I know alot of us Saints fans have no interest in the England national team, but tonights game has got me wondering; Does anyone else think David Beckham would still do a good job as one of the holding midfielders in a 4-2-3-1 for England, or is he past it? Thoughts.
If I had it my way, he'd have been called up every single time he's been available. He's never showed that he can't play 90 minutes any more, he never had any pace to begin with anyway, and he's one of the best set-piece takers and best passers of the ball in the history of the game. He'd be far more valuable to the team than Milner, Downing or Young. I wouldn't play him as a holding midfielder though.
He'd have been in my squad every time as well. I would use him as a right midfield substitute if I brought him on.
Since Beckham started to fall away from the national team, we haven't really had a nailed on starter.
Agree with the above, he'd never been out my squad, if only for the experience he brings. Considering how many players seemingly get into the squad through virtue of name and reputation alone, pretty amusing that the biggest name of them all was shunned.
Alan Hansen said a few years ago, "England's problem is that, of the four players vying for the two right-midfield slots in Capello's World Cup squad – Walcott, David Beckham, Aaron Lennon and Shaun Wright-Phillips – only one, Beckham, has a football brain, but he can't run."
Felt really strange watching him tonight playing in such a high profile game, just makes me feel like we were robbed of 6 years of his career by him playing in the States. Ultimately I think he made his own bed in regards to England by going over there, and in fairness to England managers past and present it would have been difficult to gauge his level with him playing in the MLS. We claim that Lambert doesn't get in the England side because he plays for Southampton, I guess it was even worse for Beckham going over there.
Proper impressed with his performance tonight, and I could definitely see him playing as one of the 2 in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with another player able to intercept and break up the play, allowing Beckham (with his intelligent passing range) to start attacks and set off our striker (as we seemingly like a pacey player up front, namely Defoe or welbeck).
Someone on the BBC says that Beckham only played tonight for commercial reasons, he really is slated in the country. But maybe just like Lambert and Le Tissier he is a victim of English footballing culture, where you have to be fast and strong or you are not good enough. Robbie Savage did a piece on Match of the Day 2 about Lambert and his main criticism was his lack of pace. Yes, to unsettle top defences you need assets that are difficult to play against such as pace and height, but Xavi and Berbatov for example have done alright for themselves. We also are anti age- we must have younger players, Pirlo and Cannavaro are old and rubbish!!
Becks showed he's still got it tonight, i've never seen a player with such and accurate and diverse range of passing. Absolute hero.
I love Beckham, and would probably include him in the 23 man squad, for his experience, passion and motivation. Or perhaps in a Coach role similar to that he fulfilled at the 2010 World Cup. However, to start him as a holding midfielder, he needs to be 1 of the best 2 holding midfielders. Is he better than Carrick? No. Wilshere? No. Stevie G?. No. Lampard? No. He's still a great player, but not England-starting material IMO.
