Serie A Betting: Arrival of Beckham and revival of AC Milan are no coincidence

Italian Football / Dave Farrar / 04 February 2009 / Leave a Comment

Dave Farrar tells us why the energy, crossing and experience of David Beckham has been an invaluable shot in the arm for AC Milan, who are right back in the Serie A title race.

When AC Milan announced the loan signing of David Beckham, there were many who sneeringly said that he and his wife would be a perfect fit for the vacuous fashion capital of Italy. Few could have predicted the footballing impact that Beckham has had on the red and black half of Milan. His contributions have been key in what has been an potentially definitive week in Serie A and as many had predicted, the fixture list has played into AC Milan's hands.

They're now trading at as short as [4.1] to win Serie A after they comfortably beat Lazio on Sunday night, and with a home game to come against Reggina next week, they'll be shorter than [4.0] by the time they face Inter in a fortnight's time. Inter should beat Lecce, and so Milan will have a chance to cut the gap at the top to just three points by the time that the derby comes around. From the moment that Beckham took the field for his debut against Roma, he has become one of the most important players in Carlo Ancelotti's team, and is one of the main reasons that they have now emerged as unlikely challengers for Inter's title.

Juventus are struggling after two defeats, and their price is now [8.8], but if they beat Catania away next week, and then Sampdoria at home, they will still be in with a chance, with the insurance of a home game against Inter to come on the 19th April. The league is between these three, and there is no question that Milan, energised by both the arrival of Beckham and by Kaka's decision to stay, are in comfortably the best form of the title contenders. Pato is now a regular starter, and he is starting to find consistency and show that he is one of the best finishers around: his casual swiping home of a Beckham cross against Lazio was a goal of the highest class, and he could still offer a touch of value in the capocannoniere market at [11.0] or slightly better.

Inter were awful again in their home draw against Torino at the weekend, and their form is the worst of the three top teams. Juventus suffered an off night in Udine and were then unlucky to be beaten by Serie A's form team Cagliari, while Jose Mourinho's team have started the New Year by being thrashed in Bergamo, scraping past Sampdoria and Catania, and then nearly losing to Torino.

[1.62] to win Serie A is looking too short, and, as I have said previously, the only thing that will stop Manchester United from beating them in the Champions League at [1.7] is a world class display by Zlatan Ibrahimovic and two below par efforts from United. The Champions League is of course another reason to have a close look at Milan for the title, as they have the lower pressure UEFA Cup to contend with, and Ancelotti will sense a chance at the Scudetto.

The key to Milan's revival has been balance: Ronaldinho is still capable of occasional brilliance, but Rossoneri fans have been screaming for Pato's inclusion and now Ancelotti seems to have found a settled side. They're still suspect at the back, but Kaka is approaching top form at just the right time, the form of Massimo Ambrosini has limited the damage done by Gennaro Gattuso's injury, and Beckham's high energy contributions in midfield, and quality in the final third are made for Serie A.

Precision and technique are more key in the relatively slow moving world of Italian football, rather than the pace and power of the Bundesliga or the Premier League, and Beckham has always been one of the most technically gifted of English players. Rather ironically given the baggage that he always brings, he has provided substance over style, and his strengthening of Milan's backbone may just be enough to take them to a gloriously unexpected 18th Serie A title.