Things go quiet for most people in the off-season, but there's always something going on in the World of Beckham.
This week Galaxy announce their list of eleven 'protected' players that will not be available for new MLS team Seattle Sounders. To be frank I have no idea how this draft system works, but safe to say Beckham heads the list of players not available - no surprise there really!
In the same week, top-class player Kaka says, when Beckham comes to Milan, there is no way he will want to go back to Galaxy... Kaka was generous in his praise of Beckham and his skills and dedication to the game. He is looking forward to playing alongside him and hopes that he will stay after next March.
I am sure the Galaxy management have a very different view of the situation hence their opposition to him going in the first place. I think it would be best for all sides if he were to return to LA and have a great season - but whilst there is a clash of expectations between club and player, you can't be sure that Beckham won't take things into his own hands and allow himself to be courted by Milan...
Thursday, 27 November 2008
Wednesday, 19 November 2008
Germany 1 England 2
This game was always going to show a different side of England with all the absentees through injury. No Rooney, Lampard, Cole (either Joe or Ashley), Ferdinand, Brown, Owen or Gerard, and no Beckham because he is not playing regular first team football. Often these injury-strewn teams allow some new talent to show and the front pairing of Agbonlahor and Defoe promised to be interesting. To be fair Germany also had their fair share of walking wounded.
It was a night for newcomers to make their mark and it was Matthew Upson that scored the first goal after 23 minutes from Downing's corner. Downing himself almost added another right at the end of the first half with a rasping left foot shot which Adler, the German keeper threw himself at, Wright-Phillips missed the rebound.
The first half was reasonably even-handed with England displaying some of the dominance in possession that they displayed in some of the qualifying games, but not to a very great extent. Germany had their moments and looked dangerous from set-pieces missing a couple of headers which could easily have evened up the score.
Both teams changed 'keepers for the second half, David James giving way to West Brom's Scott Carson, who will be keen to forget his part in the England team's failure to qualify for Euro 2008.
Darren Bent replaces Defoe up front and Germany change three of their outfield players. Germany came out strong for the second half and it wasn't until about 15 minutes into the half that England got a golden chance as Bent took the ball around the keeper, but lost his footing and didn't connect with the shot properly. Germany immediately punished England when a mix-up between Terry and Carson saw the ball trickle through Carson's legs and a German striker had the ball goal side of keeper and defender and only had to slide it into an open net. This sparked some fire back into the game with was otherwise becoming fairly dull. Marin had a good effort parried away by Carson on the 75th minute amending a little for the earlier error, which to be fair was as much Terry's error unless Carson called for the ball. Shortly after that Ashley Young came on for Agbonlahor who, like the England team as a whole, had not been as busy in the second half. A nice move through the middle on 78 minutes saw Wright-Phillips stinging the post as the German keeper got finger-tips to his shot.
It was John Terry who rescued England on 85 mins, making up for his part in the earlier defensive error. He was fed from a Downing free kick, rising above a close-marking defender to head across goal, the ball nestling in the far corner whilst the keeper helplessly gesticulated his complaints..
On 90 minutes Peter Crouch replaced Shaun Wright-Phillips as the game fizzled out without Crouch touching the ball - five wins on the trot for Capello's England.
Overall it was not the sublimely dominant performance we have almost come to expect recently, but then it never was going to be against Germany with so many key players missing. It is always pleasing to beat Germany and to grind out a result anywhere shows great character. Ground out and laboured it was though, not a pretty game - not one to watch again...
It was a night for newcomers to make their mark and it was Matthew Upson that scored the first goal after 23 minutes from Downing's corner. Downing himself almost added another right at the end of the first half with a rasping left foot shot which Adler, the German keeper threw himself at, Wright-Phillips missed the rebound.
The first half was reasonably even-handed with England displaying some of the dominance in possession that they displayed in some of the qualifying games, but not to a very great extent. Germany had their moments and looked dangerous from set-pieces missing a couple of headers which could easily have evened up the score.
Both teams changed 'keepers for the second half, David James giving way to West Brom's Scott Carson, who will be keen to forget his part in the England team's failure to qualify for Euro 2008.
Darren Bent replaces Defoe up front and Germany change three of their outfield players. Germany came out strong for the second half and it wasn't until about 15 minutes into the half that England got a golden chance as Bent took the ball around the keeper, but lost his footing and didn't connect with the shot properly. Germany immediately punished England when a mix-up between Terry and Carson saw the ball trickle through Carson's legs and a German striker had the ball goal side of keeper and defender and only had to slide it into an open net. This sparked some fire back into the game with was otherwise becoming fairly dull. Marin had a good effort parried away by Carson on the 75th minute amending a little for the earlier error, which to be fair was as much Terry's error unless Carson called for the ball. Shortly after that Ashley Young came on for Agbonlahor who, like the England team as a whole, had not been as busy in the second half. A nice move through the middle on 78 minutes saw Wright-Phillips stinging the post as the German keeper got finger-tips to his shot.
It was John Terry who rescued England on 85 mins, making up for his part in the earlier defensive error. He was fed from a Downing free kick, rising above a close-marking defender to head across goal, the ball nestling in the far corner whilst the keeper helplessly gesticulated his complaints..
On 90 minutes Peter Crouch replaced Shaun Wright-Phillips as the game fizzled out without Crouch touching the ball - five wins on the trot for Capello's England.
Overall it was not the sublimely dominant performance we have almost come to expect recently, but then it never was going to be against Germany with so many key players missing. It is always pleasing to beat Germany and to grind out a result anywhere shows great character. Ground out and laboured it was though, not a pretty game - not one to watch again...
Sunday, 16 November 2008
Beckham not in England squad
England are due to meet Germany in a friendly international in Berlin on Wednesday, and Beckham has not made the squad. Capello made it clear that no players could be picked if they weren't playing regular first team football, and Beckham has not played since the last Galaxy game on 26th October.
Capello insists that this game will be played as a friendly and he will take the opportunity to experiment with some new faces, resisting the call to recall Michael Owen despite injuries to the forward line.
Beckham misses out on a chance to equal Bobby Moore's tally of 108 England appearences. The next England friendly is in March 2009 against Slovalia, this will be quickly followed by a World Cup qualifier against Ukraine - Beckham will be hoping that his stint at Milan will put him in the frame for this match, although he should be back in pre-season for Galaxy at this time.
Capello insists that this game will be played as a friendly and he will take the opportunity to experiment with some new faces, resisting the call to recall Michael Owen despite injuries to the forward line.
Beckham misses out on a chance to equal Bobby Moore's tally of 108 England appearences. The next England friendly is in March 2009 against Slovalia, this will be quickly followed by a World Cup qualifier against Ukraine - Beckham will be hoping that his stint at Milan will put him in the frame for this match, although he should be back in pre-season for Galaxy at this time.
Saturday, 15 November 2008
Galaxy Update
After declaring that he could see no benefit in Beckham going to Milan on loan, Landon Donovan is spending 10 days training with Bayern Munich. This news is officially announced on the Galaxy website, but as yet there is still no acknowledgment of Beckham's deal with Milan on the same site. To the outside observer it seems that relations between Donovan, Beckham and The Galaxy are not as they should be. Speculation is abound that Donovan may sign a deal (even a short-term one like Beckham) with Munich although his quoted value is around a mere £1.7m... Nobody is suggesting sour grapes, but he has not resisted the opportunity to take the odd verbal dig at Beckham (OK - maybe I am suggesting sour grapes...). One thing at least is certain, and that is that at The Galaxy Beckham and Donovan need each other.On Beckhams official blog he says he would like to have gone to the proposed December game in Australia, but for the fact that the game was scheduled to happen in the players agreed 'family time'. The articles I read suggested that plans for the game were scrapped after the loan deal with Milan was worked out implying that either Milan or Beckham had the final say - It's fairly clear that without Beckham, there would be no reason to drag LA Galaxy over to Australia....
The game in New Zealand is still set to go ahead in about three weeks, presumably Arena, Beckham and Donovan will have a chance to work out their differences - but I think it's fair to say the honeymoon is over and the lack of silverware at The Galaxy has not helped.
Monday, 10 November 2008
Beckham nominated for goal of the year
Beckham's 70 yard goal in Galaxy's May win over Kansas City this year was nominated for MLS goal of the year. It has made it to the short-list of ten from the original 35 selected.It didn't even make goal of the week at the time, so it is odd to find it in the top 10 now - you can't get away from the fact that although there was no keeper to beat, it's the sort of goal people will want to watch over and over again.
The candidates remaining are:
Gallardo
W. Johnson
Rogers
Angel
Beckham
McManus
Cepero
Arnaud
Blanco
Cameron
Although Donovan and McDonald made it into the 35, they didn't make the cut to the final 10. The next cut takes it down to the final five, but it would be strange for Beckham to go any further with a goal that didn't make goal of the week...
Thursday, 6 November 2008
Beckham in training for The Galaxy
Beckham returns to training this week with The Galaxy in preparation for the game against the Oceania All-Star Team in Auckland at the Mt Smart Stadium on Saturday 6th December. This will be the last game before Beckham goes to Milan on loan.The Galaxy have kept quiet about the Milan deal and the feeling one gets is that they are fairly tight-lipped and uncomfortable about it. Beckham however, has been keen to stress that his loan spell will keep him fit and be a benefit to The Galaxy next season. David is even talking about trophies for LA in the coming season even though this season has to go down as a big disappointment.
Looking at the facts, we know that Milan were interested in signing Beckham before he went to LA, and The Galaxy have to be concerned that if he gets an offer as a result of this loan period he may well consider it seriously. On the other hand, he is making all the right noises about returning to the MLS next year. He is contractually obliged to LA, but that has never stopped a footballer in the past - if someone can come up with the cash to release him from his contract, then you have to say that it is still a possibility. I am not yet convinced that he has given up on the American Dream, but to go against the wishes of The Galaxy in this way leaves you wondering what has changed in the last 18 months.
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