It should be Beckham’s last act

as England captain.

Handing over the armband to Michael Owen after his red card against Austria.

But no it won’t happen to Sven’s golden boy, he’ll miss the games he’s suspended for unless the F.A. get the sending off overturned then walk straight back into the team. The apologists were right in making excuses for the “captain’s” actions forgetting this was exactly the way Rooney acted that had them all castigating the kid for days after the N. Ireland game even though he wasn’t the team leader and didn’t get sent off.

Nevermind the rights and wrongs of the cards handed out by the ref it was the same acts of petulance as in Etienne 7 years ago that saw the England captain become the first England player dismissed twice playing for his country. A straight arm to Andreas Ibertsberger was somewhat similar to that a certain hot headed young forward was penalised for but unlike Rooney who took his frustration out on Beckham with a few choice words Beckham decided to get revenge on Ibertsberger with 2 more reckless challenges.

Yes the Austrian over reacted to the final one that got Beckham the 2nd yellow but he was clipped and it was damn lucky for England it wasn’t a yard further forward which would have resulted in an Austrian penalty. Who knows Robinson may have saved it but England could have been trying to hold on for the last half hour for a 1-1 draw and not a 1-0 win.

He won’t be missed on Wednesday against Poland.

Nope the forwards won’t miss him running across them as they are about to shoot the midfield won’t miss him coming in off the right wing crowding their space and giving them no outlet on the right.

We were told by Sven it was back to 4-4-2 with Beckham in his best position on the right flank ready to ping those pin point great crosses right onto the head of 6ft 7 inch Peter Crouch. So what happened Beckham decided to float round popping up on the left in the middle and up front the last place you found him was on the right and the last thing he had in mind was getting to the byline to get a cross onto Crouch. Generally getting in everybody’s road and doing sod all.

I don’t know why I ever expected him to do what was asked, after all it’s been some time since he’s had any ability to get past a defender to actually get to the byline. Thank god the penalty duties were taken out of his hand and given to Lampard or it would have been hanging onto a 0-0 because on that wet surface Beckham was bound to have slipped on his arse and put the ball into row Z.

Anyway England are there in Germany for the next World Cup thanks to Holland beating the Czechs last night but a team that struggles to get out of that group ain’t going to set the tournament alight. Especially with dull Sven thinking a team need 4 defenders and a defensive holding midfield player against a team as poor as Austria who are only playing one striker up front.

There’s a hope Wednesday will provide Sven some food for thought, without the suspended Beckham and injured Gerrard maybe Lampard will get the chance to shine with less crowded midfield, Wright-Phillips will show what teams hate facing – pace – and Rooney will be back.

Not that I’m one of those that though Crouch was crap, yeah he didn’t take the headed chances that came his way but the one he’s getting most stick for was a real floater of a ball, not easy to get enough power on. And that’s the thing he didn’t get the service all game but with what he got he did well, a number of through balls from his feet and nod ons were placed perfectly and but for some decent keeping an bad first touches from the likes of Owen would have resulted in goals. He deserves his place in the squad for future games.