DaMarcus Beasley Finds His Form
When we last saw US international midfielder DaMarcus Beasley, he was gifting
Brazil a counter-attack goal in the Confederations Cup last summer with a giveaway so egregious that even his staunchest supporter, National Team coach Bob Bradley, was forced to sub him, lest Beasley embarrass himself any further.
That poor first touch off a short corner kick seemed to be the last straw as DMB was left out of the side for the Nats’ final five games of the World Cup qualifying campaign, after featuring in three previous matches in the hexagonal, one of which was the disastrous attempt to play him at left back. Even worse for his future prospects with the national team, Beasley was firmly ensconsced on the bench in Scotland with his club team, Rangers.
Well, lookee here. Beasley is back in favor at Ibrox and is finding his form. He has made four starts and a substitute appearance in the last five games. He’s drawn a penalty, scored a cracker mid-week against Dundee (see below) and today, was involved in the buildup to a pair of goals before bagging one himself in a 6-1 thrashing of Motherwell.
It’s been more than two years since Beasley broke his leg in a Champions League match against Stuttgart. He’s been out of form ever since, while also battling groin and hamstring injuries, which appeared to rob him on his greatest asset, his speed. In addition, his first touch has been dreadful, as has his confidence. He no longer seemed willing or able to run at defenders.
He has, of course, shown plenty of ability in the past, scoring important goals for the national team, like his strike against Mexico (off a short corner!) that helped clinch World Cup qualification four years ago. He has a good understanding with Landon Donovan from their youth days and the pair have always combined well. His recent spate of playing time in Scotland coincides with the upcoming January transfer window as rumors persist coach Walter Smith might be looking to unload him to another club. But not only is Beasley taking advantage of his recent opportunities, he’s making a renewed impression on his coach.
“DaMarcus has come back and played extremely well,” Smith said. “He started his career here like that but unfortunately got a bad injury. He is back and playing well and is the type who is liable to score as well, as he has shown in the last couple games.
Perhaps it’s not yet time to close the door on Beasley’s international career, particularly in light of Charlie Davies’s injury, which robs the US team of pace. Beasley is still just 27 and if he continues to get minutes and play well, he’ll certainly earn another look from Bob Bradley.
As long as it’s not at left back.
