Counterattack: Beckham vs. Blanco

Shane Evans: We all know what Major League Soccer wants. Heck, most of the fans want it as well. A juicy MLS Cup Final showdown between the Los Angeles Galaxy and the Chicago Fire. Not only that, but it'd be a match between two of the biggest Designated Players in the league, Cuauhtemoc Blanco and David Beckham. If I had to pick one, the choice is obvious, "Golden Balls" is the man I want on my team, without a doubt.

Allen Ramsey: Sure, take Beckham. I'll take the guy who has consistently been one of the best players in MLS since his arrival. Blanco is a playmaker, and while I can't argue that I'd take him over Beckham for every team in the world, in MLS he's the better player.

Evans: Not this season my friend. And especially not in a high pressure situation like the playoffs. This is Beckham's first trip to the MLS post-season and his ability to show those slices of world class play could easily lead the Galaxy to the Cup. Blanco may have consistently been a better player in MLS, but the Galaxy have it together this year and Beckham doesn't need to be the whole team like Blanco, though he could easily take over the game if he chose. Regardless of this however, Beckham gives his team a better chance to win with his service and vision, something Blanco can't' even match.

Ramsey: Wow, that is a big statement. First, lest me assure you that Blanco's service and vision are on par with anyone in the world including Beckham. Set pieces, same thing. I don't want either of those guys lining up a shot from inside 30 yards. Here' why I like Blanco. He has as good, if not better, players around him. While you say he has to be the whole team and Beckham doesn't, I say Blanco is given much more freedom with Chicago than Becks is with the Galaxy. You say Beckham shows up in big spots, but Blanco has the playoff experience, and has a proven record of being good on the big stage. For me, the difference is in Blanco's ability to create. Beckham is a one trick pony. Blanco will beat you, make you look silly, laugh at you while he goes by (in slow motion, because that's his only speed these days) and then put the ball in the net. The guy is a beast, and while I'm not really a big Blanco fan, I have much respect for his ability.

Evans: Blanco has playoff experience? Whoop-di-do! Nothing against the MLS playoffs or anything, but there are bigger stages out there that prepare a player for this sort of thing. The World Cup is a fine example. The UEFA Champions League is another. I could go on. Beckham has all the big game experience in the world and is a model professional in times like this. To call Beckham a one-trick pony is almost blasphemous. He makes everyone on the team better with his play and when you throw a guy like Landon Donovan into the mix, a player who now is on the same page as Becks, you have an almost unstoppable combination. Blanco can do a lot, that is for sure, but it's hard to fathom that you'd prefer a guy who would get beat in foot race by a school boy. Speed isn't everything, for sure, but Beckham knows how to win and he simply brings something extra to the playoffs that not Blanco, not anyone, can bring.

Ramsey: Look, I'll grant that David Beckham is a really good player who can distribute the ball extremely well. That said, Blanco has proven that he can perform on the international stage as well, so it's not as if he's never been a beast outside of MLS as well.

Here's the thing, Blanco knows how to play in MSL. While your point about MLS not being Europe is well taken, you should also note that European players haven't exactly fared well in MLS. This league is a different beast, and a beast that I think Blanco is ready to tame this season.

Evans: That may be true, Blanco certainly has the edge in understanding this league for what it is. But I can't help but think that there is a point where that doesn't matter. If you are a class player, you are a class player and that comes out when needed. Beckham's goal against Greece for England in 2001 is my prime example here. The entire country was on his shoulders and he came through when it mattered most scoring an incredible free kick to send the Three Lions to the World Cup. Granted, the situation is much different and Beckham is older and isn't the same player now, but he has that winner's mentality and now finally in the playoffs, it's going to shine.

Ramsey: Look, not to bag on an entire country's system, I like the English game, but the English style, of which Beckham is a prime example, relies on playing the game well, being tactically and technically sound, and playing well as a team. The Mexican style, of which Blanco is a prime example, relies on a more free flowing, creative, fly-by-the seat style. In a league where many of the players are still learning the game, the latter is more devistating. The ability to adjust on the fly and make things happen when all else fails is what makes Blanco the better pick here. Like I said, on many teams, I'd say give me Beckham, in MLS I want Blanco.

Evans: And I want Beckham...If only to see Posh in the stands.

Counterattack runs every Thursday on Goal.com USA.

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