Beckham set to play tonight (Good news or bad news?)

David Beckham will play for the Los Angeles Galaxy tonight against DC United in the SuperLiga semifinal at Home Depot Center. That is good news for Galaxy fans that have had little else to feel good about recently. Or is it?

Beckham has yet to play in consecutive matches and the combination of playing tonight and having to travel cross-country to come to New York on Thursday makes the chances of him playing at Giants Stadium on Saturday slim.

The more than 50,000 fans with tickets to Saturday's Red Bulls-Galaxy match will watch tonight's Superliga match eager to see if Beckham can actually get through the match unscathed. The problem is that Beckham could play increased minutes and walk off the field looking completely fine, then wind up having another setback with his injured left ankle. The same thing happened a week ago when he played solid minutes against DC United and left the feel looking healthy only to completely miss the team's next match, a 1-0 loss to New England on Sunday.

Should Beckham be playing in tonight's match? Not really. The Galaxy's slim playoff hopes are fading fast and rather than give Beckham some good rest they set him on a course to make two cross-country trips in five days, with a non-MLS game in between. Does that really make sense? Did the Galaxy basically tell us that they've given up on the MLS playoffs and are going to focus on SuperLiga?

It would have made more sense to let Beckham stay in New York for the week and rest and rehab his ankle injury with hopes of having him as close to healthy as possible for the Red Bulls match. Not because Giants Stadium could be close to sold out for the match, but because the Galaxy need every point it can get in MLS play.

What do you think of the Galaxy's decision to have Beckham play tonight? Share your thoughts below.

Comments

[jake]

Honestly, LA should shoot the moon and go for the Superliga title. Their MLS hopes are all but done for. They have played much better in the Superliga and it might do more for them in southern california to show they can play well against Pachuca (if they beat United). Their chances in MLS are slim.

[Dal4fsu]

I agree with Jake. Not to mention those players want the $1 Million dollar payday to jump their salaries for the year. Their hopes of a MLS title are slim to none at this point.

[jade1mls]

Hahahahha beat United? not with those clowns. VAMOS UNITED!

[Whitescandal]

@jade

Don't worry, your keeper will choke in another semifinal and you'll lose

[Juan-John]

Giants Stadium is FieldTurf. No way Beckham plays in NY.

[Metrosct]

And bad FieldTurf at that - it was reasonably nice when it was first installed. Once the Jets/Giants started using it, it seemed to play more like the old astroturf.

[northzax]

I think Becks has made it perfectly clear that he won't play on FieldTurf. Home Depot is grass, and home. And DCU are not known for particularly hard fouls, fouls certainly, but not really hard ones. If he only has one game in him this week, SuperLiga in Carson makes much more sense than the absurd field at the Meadowlands.

[argo0]

I wonder if Beckham would've played against the Revs if it'd been on grass -- he's already made clear he hates FieldTurf, so it wouldn't surprise me if he would've bailed on the match at Giant Stadium regardless whether he plays tonight.

[Fuego Fanatico]

I'm guessing that if Becks plays in NY it will only be a 15-20 minute stint at the end - and only because it's the biggest city in the country. That turf is the pits and there is nothing that can be done about it.

[MattM]

Hey, whitescandal,

DC United was actually IN a semifinal.

Tough to get your head around, no?

OK, enough w/ the rivalries.

LA has clearly given up on the MLS playoffs. Superliga is the best chance they have of winning ANYTHING this year.

I expect to see Beckham for half this match and half of the NYRB match. It'd be tough to disappoint that many paying customers. The surface is a real negative, though.

[Mauricio Cruz]

Is there anyway Giants Stadium could convert to a temporary grass field for the Beckham game?

[DCM]

I'm not sure a temporary grass field is any better. Temp fields often present a whole new set of issues/concerns and might be as much of a concern for Beck's ankle.

[Craig]

As everyone's mentioned, Beckham hates the fieldturf so don't be surprised if there's another flare-up on the flight to NYC.

The Galaxy are going all out for tonight's game. With a win they get to host the SL Championship against a team they already beat a few weeks ago. A SL trophy can ease the pain of a very disappointing season AND by hosting the championship game, they'll make some extra dough in the process.

[Johnny]

I bet he plays in both and here is why. Playing in LA and NY would mean (at least in his mind)it would be appropriate for him to go and play in the England friendly against Germany. I bought a 4 game Red Bulls pack primarily to see Beckham. After all this BS I am tired of this already. I will be there no matter what rooting hard against Beckham and the Galaxy. If he does got to England to play Germany it will be even more of a disaster than it already is. Just imagine if he goes to England and re-injures his ankle yet again. The MLS and Becks have mismanaged this entire thing and it's a total embarrassment! I'll think twice before buying tickets next year.

[Braden]

What's truly amazing is that McClaren actually intends to select him for the Germany friendly and he plans on going! This is turning into a very bitter episode in corporate mismanagement by the league and the Galaxy. If Beckham goes to Germany he appears to be treating the league like it's his second priority, and if that ends up being the case nothing will make US fans (soccer and non-soccer) more angry.

In the end, I'll forgive Beckham, but it just confirms that McClaren is an unforgiveable hack of a coach, not worth the touchline of even a League Two team like Barnet.

[sg]

beckham got called up for england vs germany.

[Sandro]

He might play tonight and then not against the Red Bulls. I think even though he faces pressure of playing in NY with 55K people, Galaxy has more pressure to show off Beckham in LA. I agree this whole thing has been mismanaged. MLS teams designated their games against against Galaxy as the only time Beckham would play in their area. They also had the Beckham countdown, and now that he is not playing they back off by saying you bought a ticket to see Galaxy. We must be fools not to know when we are being fed garbage. I thought he was here to promote the sport? not for a quick payday like what it seems now. Remember McLaren was at the DC United game, so Mr. Becks wanted to show off his good form that game.

[Kip]

I think no matter what he plays somewhat here. Its the nations biggest market and the media will be everywhere. I know he hates the turf but I think we'll see him like the final 20 minues like he played against United.

[West Coast G]

Guys, calm down. You're acting like media idiots rather than fans. Don't buy into the hysteria. He's an athlete. He has an injury. He's trying to come back from that injury as soon as possible, but not so soon that it sets him back. So he'll continue to play minutes and work his way up to a full game ... but on grass, not that field turf crap which is an invitation to reinjure himself and lose the rest of the season. He'd be foolish to play in NY. Get a better field. As for England, the play on grass as well.

[West Coast G]

Guys, calm down. You're acting like media idiots rather than fans. Don't buy into the hysteria. He's an athlete. He has an injury. He's trying to come back from that injury as soon as possible, but not so soon that it sets him back. So he'll continue to play minutes and work his way up to a full game ... but on grass, not that field turf crap which is an invitation to reinjure himself and lose the rest of the season. He'd be foolish to play in NY. Get a better field. As for England, the play on grass as well.

[West Coast G]

Guys, calm down. You're acting like media idiots rather than fans. Don't buy into the hysteria. He's an athlete. He has an injury. He's trying to come back from that injury as soon as possible, but not so soon that it sets him back. So he'll continue to play minutes and work his way up to a full game ... but on grass, not that field turf crap which is an invitation to reinjure himself and lose the rest of the season. He'd be foolish to play in NY. Get a better field. As for England, the play on grass as well.

[Paul Lorinczi]

FieldTurf can totally destroy whatever progress he has made.

Funny how TFC's roster is decimated with injury. What kind of field do they play on?

Haven't the Red Bulls been experiencing the injury woes too? Jozy picked up his calf problems on FieldTurf in Canada.

It's Sh*te I tell ya.

Both my ankles are shot because of the stuff. I only play on grass now and have never had a problem.

[Paul Lorinczi]

He should play and start. It is obvious that the Galaxy need someone to set the tone for them.

[Istvan from Budapest]

He wants to earn back some of his pay. See what a $1 million prize does?

US Open Cup should have a $1 million prize and it would be an amazing tournament

[scott47a]

Nothing would look better on TV for MLS and Galaxy than David Beckham hoisting a trophy over his head in a Galaxy uniform.
So the Galaxy are playing Superliga to win.
If they win it takes all of the edge off the disgruntled people upset that he's here or mad that he isn't playing much.

Though most people in the world don't know anything about Superliga, Beckham lifting a trophy would be on sports pages and TV newscasts all over the world.
The Superliga is David Beckham and the Galaxy's one opportunity to show everyone his coming here was a good thing.

Now, those of us who know better know that even if they win it won't be because of him. But a picture like that makes an impression on millions who don't know any better.