FAMILIAR SPOT OF BOTHER FOR BECKS
Hobbling Becks shines but Galaxy lose in MLS Cup shoot-out
THE unfamiliarity of a Cup Final, American soccer style. The familiarity of defeat from twelve yards, English football style.
Penalty shoot-outs stalk David Beckham all around the world.
And one caught up with him here in Seattle last night.
His bid to become only the second Englishman to win titles in three different countries faltered in sudden death, Real Salt Lake triumphing 5-4 from the spot.
Beckham had already left the pitch - for very different reasons - when England exited World Cups in 1998 and 2006 in shoot-outs.
But, along with Darius Vassell, he missed in Lisbon against Portugal when England took a customary form of departure from Euro 2004.
He nonchalantly converted his kick at Qwest Field but it was rendered meaningless when team-mates went on to miss on three occasions.
And the only thing with which Beckham left town was a black, blue and ballooned ankle.
Oh, and the generous honour of having an assist to his name for the first half goal that should have set Galaxy on their way to triumph.
Instead, as Beckham began to move less and less freely, Galaxy disintegrated alarmingly and, in truth, barely deserved to stretch the game beyond 120 minutes.
And you got the distinct feeling that Beckham - while clearly disappointed at the LA failure but looking at a month-long break - was relieved to finally be able to rest his injury.
Maybe it's a rage against the waning of his powers, maybe it's frustration at the inadequacy swirling around him.
But Beckham has cut an irritable figure in the MLS this season.
He conducted an evening-long, tedious debate with the referee and reduced Real Salt Lake's Javier Morales to a pool of tears.
Morales - his game ended by Beckham's block tackle - wept as he hobbled out, pausing only to spit a few oaths the Englishman's way.
But the awkwardness of both challenge and fall was a product of the pitch. Artificial surfaces are simply too unforgiving for football.
But the unsuitability of the surface could not account for some serious mediocrity.
There are 490 Starbucks outlets in Seattle ... but all the latte in the world wouldn't have kept you awake for large swathes of this match.
It was a surprisingly vibrant occasion - thanks mainly to the enthusiasm of the locals amongst a 46,000-strong crowd - but the standard belongs to the bottom half of the Championship, at best.
That is why Beckham's England career will not be sustainable if he plays exclusively in the States.
And why he still shone occasionally despite being half-fit.
Beckham will always be able to see a pass and always be able to execute it.
The effort to release Landon Donovan - whose cross was tapped home by Mike Magee - looked simple enough.
But any weighted, well-directed pass was at a premium here.
Particularly from Beckham's Galaxy colleagues.
Most were unimaginably woeful in a second half dominated by Real, who had entered the game as clear underdogs.
And Beckham himself was partially culpable for Real's equaliser, drifting into a poor defensive position as Robbie Findley brought clinical finality to some chaotic scenes.
Tetchiness
As the game wore on, and extra-time was inflicted, Beckham's limp became almost as pronounced as his tetchiness.
But a drama king does not depart the stage when a grand finale beckons and Beckham duly made his melodramatic way to the south end of Qwest Field and converted the first kick of the penalty shoot-out.
His hobbling heroics were in vain and the irony would not be lost on him that one of the three Galaxy players to miss was Donovan, the player who had criticised him so vehemently earlier in the season.
Still, Beckham put a consoling arm around Donovan and saved a special hug for Edson Buddle - the hapless striker whose miss finally proved to be crucial.
And then he was off to congratulate each and every victor and stood and led the applause as captain Kyle Beckerman - one of the few players of high quality - collected the MLS Cup.
Even in these moments of disappointment, Beckham knew that his role here in the United States is far wider than that of a Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder.
And as everyone knows, moments of disappointment are what spur Beckham on.
Milan and South Africa now beckon and you can be sure of one thing ... he won't have lost any sleep in Seattle last night.
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