Goal.commentary: Should Beckham Start Against Roma?

Italian teams are famous for not taking friendlies seriously, especially when there is a big match just around the corner, so one should not read too much into Milan’s desperately lacklustre performance against Hamburg yesterday, when they limped to a 1-1 draw, before prevailing 4-3 in a penalty shootout.

All eyes were on David Beckham as he made his debut, but despite Carlo Ancelotti’s post-match claims that “Beckham played well and he did what he was asked to do,” in truth the 33-year-old was a disappointment, not that I was exactly expecting him to shine.

My problem with Golden Balls is not so much that his best days are well and truly behind him, as he can still carry out a role in the right conditions, it is more down to the fact that I have no idea just how he is going to fit into this Milan team, and/or improve it for that matter.

The Rossoneri have had three major weaknesses this season. The first is the lack of a top class centre back (due to Alessandro Nesta’s injury absence), the second is the lack of a focal point in attack (some would say due to Marco Borriello’s fitness issues). The third is the general lack of pace and physicality in the team, particularly in the midfield department, which has become even more desperate after Rino Gattuso was ruled out for the season.

With Borriello out injured for a fair while longer, and Andriy Shevchenko completely lost, it seems almost certain that coach Carlo Ancelotti will employ his 4-3-2-1 Christmas Tree against Roma on Sunday. This would definitely mean Ronaldinho and Kaka supporting either Pippo Inzaghi, or more likely, Alexandre Pato in attack.

But what about the three central midfielders?

Carletto has six players to choose from – Pirlo, Seedorf, Beckham, Ambrosini, Flamini and Emerson.

We can almost definitely rule out Emerson because he is the ‘midfield Shevchenko’, so in reality it is three from five.

The Italian media currently believe that Ancelotti will go for a triangle of:

Seedorf – Pirlo – Ambrosini

It is surely common-sense that either Ambrosini or Flamini must play, as they are the only midfielders (once again ignoring Emerson, who one day would have fitted this category) who can actually offer some protection to the Milan backline. Were Ancelotti to leave both on the bench, and field Seedorf – Pirlo – Beckham, it would be potential suicide away from home against a team like Roma.

Can Beckham and Pirlo co-exist in the same line-up? I will need convincing. Pirlo has this uniqueness where he easily becomes redundant when there is a similar player to him in the team. He needs to be the sole deep-lying playmaker to shine, and he has also suffered due to Ronaldinho often dropping into midfield to pick up the ball. As ‘the old’ Beckham now takes up a similar position on the pitch, I cannot see how they will not step on each others toes.

With Milan nine points off the Serie A summit, and leaders Inter facing a relatively straightforward home clash against Cagliari this weekend, anything but a win at Roma could all but end the Rossoneri title challenge. Ancelotti will have to pick his midfield wisely.

What are your views on this topic? Should Beckham start against Roma? What formation and midfield three should Ancelotti field? Can Beckham and Pirlo co-exist in the same team? Goal.com wants to know what YOU think…

--Carlo Garganese, Goal.com