Beckham will serve as captain for D.C. United match: A fan’s take

Posted Saturday, June 04, 2011 by YAHOO Sport

Landon Donovan is going to the Gold Cup. This means he's out for the Los Angeles Galaxy's June games, including the June 3 game against D.C. United.

This season the designated player holds the record for league assists. Along with seven assists, he has one goal that was so good it won the top goal of the week. With many of the Galaxy wins lately being 1-0, David Beckham's set pieces have been vital to the Los Angeles Galaxy's success.

Beckham is one of the more experienced leaders on the Galaxy. After all, he was the national team captain for England from November 2000 through the 2006 World Cup. Additionally, he was captain of the Galaxy in both 2007 and 2008.

During the time Beckham was captain for the Galaxy, the team finished towards the bottom in the league.

Yet, since the last instances when Beckham was captain, the Galaxy is an overall stronger team. For instance, they have a six-game unbeaten streak and are now first place in the league. Still, the D.C. United game will be an important chance for the English soccer player to show he can lead his team to victory.

This is not the first time Beckham has worn the armband this year. The first time he was captain was against Real Salt Lake on March 26. Since Los Angeles lost the game 4-1, Becks looks to learn from the Galaxy's poor performance.

When Landon Donovan had a leg injury, Beckham has also captained the first D.C. United game. In this game, the Galaxy fared a bit better with a 1-1 draw. On the same road trip, Beckham took leadership during the Toronto FC game where the end result was a scoreless 0-0.

The American national team is a strong contender for the Gold Cup title. The final takes place at the end of June. Thus, it's possible that Beckham may be captain for the entire month.

Donovan has missed four games this season. With eight goals in 2011 regular play, it's undeniable that he is one of the best players in MLS and a strong contributor to the Galaxy's success.

Will the Galaxy crumble without their regular team captain or can Beckham and the rest step up and show their depth?

Melissa Matters is a long time Los Angeles resident and devoted Los Angeles Galaxy fan.