McClaren drops Beckham - right or wrong decision??

[Jojo]

Liverpool's Steven Gerrard will play on the right side of midfield in England's friendly against Greece on Wednesday, new coach Steve McClaren said on Tuesday when naming his first team selection.

The move leaves Frank Lampard as the dominant attacking midfielder, with Owen Hargreaves in a holding role and Stewart Downing wide on the left.

West Ham United striker Dean Ashton, who was hoping to make his international debut, injured an ankle in training and has been taken to hospital for a scan. McClaren has named Jermain Defoe and Peter Crouch as his strikers.

"It is an evolution, we are trying new things and we are just looking at one or two different things and the shape of the team is one thing," McClaren told a news conference.

England team to face Greece: Paul Robinson; Gary Neville, Rio Ferdinand, John Terry (captain), Ashley Cole; Steven Gerrard, Owen Hargreaves, Frank Lampard, Stewart Downing, Jermain Defoe, Peter Crouch

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Has McClaren made the right decision in dropping Beckham from the squad?

[alan45]

Liverpool's Steven Gerrard will play on the right side of midfield in England's friendly against Greece on Wednesday, new coach Steve McClaren said on Tuesday when naming his first team selection.

The move leaves Frank Lampard as the dominant attacking midfielder, with Owen Hargreaves in a holding role and Stewart Downing wide on the left.

West Ham United striker Dean Ashton, who was hoping to make his international debut, injured an ankle in training and has been taken to hospital for a scan. McClaren has named Jermain Defoe and Peter Crouch as his strikers.

"It is an evolution, we are trying new things and we are just looking at one or two different things and the shape of the team is one thing," McClaren told a news conference.

England team to face Greece: Paul Robinson; Gary Neville, Rio Ferdinand, John Terry (captain), Ashley Cole; Steven Gerrard, Owen Hargreaves, Frank Lampard, Stewart Downing, Jermain Defoe, Peter Crouch

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Has McClaren made the right decision in dropping Beckham from the squad?

Steve has made the correct decision. Beckham was way overatted.

[Jojo]

I think its great to see him making these changes. I just hope the media doesn't slate him before he has had a chance, whilst making these improvements to the team. Otherwise no doubt his face on a turnip or other root veg will soon appear just like all the others.

I think its good Beckham has been dropped though - new era, new head coach, new tactics.

[pookie1968uk]

yes i think he was right to drop beckham. sven has never been brave enough to do it and beckham was his blue eyed boy so im so glad he has now been dropped.
it is good that Steve McClaren has made changes and has been brave enough to do it too. i hope it works out for him so that he can silence the critics who think that england can only perform with a foreign manager.

[crazygirl]

well david will be 36 in the next world cup! footballers usually retire at that age

[Em]

Its just a shame I will have nothing to ogle at hence disrupting my enjoyment of the game

[di marco]

Its just a shame I will have nothing to ogle at hence disrupting my enjoyment of the game

lol hes not the only fit one in the team you know!

going back to the topic though, i think that its good other players are being given the chance, i mean its only a friendly so its a chance for difference players/tactics to be tried out and see what works, if it doesnt work its no big deal, but the team needs to improve so changes need to be made. dropping beckham, although i think that once he was a good footballer, i dont think hes been performing well of late so if theres someone better to replace him then so be it

[lollymay]

its a good decision that other players can play other positions now - eg gerrard but at the same time hes good for morale