FRANKFURT, June 23 (Xinhua) -- England captain David Beckham claimed that his side would not repeat the poor defending which was in evidence against Sweden when they meet Ecuador in their second rounder of the World Cu on Sunday.

    "I think it was just a bad day for us defensively," he said. "Our record in past games and competitions defensively has been good.

    "It was a bad day for us, we have worked on it and will continue to do so and it is not a major problem for us.

    "It is something that can be put right and we are doing that."

    A number of high-profile figures in the game have suggested Beckham should be axed from the team in favour of Aaron Lennon, but he refused to be drawn to comment on his own position in Sven Goran Eriksson's thinking.

    "I am not sat up here to discuss my own performance," he stated. "There's agendas out there, my agenda is to win this WorldCup.

    "I am sat up here as England captain, we are in good shape going into the last 16 and we are confident and I am not sat up here to discuss my own form."

    With the knockout stage now upon England, there is the prospect of The Three Lions facing penalties and Beckham claimed the players are ready to take on the challenge.

    "We have prepared for it," he added. "But in a stadium with 70,000 fans watching you it is different.

    "But we have prepared and have been practicing and we are prepared.

    "I will put myself up there. I have said all along that I will step up and I am confident." Enditem