What is a Wide Playmaker? | David Beckham's Role in Ferguson's Manchester United Explained

What is a wide playmaker? David Beckham's role in Sir Alex Ferguson's 1999 Manchester United Treble winning side explained. The former Man United, Real Madrid, AC Milan, LA Galaxy and PSG right winger had a fabulous career in football across Europe and in the MLS. The former England captain played as a wide playmaker in Alex Ferguson’s 4-4-2 at Man Utd.

Let’s go back to 1999 to Sir Alex Ferguson’s treble winning Manchester United side. The Red Devils won the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League in the 1998/99 season with Fergie using his classic 4-4-2 which would often look like a 4-2-4 in attack. The midfield consisted of a winger on the left, a deep-lying playmaker and a ball-winner midfielder in central midfield in Giggs, Scholes and Keane with a wide playmaker in David Beckham on the right. United in 1999 were a direct side and looked to get the ball to their two centre forwards, mainly Dwight Yorke and Andy Cole to cause the damage in the final third. Ryan Giggs offered the direct dribbling option on the left hand side, whereas Beckham’s job in Ferguson’s first great team was to feed them. Either by dropping deep to defensive midfield or right back before hitting one of his trademark diagonal long passes, progressing the ball in central midfield into the strikers feet with 1-2s or by simply crossing the ball from the right. Getting the ball to the strikers was so key for Alex Ferguson’s system to work and Beckham played the vital link between midfield and attack. On the way to the final at the Nou Camp against Bayern Munich, Beckham was directly involved in eight of the 27 goals, but also the architect of many others. From the right wing, Beckham was the creative hub of the only team ever to have won the continental treble in English football.

David Beckham wasn’t the typical winger who’s blessed with blistering pace, physical attributes or the skill to take his man on all game. Compared to the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Ryan Giggs, Nani and many other wingers that have played for Manchester United over the years. This meant that his technical skills were outstanding; his first touch, passing off both feet, shooting, crossing and close control. Not renowned for fancy footwork, but rather Beckham would use his first touch to escape pressure before usually delivering the ball into the box. David Beckham gained Sir Alex’s trust to play that role through hard work and phenomenal passing ability, this complemented arguably one of the best sides in the history of football (Manchester United 98/99 treble). Sir Alex Ferguson’s midfield made up of the class of 92 in Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs and David Beckham and captain Roy Keane.

The closest thing to Beckham in the modern game is Kevin De Bruyne. Like Beckham, De Bruyne isn’t blessed with pace or strength but he can put a ball on a sixpence like the former England Captain could. The one area nobody stacks up to Beckham however is his set piece delivery. David Beckham has scored 15 free kicks in the Premier League, more than any other player in the competitions history. Assists from set pieces are tricky and almost come down to luck. You can deliver the best corner time and time again and the chaos in the centre can mean that the attacker can’t redirect the ball, the defender clears it or nobody gets on the end of it. In fact just 1.7% of all corners taken directly result in a goal. But Beckham would consistently deliver wicked corners and free kicks, and goals would come of them, even if the England Legend didn’t register an assist. Manchester United’s 1999 Champions League run in perfectly highlights this. In the semi final, Beckham delivered a peach right onto Roy Keane’s head to half the deficit. In the final, United scored both their goals from corners, Teddy Sheringham’s goal came from the second phase after Beckham’s menacing delivery caused chaos. Giggs put the ball back in and Sheringham finished. Solskjær’s winner came from an identical cross for Keane’s goal in Turin. Sheringham flicked it on and Solskjær finished at the back post. That season in the Champions League, just 12% of Beckham’s 8 assists came from set pieces debunking the myth that Beckham was just a set piece merchant.

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