David Beckham the player

[wub1234]

That is what I was thinking in my posts above. He isn't a David Silva, but then David Silva couldn't bend it like Beckham. He was world class though, just in a different way.

I think he was more progressive/cultured in his play than many of his England teammates but to be the creative spark by doing the unexpected or some piece of fluid link up play just wasn't his game. England had players like Gazza in the past that could perform that kind of a role.. That's not to say he didn't make a difference for England because that is clearly bollocks.

I have often said that it's no coincidence that the two best major tournament performances from England teams (before last year) were Italia 90 when Gascoigne was at his peak, and Euro 96 when he enjoyed his last period of good form. Because he is the one player England have had who can make the difference in the final third from central areas. He can make a pass, or see something, or do something that the opposition won't anticipate.

In my opinion, that's why the 'golden generation' failed because they didn't have a player who could do that. All sorts of reasons and explanations have been sought, but the simple reality is that football matched can't be won by putting eleven quality players on the field, and adding up their stats and qualities like Top Trumps. We've got Gerrard, Lampard, Scholes, Beckham and Rooney, so we win. Fine, but other teams just sat back, soaked up their crosses, and then played around them.

In that respect, I would never call Beckham a great player because what he did on the field of play was entirely predictable, albeit he did it at a very high level.

 

[bosnian_red]

Such a shame that so many seem to have a misguided opinion on him. "Not a great player", "not world class", "overrated"... fecks sake.

Will forever be one of my favourite all time players. Sublime touch and technique at both passing and striking the ball, intelligence, decision making, and the work ethic to match. Could run all day, and had passing that rivaled Scholes' passing ability. People want to talk about how football has changed and whatever, and it has to an extent, but a midfield of Scholes, Keane, Beckham and Giggs had 4 players who were brilliant technically speaking, all very intelligent players, all had great control of the ball and could pick a pass as well as anyone (and did it all consistently). Just a brilliant collection of players, and in our greatest ever season, Beckham was the best player in the world. Says a lot.

 

[RedFish]

I have often said that it's no coincidence that the two best major tournament performances from England teams (before last year) were Italia 90 when Gascoigne was at his peak, and Euro 96 when he enjoyed his last period of good form. Because he is the one player England have had who can make the difference in the final third from central areas. He can make a pass, or see something, or do something that the opposition won't anticipate.

In my opinion, that's why the 'golden generation' failed because they didn't have a player who could do that. All sorts of reasons and explanations have been sought, but the simple reality is that football matched can't be won by putting eleven quality players on the field, and adding up their stats and qualities like Top Trumps. We've got Gerrard, Lampard, Scholes, Beckham and Rooney, so we win. Fine, but other teams just sat back, soaked up their crosses, and then played around them.

In that respect, I would never call Beckham a great player because what he did on the field of play was entirely predictable, albeit he did it at a very high level.

Agree 99.9%. I would, however, call him a great player simply because he did use his attributes to make the difference in matches United or England would otherwise would have lost. Those last min free kicks etc etc. He's done it enough times in his career to separate himself from most. He could fit in at Real, Milan etc because his basic technique was exceptional, its just that it was relatively linear and lacking that unpredictability or last iota of imagination.

 

[Foxbatt]

I have seen all these players and a lot before too. He had the best right foot and could the drop the ball on to anyone's head. Worked hard too but he had natural flaws that negated to be one of the greats in world football. I mean the real greats and not like Giggs or Scholes etc. He does not have much pace and he was lucky that he had Gary Neville behind him most of the time. His heading ability is almost nil and he cannot dribble. ( Yes I know he did in the CL Final a bit) but he rarely can do it.
His issue was more outside too. He thought he was a great midfield general and wanted to play in the centre. But there were better midfield players than him at United to play in the centre. Keane and Scholes were better than him. Giggs was certainly a lot more talented than him but Beckham has a much better vision than Giggs.
Making him England Captain was also the wrong choice and Sven basically messed up big time.

He messed up England too as he has too much influence on Sven and the team and the tactics and even where they ate etc.

I do not think he is a winger and I think he is a right sided midfield player. In a diamond and if he plays as the right sided midfield player he would have been much more effective. His defensive abilities are also not that great. There were much better players than him at United but probably on the right he has been the closest I can remember to the Ronaldo effect. Yes, I know Best can and has played on the right and is much better than Beckham on the right too. But Best normally played on the left.

 

[Boycott]

Beckham with England got obsessed with hollywood balls over the top towards the strikers. People say Gerrard was given too much license at the detriment of Scholes but Beckham gets off lightly. Owen was quick but not every run in behind needed to be met with launching the ball in his direction. He had the playing style of De Bruyne for club but for England tried to be a quarterback.

 

[Foxbatt]

I would like to add that the way he played today he is still better than any player we have on the right.

 

[UnofficialDevil]

Very good.

Not as good as the other team players in the midfield at the time.

Ruined his reputation by going to the USA to retire for money and fame when he still could have done it at a massive club.

Why on earth would you say that? not true.

World class

 

[Zlatattack]

To see him and Scholes still pinging those accurate diagonals..we have one player capable of picking out a pass like that today, who turns up half the time. We used to have such a phenomenal team.

Becks looked superb today.

Its fecking depressing.

 

[tenpoless]

Struggling to think of a better crosser than him.

 

[Righteous Steps]

Looking back on it was probably underrated because a lot of people seemed to have the opinion you can’t be a top winger without being able to dribble the ball, that and his close control compared to other wingers and wide forwards was not as good, namely Giggs Figo and the likes. Saying that he was the definition of a technician, could play every pass in the book, a wand of a right foot.

 

[UnofficialDevil]

Beckham was a bit like Steven Gerrard for me. He did a lot of dramatic looking stuff, sweeping crossfield balls, brilliant crosses, spectacular free-kicks, but he couldn't do what David Silva does - make a simple but clinical pass in the final third. That's why England have struggled on the international stage for so long, because we don't produce players with that skillset.

Strange post. First off that clinical pass in the final third wasnt expected of Beckham as he played on the wing and second Steven Gerrard was good at passing and we had Scholes.

 

[Bastian]

Beckham was a bit like Steven Gerrard for me. He did a lot of dramatic looking stuff, sweeping crossfield balls, brilliant crosses, spectacular free-kicks, but he couldn't do what David Silva does - make a simple but clinical pass in the final third. That's why England have struggled on the international stage for so long, because we don't produce players with that skillset.

Where did this come from? Becks did quite a lot. The only thing he rarely did was take his man on and dribble past him like an orthodox winger. He was always a reliable outlet, great touch, great passing, long and short, near perfect set piece delivery, good shot on him.

David Silva, not that I understand why we are comparing them, is as limited as Becks. What he does well he does fantastically well, and then there are things he doesn't have in his locker.

Out of two world class, albeit different types of players, I'd choose Becks all day long.

 

[Class of 63]

Are you sure? Fergie went on a Victoria offensive for a long period but you never saw him throw a fit. He was the biggest brand in football but still worked his socks off and gave his all. I bet you most of us have taken a sick day from work to take care of our kids for less. Todays footballers could learn a lot from him.

Apart from Matchdays and days when they are travelling on club duty footballers get 20+ hours free-time every day of the week so i'm not sure they are allowed 28 days paid holiday like the rest of us.

 

[GifLord]

That is what I was thinking in my posts above. He isn't a David Silva, but then David Silva couldn't bend it like Beckham. He was world class though, just in a different way.

I think he was more progressive/cultured in his play than many of his England teammates but to be the creative spark by doing the unexpected or some piece of fluid link up play just wasn't his game. England had players like Gazza in the past that could perform that kind of a role.. That's not to say he didn't make a difference for England because that is clearly bollocks.

Those are 2 different types of players.
David silva is playmaker who playes closer to the goal than Beckham ever did. While Becks was a hardworking right midfielder - he had to constantly track back(At some point he used to average 15km per game).

 

[Swordsman]

is he the best set piece specialist under SAF reign ?

 

[lawliet354]

I'd put Becks at right wing and Ronaldo at left wing for the all time United XI.

 

[Marcelinho87]

I'd put Becks at right wing and Ronaldo at left wing for the all time United XI.

What about Giggs?

 

[NinjaZombie]

He looks like he could still do the job for us on the right.

Let Mata go on free, and sign Beckham up.

 

[lawliet354]

What about Giggs?

As much as I love Giggs, I personally think Becks and Ronaldo is better at their peak. I'm really biased though as Becks is the reason I start following United in the first place

 

[lawliet354]

He looks like he could still do the job for us on the right.

Let Mata go on free, and sign Beckham up.

Current Neville + Becks could still do better job than Mata + Young

 

[Class of 63]

You say that.

Giggs screwed his sister in law.
Paul Scholes raised a thug.

Behind the celebrity, Beckham seems like an alright bloke.

Ryan Giggs's shenanigans didn't become public knowledge until his career was all but over and didn't impact on the club, and what Scholes's Son did or didn't do outside a pub 8 years after he'd left the club is of no interest to me and i'd imagine most other United fans.

Becks was a great player, and a top bloke by all accounts but he allowed himself to be manoeuvred out of United by Victoria, and I don't think that's open to debate. If only he'd fallen for Scary Spice

 

[Steerpike]

Yeah I’m not saying anyone is wrong. But, just like Rooney he annoyed a lot of people with his escapades when he was at the club.

I don't ever recall thinking that Beckham wasn't giving his all, even when his relationship with Sir Alex had soured. It's true that many of us did worry about the effect Beckham the celebrity would have on Beckham the player, but the truth is we needn't have done. Becks was the consummate professional throughout his entire career with us.

 

[The Boy]

All his qualities on the ball have been listed above, he was brilliant, but what really stood out was his attitude.

2 great examples, after he got sent of at France 98 and was blamed by the press and country for us going out to Argentina (I remember one headline was "10 Lions and 1 stupid boy") That next season he answered his critics on the pitch, first game of the season was against West Ham where they hung an effigy of him from the stadium and chanted abuse at him for 90 solid minutes, he was immense and had one of the best seasons of his career.

Fast forward 3 years to the game against against Greece, where England were poor and looked like they wouldn't qualify for the 2002 WC, Beckham again was immense and drove that team on scoring a free kick with the last kick of the game to qualify us.

Not a man utd fan, but I will always have huge huge respect for Becks. One of the very best.

 

[Marcelinho87]

As much as I love Giggs, I personally think Becks and Ronaldo is better at their peak. I'm really biased though as Becks is the reason I start following United in the first place

I will respectfully disagree.

Very tough choices.

 

[RC89]

He was overrated by the media at times and was then underrated by far too many of those who weren't United fans as a result (maybe even some United fans who didn't enjoy his celebrity). Best consistent crosser of the ball in my life time. But he was also a very good player on top of this, was the reason why he was able to move into midfield for Madrid. Add to that his work rate and you have a very very good player.

 

[simplyared]

Go along with him being grossly underrated. Seeing him strike that ball, pinpointing those passes, there was nobody in the world who could do that the way he did.

 

[Keeps It tidy]

He was overrated by the media at times and was then underrated by far too many of those who weren't United fans as a result (maybe even some United fans who didn't enjoy his celebrity). Best consistent crosser of the ball in my life time. But he was also a very good player on top of this, was the reason why he was able to move into midfield for Madrid. Add to that his work rate and you have a very very good player.

Yeah the best comparison I heard was Mike Tyson. Like Tyson he was overrated by casual fans and underrated by hardcore fans.

 

[RC89]

Struggling to think of a better crosser than him.

There are none. No one manages to cross at varying lengths, from varying lengths with the invariable consistency that Beck's did. The way in which he would wrap it to remain beyond the clutches of the CB but curl 'back' slightly to meet the striker on connection was perfect.

 

[bosnian_red]

I'd put Becks at right wing and Ronaldo at left wing for the all time United XI.

Ronaldo > Best > Beckham > Giggs

Don't think there's a big difference between Becks and Giggs personally, but with Ronaldo and Best in our history, don't think either get in the all time eleven.

 

[lukepowell1988]

Saw him in 99 when we beat Newcastle 5 - 1 at home glad to be able to say I got to see him live saw Ronaldo a few times too.

Beckham is my favourite ever England player he was a superstar beyond other levels for me I will always remember the free kicks

 

[reelworld]

I saw the NBC docco on the treble yesterday. Every United starters on the pitch are already dead on their legs in the final 15 minutes of the CL final. Most of the first choice players already played 60 matches or close to it. The only one who kept running the same way the match started was Beckham. His energy is unbelievable.

I thought that he could be a midfield general if he got played there more often. But his crossing becomes his downfall in playing CM since Fergie couldn't find anybody who could replicate what Beckham did on the right. He tried though. I remember that one interview that one of the main reason United bought Poborsky was to enable Beckham to play centrally. But given that Beckham's crossing developed into the best in the world and his stamina means he could run up and down that right wing all day means little chance anyone could replicate it, so Becks stayed on the right

 

[TRD]

Is it just me or does David Beckham and Luke Shaw looks similar?

 

[kouroux]

Is it just me or does David Beckham and Luke Shaw looks similar?

Just you, I assure you

 

[VorZakone]

Is it just me or does David Beckham and Luke Shaw looks similar?

I don't see it.

 

[spaceboyRSA]

Never the quickest. Never the most skillful. Maximised his ability and worked his socks off. An amazing right foot. Absolute legend.

Plus ridiculously good looking (even with the squeaky voice)

 

[GazTheLegend]

Strange post. First off that clinical pass in the final third wasnt expected of Beckham as he played on the wing and second Steven Gerrard was good at passing and we had Scholes.

no, he's absolutely right.

As soon as Gerrard came up against a real world class CM in Andrea Pirlo, he got humbled.

Beckham got shifted on to the right because he absolutely was NOT world class in central midfield.... he had world class attributes but he never really looked convincing in a two man pairing in midfield. Beckham could be nullified by man marking - that didn't happen so much on the wings.

 

[LilyWhiteSpur]

Wish we could have signed him under Harry, he was at our taining ground this week might give him a trial .

 

[iHicksy]

If you don't think Beckham was world class than you're simply a moron or you didn't actually watch United when he played for us. Because, there's no excuse for that kind of ignorance. Beckham played in a star studded midfield at the time, that's the only reason I can think that people underrate him. Beckham had the best crossing i've ever seen. Ever. He didn't have much pace which might be another reason people underrate him as he wasn't a pacey winger which we normally associate with united....or used to. Real Madrid at the peak of their galactico powers with Zidane, Ronaldo, Carlos etc wanted him and he went straight into their first team. World class.

He would make a yard of space with his right and whip the ball around the defender to pinpoint accuracy onto the head of the attacker. You know how accurate Scholes was with his long balls in the later years for United when he sat deeper? Beckham could do that too, and what's more he had a freekick on him that was so good that if it was anywhere near the box you expected him to score. Couple that with a solid work rate and a fantastic work ethic and will to improve, he was quite simply amazing. Plus, he was a big game player. Remember that freekick vs Greece on the 90th minute that he scored? He could handle pressure and always stepped up. Hell, even playing in the legends game his crossing is still better than anything we've seen since.

 

[RedRonaldo]

His celebrity status is too big at that time, bigger than Ronaldo+Messi combined, and too big that make people forget he is actually a good football player too. And he is living during the era of Zidane and Pirlo too. I feel he is still among the top 3-5 midfielder in the world during his time, he is by far the best crosser I’ve ever seen, his work rate is top class too.

His weakness though is his lack of dribbling and pace when playing as winger in 442, his supreme long pass and cross more than compensate it. Should he play in today’s modern 433, he might be even better player.

I think the best sum up is when people regard Beckham has a “golden right foot”.

 

[Jammiedodger]

Saw him loads of times and actually lived near me in Hertfordshire when he lived at Beckingham Palace so would see him around at Pie and Mash shops! He was down to earth before becoming full on celeb. Also knew people who benefitted from his generosity, he often paid for medical equipment for families in need but kept it quiet.

As a player he was great, nobody like him at the time who could cross a ball and put in a pinpoint pass straight onto someones head. His crosses were some of the best ive seen, would always hit that danger area with pace and super accurate. His free kicks were brilliant too. The more i think about it the more i realise we have nothing like that at United at this current tine. Its really missed IMO.