David Beckham or TAA

comment by Barefoot (U19770)
posted 54 minutes ago
Beckham was a great long and short range passer, and I have yet to see a better crosser of the ball, though De Bruyne comes close. As for the free-kicks........
I actually think Beckham was underrated as a player!
----------------------------------------------------------------------
In terms of quality from crosses and ranges of passing, I don't think TAA comes that far behind personally. I'm not sure you can pay TAA much a bigger compliment than that. I think it's just Beckham has become such an icon for his free kicks, crossing, passing etc that other players won't get the same treatment because of what Beckham ultimately managed to get himself known for.

comment by JustYourAverageFan (U21016)
posted 2 minutes ago
comment by Barefoot (U19770)
posted 54 minutes ago
Beckham was a great long and short range passer, and I have yet to see a better crosser of the ball, though De Bruyne comes close. As for the free-kicks........
I actually think Beckham was underrated as a player!
----------------------------------------------------------------------
In terms of quality from crosses and ranges of passing, I don't think TAA comes that far behind personally. I'm not sure you can pay TAA much a bigger compliment than that. I think it's just Beckham has become such an icon for his free kicks, crossing, passing etc that other players won't get the same treatment because of what Beckham ultimately managed to get himself known for.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

What do you mean when you say 'treatment'?

As in it seems unlikely that anybody with comparable ability to Beckham in respect to his ability of crossing, passing and taking set pieces will surpass how good he was at doing it, even though there may be a case for it. Down to the fact that Beckham has, rightly so, become an icon for that.

Same principle that nobody well surpass the "Tika-Taka" style of Spain/Guardiola's Barca side from the 2010's era because they are so iconic for being so good at it, that it is unlikely anybody will be held in a higher regard to them.

comment by JustYourAverageFan (U21016)
posted 5 minutes ago
As in it seems unlikely that anybody with comparable ability to Beckham in respect to his ability of crossing, passing and taking set pieces will surpass how good he was at doing it, even though there may be a case for it. Down to the fact that Beckham has, rightly so, become an icon for that.

Same principle that nobody well surpass the "Tika-Taka" style of Spain/Guardiola's Barca side from the 2010's era because they are so iconic for being so good at it, that it is unlikely anybody will be held in a higher regard to them.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Fair point, but I've not seen anyone deliver crosses like Beckham, as consistently as he did it.

TAA doesn't have a bad one, but as I say it would take a brave man to ever say it was "better" than Beckham's because of how iconic he is for that. That's probably why many people have and probably always will consider him the best and rightly so.

Can't pay a bigger compliment to TAA though to compare him with an icon at this. His passing and crossing is simply superb.

Agreed, and I would like to see him tried in midfield for England - he's better than anything else we have.

Comment Deleted by Site Moderator

Didn't TAA come through the youth system playing in the centre of midfield? He would certainly be a very good RM in the old 4-4-2 system.

With Southgate's seeming preference to play the likes of Walker and Trippier (even though at LB), I don't see what he can lose by putting a clear quality footballer in a position that the player himself and many others see him as being trainable in.

As has been said, England hardly have a sea of top talent in CM at the moment.

comment by *GTWI4T- some people deserve to get trolled (U6008)
posted 1 minute ago
comment by Winston (U16525)
posted 5 seconds ago
Agreed, and I would like to see him tried in midfield for England - he's better than anything else we have.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

I dont think Southgate has the balls to do it but it is worth trying. TAA will never have the same impact for England as he does for us due to our system being built around the space that our wide forwards leave for him and the way our midfield is set up.
TAA played CM for a big chunk of his time in the youth teams and has gone on record saying that's where he sees himself as he progresses. Sometimes a manager, especially a national manager has to take a chance like this and I don't see what he has to lose.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Quite - certainly not when our central midfield options are as pitiful as they are.