been taking the free-kicks yesterday then England would have created far more opportunities than they did. And I'm certain he would have fluffed it - just like every other shot he's taken this world cup. His passing has been off too, so your "certainty" has no basis in reality, given his current form.

[mshankb]

And I'm certain he would have fluffed it - just like every other shot he's taken this world cup. His passing has been off too, so your "certainty" has no basis in reality, given his current form.

Well he's not talking about shooting and for the most part his passing hasn't been off at all.

[MartinJol]

Watch the games again - with your eyes open this time. Usually I'd say that Beckham is one of the laziest players on the field, but this world cup he's really given it his all - probably because he knows it'll be his last.

It's been just fine. Caused a goal against Paraguay (when no one else looked like scoring) and scored a goal yesterday. 2 goals from his free kicks in 4 games. What exactly would it take to be considered "good" in your eyes?

And I'm certain he would have fluffed it - just like every other shot he's taken this world cup. His passing has been off too, so your "certainty" has no basis in reality, given his current form.
i didn't say he did not do well defensively, just that beckham doesn't get forward enough to say that he tracks back well. he has barely got into crossing positions from open play so far.

I said his first free-kick of the wc was a great ball but since then they have been poor. maybe someone knows the stats for sure but he must have taken something like 40 set-pieces in the tournament so far and england have not created much from them.

A lot of people are saying that lampard has been off-form so far, but he has actually been out of sorts for a while. I think he went a few months without scoring from open play for chelsea after xmas. however, his crossing from corners and free-kicks remained excellent so just because his shooting has been poor so far there is no reason to suggest that his crossing would be too. beckhams free-kicks and corners were awful aside from the goal yesterday and he must have taken about 10-15 set-pieces. yet no-one else ever even gets a look-in while he is playing.

[thebigman]

hs got one goal lol