It has only been five days since David Beckham signed the contract with the LA Galaxy but in that time millions of words have already been spoken and written about the deal.  I felt that columns by Gary Lineker and Ian Plenderleith were both reasoned, informative and sober comments on the move.

Columns such as these were very much in the minority as "journalists" all round the world set new  "standards" while opting to reinforce stereotype views of the game in North America. The worst example was from a US based writer who wrote that if Beckham wants to watch the Premiership the only option he will have is a pub in Santa Monica!!

Perhaps there is a chance that at some point the soccer implications of Beckham's move will take precedent, although I doubt it.  Even so it will be interesting to see who else the Galaxy after and who will be expected to finish the opportunities that Beckham creates from set pieces and raking passes.

It is looking increasingly likely that Beckham will arrive in time for the start of MLS season rather than midway through - although this morning the MLS Commisioner issued a statement "clarifying" certain statements attributed to him over the last day or so.

Fabio Capello’s reaction to Beckham signing appears petty to the extreme and may in the short term proved to be ill-advised.  After all, managers are unable to choose when injury crisises hit and it would certainly be egg on Capello's face if he suddenly needed to turn to Beckham for help in the next couple of months.

Capello is under fire at the Bernabéu although the win over Real Zaragoza will have eased the pressure. With Jose Mourinho and Roman Abramovich acting more and more like a couple heading to the divorce court, speculation is rapidly growing that Mourinho will be packing up his ego and heading to Madrid.

The situations at Chelsea and Real Madrid brought to mind a wonderful description that Phil Ball wrote in his book “Morbo - The story of Spanish football.” Given Chelsea's stated intention to become the biggest club in the world it also contains words of warning for the Stanford Bridge club.

He wrote, “Nevertheless, there have been periods in Real Madrid's history when such ruthlessness has tended to exacerbate the internal problems of a club whose vaulting ambition has always ensured a state of “crisis” is never too far away.”

Amy Lawrence takes a look at Jose Mourinho’s battle with Abramovich, while Peter Jenson speculates on a move to the Bernabeu

Finally Jonathan Northcroft wrote an extremely interesting piece on the players who have not made the grade at Arsenal and Manchester United but who are considered by other clubs as extremely valuable properties.