Fabio Capello must feel like a fool.

[Lazie]

After saying Beckham would never play for Real again, he had to backtrack and now guess who scored for Real?

[Karl]

RE: Fabio Capello must feel like a fool.

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=400 bgColor=#666666 border=0><TBODY><TR class=title><TD width=70 colSpan=2>FT</TD><TD width=330 colSpan=3>Real Sociedad [1 - 2] Real Madrid</TD></TR><TR><TD width=400 colSpan=4 height=1></TD></TR><TR class=light><TD width=20>8'</TD><TD align=middle width=50>[1 - 0]</TD><TD align=left width=163>M.E. Aranburu </TD><TD width=163></TD><TD width=4></TD></TR><TR><TD width=400 colSpan=4 height=1></TD></TR><TR class=dark><TD width=20>21'</TD><TD align=middle width=50></TD><TD align=left width=163></TD><TD width=163>F. Cannavaro </TD><TD width=4></TD></TR><TR><TD width=400 colSpan=4 height=1></TD></TR><TR class=light><TD width=20>37'</TD><TD align=middle width=50>[1 - 1]</TD><TD align=left width=163></TD><TD width=163>D. Beckham </TD><TD width=4></TD></TR><TR><TD width=400 colSpan=4 height=1></TD></TR><TR class=dark><TD width=20>48'</TD><TD align=middle width=50>[1 - 2]</TD><TD align=left width=163></TD><TD width=163>R.v. Nistelrooy </TD><TD width=4></TD></TR><TR><TD width=400 colSpan=4 height=1></TD></TR><TR class=light><TD width=20>59'</TD><TD align=middle width=50></TD><TD align=left width=163></TD><TD width=163>R.v. Nistelrooy </TD><TD width=4></TD></TR><TR><TD width=400 colSpan=4 height=1></TD></TR><TR class=dark><TD width=20>64'</TD><TD align=middle width=50></TD><TD align=left width=163>D. Rivas </TD><TD width=163></TD><TD width=4></TD></TR><TR><TD width=400 colSpan=4 height=1></TD></TR><TR class=light><TD width=20>69'</TD><TD align=middle width=50></TD><TD align=left width=163></TD><TD width=163>F. Gago </TD><TD width=4></TD></TR><TR><TD width=400 colSpan=4 height=1></TD></TR><TR class=dark><TD width=20>74'</TD><TD align=middle width=50></TD><TD align=left width=163>Savio </TD><TD width=163>I. Helguera </TD><TD width=4></TD></TR><TR><TD width=400 colSpan=4 height=1></TD></TR><TR class=light><TD width=20>76'</TD><TD align=middle width=50></TD><TD align=left width=163></TD><TD width=163>D. Beckham </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

[Karl]

RE: Fabio Capello must feel like a fool.

<SPAN class=titolo>Primera Liga Report: Beckham Inspires Madrid Comeback Win</SPAN> <SPAN class=sommario><U>Real Sociedad 1, Real Madrid 2</U></SPAN>

<SPAN class=sommario><SPAN class=sommario>
Manager Fabio Capello handed a long overdue start to David Beckham, and the English midfielder rewarded his manager with an equalizing free-kick goal in the first half.

</SPAN>A van Nistelrooy strike just after the break gave Madrid the lead, and they then survived some nervous moments to pick up an absolutely huge win in San Sebastian against Real Sociedad.</SPAN>

First Half
Gago, Beckham, Guti and Emerson all started as Capello went looking for some steel in midfield in an important away game.
There wasn’t much of note from either side in the first few minutes until tragedy struck for Madrid when Casillas failed to tip a right-wing cross over the bar, and instead lobbed it into the face of an onrushing Aranburu. The midfielder buried it into the net with aplomb, to put the Basques ahead, and Capello simultaneously on the brink.

Darko Kovacevic – who has so often heaped misery on Madrid - almost doubled the Italian’s misery when beating Cannavaro for pace in the 14th minute, and letting fly a stinging effort.

Casillas, still shaken, again failed to turn it around the post, and instead pushed it back into play. However, Sergio Ramos was at hand to clear this time around.

Madrid seems to be lacking bite up front, with Raul and Ruud van Nistelrooy failing to do enough, Emerson looking nowhere near match-fit, and Guti, Gago and Beckham also having a very slow start. In fact it was only Sergio Ramos bursting up the right who had made any sort of impact for Madrid.

Meanwhile, Aranburu and Xabi Prieto were growing in confidence by the minute, and won another dangerous free-kick in the 19th minute. Former Real Madrid man Savio got behind it, but just overhit it to allow Los Merengues to recover.

That Cannavaro was having another poor night was confirmed when he picked up a yellow for a clumsy late tackle deep into the Real Sociedad half. Miguel Torres followed his teammate's example by making a clumsy challenge himself, putting his knee into Savio’s back on the edge of the Real Sociedad area.

Cannavaro made another reckless tackle in the 29th minute as he tried to stop a quick counter in it’s tracks. However, the referee – who would probably have had to hand him a second booking had he blown – chose to wave play on, much to the chagrin of the Anoeta faithful.

Emerson won a dangerous free-kick in the 36th minute, with 28 yards just about the perfect distance for Beckham. Diego Rivas had to come off for a while after receiving treatment, making it more tricky for Socieded. The former English skipper put in fast, low ball looking for the far post, but Sociedad goalkeeper Bravo was caught on the wrong foot, and let it creep straight into the net.

The man who was never to kick a ball for Madrid, had equalized!

Sociedad, however, were not broken, and kept putting their more accomplished opponents under pressure, and Xabi Prieto almost put them back ahead in the final minutes of the half, but directed Garrido’s ball just wide.
Could Beckham just have handed Capello a lifeline?

Second Half
The second half started spectacularly well for Madrid, with van Nistelrooy making the most of yet another mistake from Bravo to put his side into the lead. Guti put in some good work in the middle before sending the ball out wide for Miguel Torres, and the young full-back put a great first-time cross into the area for Ruud to dispatch

[Mosiah]

RE: Fabio Capello must feel like a fool.

<DIV>That's about as silly as my writing off Theo Walcott after one game. </DIV><DIV></DIV><DIV>Fact is, Beckham nuh good! If yuh have to pray for a freekick for him to prove himself, den yuh corner dark. </DIV>

[Karl]

RE: Fabio Capello must feel like a fool.

<DIV>[/quote]

Mosiah (2/10/2007) </DIV><DIV></DIV><DIV>Fact is, Beckham nuh good! If yuh have to pray for a freekick for him to prove himself, den yuh corner dark. </DIV>

One question would be; was Beckham everany good?

I am thinking unless a goodfootball had a debilitating injury/sickness, he or she would not in a matter of 1 or 2 years become terribly'nuh good'!

In my mind Beckham is a pretty good player.He may not be as good as he was two/three ago...but, still a world class player.

Aside: Hey...Tappa may not have been the player he was in 2002 when the 2006 qualifiers came around but he was still our best midfielder.

...I wonder if the current day Tappa...far less of a player than he was in 2005...is still our best midfield player or still one of the top 3 midfielders Jamaica has? I wonder?

[Karl]

RE: Fabio Capello must feel like a fool.

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=629 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD colSpan=3><DIV class=mxb><DIV class=sh>Beckham return rejuvenates Madrid </DIV></DIV></TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top width=416><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=203 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD><DIV> <DIV class=cap>Beckham celebrates his goal against Real Sociedad </DIV></DIV></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>David Beckham scored on his return to Real Madrid's starting line-up in the 2-1 win over Real Sociedad on Saturday.

The 31-year-old equalised with a 25-yard free-kick in the 37th-minute of his first start since 20 December.

Madrid coach Fabio Capello had vowed Beckham would not play for Real again after he last month agreed to a lucrative move to Los Angeles Galaxy.

But Capello had a change of heart this week, saying he had been impressed with Beckham's professionalism in training.

The verdict from the Spanish media was that Beckham's goal had helped saved the former Juventus boss from dismissal after two consecutive defeats.

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=208 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD width=5></TD><TD class=sibStdQuote><DIV><DIV class=mva><DIV id=q1></DIV>Beckham has been fantastic, his attitude has been brilliant <DIV id=q2></DIV><BR clear=all></DIV></DIV><DIV class=mva><DIV class=mva>Ruud van Nistelrooy</DIV></DIV></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

"Beckham spares the life of his executioner," was newspaper Marca's headline.

Ruud van Nistelrooy, another ex-Manchester United star, scored the second-half winner in a victory that lifts Real into third place in the Primera Liga.

"I am happy that Beckham scored," said Capello. "All the team is happy for him.

"I have spoken with him twice in the course of the last two weeks and what we said will remain just between us.

"He played a great game and deserves the credit. As I said before, the mark of an intelligent person is one who knows how to rectify his mistakes."

Van Nistelrooy also heaped praise on his former Old Trafford colleague.

He added: "Beckham has been fantastic, his attitude has been brilliant.

"When you go for a month without playing it isn't easy to be at your best but he always trains hard and has a very positive attitude.

"That's why you can always bet on him. It was a great day for him."
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