August 22, 2008

David Beckham creates more problems than solutions

Tony Cascarino

Will someone have the balls to put “Goldenballs” in his place? David Beckham is hurting England and I can't believe Fabio Capello hasn't noticed - and that Beckham's team-mates aren't trying to sort out the problems he creates. It's in their interest because the way the former captain is playing is making the rest of the midfield look bad. He could cost them their places.

Against the Czech Republic, as usual, Beckham was indulgently wandering wherever he liked with no sense of positional discipline. It unbalanced the team. One moment he's where he should be, on the right; the next he's drifted over towards the centre, even the left wing. It's a recipe for confusion. 

Beckham is far from the only culprit for England's poor show at Wembley but I'm shocked that a manager of Capello's stature can't see the issues Beckham's tactical failings are causing.

Take the Czech Republic's first goal. Beckham gives away the ball on the right, moves towards the centre and ends up on the left, leaving Wes Brown exposed at right back. Do Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard and Gareth Barry tell him to get back to his place? No, they let him wander into their territory and even get out of his way. 

Beckham is constantly demanding the ball. He's hungry, which is fine - but it's no wonder then that Barry and Lampard look anonymous when Beckham's jogging into their position and collecting the ball, or taking set-pieces he should leave to others. What does he do in possession? He's always looking for the 30 or 40-yard glory ball. But to whom? What's the use in finding a player who's isolated because his team-mates are out of position as a result of these ramblings?

The difference between Beckham now and then is that his legs are betraying him. He's never been quick but he always had a fantastic engine. These days he's that fraction slower, that bit less energetic, and so he's not able to support the attack or protect the defence well enough. He's just sitting deep spraying passes.

Beckham's supporters will say that his set-piece expertise can win games. But there are too many negatives to justify his inclusion ahead of David Bentley or Gabriel Agbonlahor. Good teams will expose him. 

You can just see this scenario happening: Beckham plays against Andorra, scores a free kick and everybody's happy. Then Capello picks him in Zagreb and England lose looking disorganised, unimaginative and slow. Golden? I don't think so.