Becks to play tonight
Update - you can watch the LA Galaxy v DC United game live here. David Beckham started the game and is captaining the LA Galaxy.
Update 2 - David Beckham has scored his first LA Galaxy goal from a free kick on his first start!!! *woot* He's da man!
David Beckham expects to play half of tonight's Super Liga semi-final against DC United. It is not yet known whether he will start or come on as a sub.
(Source) He told reporters, Tuesday, "It's [his ankle] not perfect yet, but I think I can play at least half a game tomorrow, which is important for me... It's important for the team that I at least get on the pitch and help contribute. It was good to get out on to the field today and have a bit of practice... This is my first time, since I arrived, to be out on the training pitch and it felt good." Becks said he was still feeling some pain in his Achilles' tendon and under the ankle. "My ankle's not perfect... It's about 70-80 percent." but he still feels able to play saying, I think the only 20% or 30% that's missing is the strength in the ankle... This is my first day training, so it still feels unstable to a certain extent, but it feels stable enough to actually play in a game and see how far I can take it.
Details of Tuesday's training session are online here. The report says that David Beckham did play in a short-sided scrimmage. At one point he took a shot on goal, resulting in a slight grimace and a little hop on his injured left ankle, proving that while he's ready to join in training, he's still not quite at full strength just yet.
The report also noted that 'his ankle was heavily wrapped. Yet while it's important not to rush Beckham back too quickly, the club hasn't scored in their last three games (all since Beckham joined the team), and his return to the team could be all-important if the Galaxy are going to make a charge up the standings and grab a spot in the MLS Cup Playoffs.'
Coach yallop added, "It's important because our place in the league needs to get going quickly. It's been frustrating for all of us not to have someone like David available... I think David will be the one who knits it all together.".
Greg Lalas, the brother of La Galaxy GM Alexi Lalas, presented a case for resting David Beckham in an article on Goal.com yesterday, but obviously the brothers are not in agreement. Thanks to the fan who shared the link.
A match preview for tonight's semi-final is online here. Good luck to Becks I hope his guardian angel will be working hard tonight!
Watching the game
Tonight's game will be shown on Telefutura in the US, but fans elsewhere can watch the game online for free on mlsnet.com The game kicks off at 7PM PT which is 10PM ET.Tentative plans
(Source) Becks spent 30 minutes answering press questions Tuesday and said that, depending on how his ankle holds up tonight, he expects to travel with the Galaxy to New Jersey on Thursday and to play against the New York Red Bulls at Giants Stadium on Saturday. From there if he is named in Steve McClaren's squad Friday, for England's Aug. 22 game against Germany in London, and his ankle feels well enough, he will fly to England on Sunday, returning in time for the Galaxy's game against Chivas USA on Aug. 23. He said, "I don't want to be meeting up with England and not being able to take part in the game because obviously that means another player doesn't get the opportunity to play... If I'm right, I'll be meeting up."Update - According to The Sun Steve McClaren told reporters when asked about David Beckham's status, "We’ve got to assess it [his fitness] over the next few days. He’ll be in the squad, we want him to come over and play a part against Germany but it all depends on what happens this evening. We’ll be keeping in close contact with him and the Galaxy medical staff to see his condition. If at all possible of course we’d like David to join us on Monday."
David Beckham's Soccer USA
Just a quick reminder that David Beckham's Soccer USA will be on Channel Five in the UK at 7.15PM tonight and also on FSC at 7.30PM ET. Update - Watch Episode 4 of the UK version below and you can hear Becks talking about his MLS debut in part one and his new team-mates in part three -Part two - Part three - Part four
Motorola contest
There is a new contest from Motorola to win a trip to the David Beckham Academy and a chance to meet Becks himself on the official David Beckham website click here to check it out and enter!
posted by rpm at 1:19 AM
20 Comments:
positive thoughts to Beckham and the team, hope the ankle would hold up and the team would win.
Marie
2:49 AM
Thanks a lot for the updates :)
Let's all look forward to more Becks on the pitch and hopefully feeling more comfortable with his ankle.
Ben
3:30 AM
I am so fed up, guttsed off, just over, this whole damn business, the completely absurd way its been handled. This is going to be my last comment on it. Quite frankly what is there to say? I hope the lad comes through it ok and I hope things work out for him in the end. I hope he doesn't re-injure himself and need surgery.
I also hope the coach starts to show some tactical sense and doesn't keep making comments as if one central mid is the magical answer to all of his teams and his own inadequacies. Mr. Yallop you aren't a Managers elbow.
3:33 AM
is there anyway that you could post the press confrence on tuesday or even tell me where i can find it. thanks
4:57 AM
fingers crossed he'll be alright tonight. half the game is a lofty goal. so, good thoughts his way.
i really want to see hi perform for england, so fingers are crossed there.
a lalas i can get behind. thanks for the goal.com article.
5:27 AM
I hope he comes to England mainly so that the England medical team can see him. It's another opinion.
I hope he has a good game and they get the win tonight.
6:25 AM
The photos of the grimace and hop, after ONE strike, looked more painful than 70 to 80% fit :-( so I'm with the more clever of the Lalas' brothers.
On a more positive note, thanks for the full text of Becks' answer to the question about going to England on Sunday...it hints of a bit more common sense than other (possibly abridged) replies quoted. The whole thing still sounds insane to me, but I am also still praying there is a cool head somewhere involved in these decisions, and hope all my worries are unfounded...
Best luck and good health tonight!
7:11 AM
I know Syd, I have to stop myself from ranting and shouting at my TV whenever sports updates on Beckham is shown, and the Galaxy's handling of the injury is magnified by the EPL's clubs making sure that their players coming from injuries is within a match fitness level before even allowing them on the pitch. Its nice that the goal.com article supports Beckham resting, I hope he can talk some sense to his brother; I mean Galaxy would not be the only one to suffer, England would to as well so I hope Mclaren would look after Beckham and use his own doctors to check on him. Positive thoughts, positive thoughts :) (sorry for the rant)
Marie
7:43 AM
I don't think he should be going to meet up with the England squad because the flight will make him worse surely!
10:11 AM
I was wondering where you have to go on the SuperLiga site to watch the game live tonight?
thanks
George
11:37 AM
when starts the game? it isn't 10:00 pm ET. I can't see anything on superliga.com :(
1:55 PM
All I can say after having read the last days comments is how incredible it is to see how people react whenever they don't have what they want :-(
US new fans whant to see David play and no matter he's injured, they put the blame on him for not playing. It's really sad.
He's not superman!
He has to be strong before that.
He's tried to play to appease his fans because he's a GREAT man. He might have aggraveted his injury by playing but he played though. Only Becks is capable of doing this I guess.
But I very much hope that next time he plays is when he's 100% fit.
Let's hope that the fans who don't understand that will soon change their mind and become REAL fans.
I hope that I could express my feelings correctly though my english is not fluent...
Fingers crossed, positive thoughts, prayers, and whatever you do, David, we all are with you.
1:56 PM
Goodluck to him and the team tonight. Hoping there're no negative effects on the ankle.
3:54 PM
Sorry to anyone like me who was hoping to see the game via the SuperLiga site they showed the last LA Galaxy game live but I they don't mention showing this one. I'd still suggest checking the site.
4:47 PM
Gooooooooooooollllllllllll!!!!!!!!!
Yeah Baby that's our Becks!!!!
7:38 PM
yeah its on the site, but at the very bottom. and its pretty small
8:40 PM
WAY TO GO DAVID!!!
i was at a restraunt to watch the first half of the game and got up and started screaming and jumping up and down. everyone was staring at me like i was some type of crazy person, but im not crazy...
im a david beckham fan lol :D
kathryn
(dallas texas fan)
8:43 PM
it seems the team stepped up too.:) great game for our Beckham, hope the ankle's fine, as much as I want him to be playing for England I hope that he rests his ankle first.
Marie
9:16 PM
Hi Anna,
Beckham was fantastic on the field today. he made some great passes and what a goal he made in the 28th minute like always one of his famous free-kicks. finally, i see the LA Galaxy win a game. Great game Becks.
P.S. I was a bit disappointed that fans did not show up to the game , hopefully this changes fans minds of giving becks a hard time in his injury.
9:37 PM
There only one David Beckham... one David Beckham...
I was watching the game live via mls.net in my pc at the office. LOL!
Man, I could get fired for this! :))
11:46 PM
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