Clint Dempsey moved from Fulham to London rivals Tottenham last summer, for a fee believed to be in the £6 million range. With the USA international on board, Spurs rallied to their highest ever points total in the Premier League, however still missed out on a top-four finish. With this in mind, was Dempsey's first campaign at White Hart Lane a success or not?
One of the standout features of Dempsey's play at Fulham was his ability to find the back of the net on regular occasion from an attacking midfield position or from wide. For all money it looked like Dempsey would move to Liverpool, with the exchange betting now showing that a switch to Anfield was on the cards. However, with the Reds arguing over a transfer fee, Spurs nipped in to pip their rivals to the attacker's signature, and make the most of his versatility.
Although Dempsey did not return as many goals last term as in previous campaigns with Fulham, his seven Premier League strikes came in as a benefit to a side that largely relied on Gareth Bale to hit the back of the net. The American scored in both games against Manchester United to see Spurs take four points off the eventual champions, and also contributed other important strikes both in the Premier League and in Europe. Spurs fans will hope that Dempsey can look to make it into double figures next season.
His versatility was also a key aspect for Spurs, with Andre Villas-Boas able to call on Dempsey to play on either flank or through the middle as a second striker if needed. With Aaron Lennon injured for parts of the campaign, Gylfi Sigurdsson taking time to find his feet and Lewis Holtby only joining in January, Dempsey's presence was one that was largely positive for Spurs. Dempsey has also added a direct approach and energy to the Tottenham attack, while the American also offers guile and good technique.
Although his debut season for Spurs will not go down as one of his career best, the signs are there that Dempsey can be a critical man in Tottenham's attempts to qualify for the Champions League next season.
Showing posts with label Clint Dempsey. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Clint Dempsey. Show all posts
By Jason Kuenle
When Jozy Altidore first began to work his way into the USMNT, I along with most other observers thought he had the size, skills, and potential to play the role reserved for Brians McBride and Ching in the US player pool: target striker. His early scoring for the national team accentuated that persception. Header goals against Mexico and El Salvador combined with his finishes against Trinidad and Tobago to show a well-rounded striker, physical striker. The directness and physicality of his goal against Spain, was the height of this perception. A disappointing goal total during his stint at Hull was somewhat offset by the development of his hold-up play and his demonstrated ability to draw fouls and penalties. All of the pieces continue to be there, but in the past few weeks, I’ve seen and read a number of things that make me wonder if the lack of strikers in the US player pool has blinded us to who Jozy Altidore really is.
When Jozy Altidore first began to work his way into the USMNT, I along with most other observers thought he had the size, skills, and potential to play the role reserved for Brians McBride and Ching in the US player pool: target striker. His early scoring for the national team accentuated that persception. Header goals against Mexico and El Salvador combined with his finishes against Trinidad and Tobago to show a well-rounded striker, physical striker. The directness and physicality of his goal against Spain, was the height of this perception. A disappointing goal total during his stint at Hull was somewhat offset by the development of his hold-up play and his demonstrated ability to draw fouls and penalties. All of the pieces continue to be there, but in the past few weeks, I’ve seen and read a number of things that make me wonder if the lack of strikers in the US player pool has blinded us to who Jozy Altidore really is.
The primary impetus for reevaluting Altidore was this article. Particularly this quote: “Jozy, however, is still not an instinctual No. 9. He looked far more comfortable against Argentina and Paraguay drifting out to the flank than he did getting into the mix in the final third.” And then I started to put the pieces together. Altidore has seen time with five different senior teams: New York, USMNT, Hull City, Villareal, and Bursaspor. Running in chronological order and taking off the “Altidore = target striker” glasses, a sustained pattern appears.
When Jozy first began receiving playing time with New York, Bruce Arena used him basically as an inverted winger, letting him cut in from the left and take long distance shots on goal. When he did solidify his place in the top line for New York, he was partnered with a traditional number 9 in Juan Pablo Angel and allowed to play off Angel’s center forward position. From there, he moved to Villareal, where he received a couple of starts opposite Giuseppe Rossi and a few sub appearances before being loaned to Xerez, but more on Villareal in a bit.
At that time, Jozy began to make his push into the national team picture; first, in two “B” team starts in the semifinal round of qualifying after the US was assured of moving through. Then, as a sub against El Salvador and starter against T&T in the Hex, Altidore was very effective in combination with Brian Ching. As the summer of 2009 went on, he partnered with Charlie Davies. Again, he played in a role where he was free to drift out wide, with Donovan, Dempsey, and Bradley tending to fill that space by making runs from their midfield positions.
After a solid run in qualifying and the Confederations Cup, Jozy was loaned to Hull City where he featured opposite either Vennegoor or Fagan again playing in an off-center forward position. While he was working on his hold up play, this was because of the size of the space between Hull's strikers and their midfield even though he was generally receiving balls wider than a traditional target forward.
After the injuries to Davies, Altidore was partnered with Casey, Cunningham, and Findley, all of whom naturally act as more of a center forward than Jozy does. All of these players were basically pawns used to move defenders and create structure for Altidore, Donovan, Dempsey, and Bradley to take their most natural roles. With Jozy pulling one center back out wide, the other center back being disposed by the other forward, Donovan and Dempsey making diagonal runs from the wings, and Bradley entering the box just in time for a cut back pass or rebound from a shot.
This brings us to the current season. Altidore again started the year at Villareal seeing time in the Copa del Rey, Europa League, and La Liga. Villareal gave Jozy a slightly different look from the systems that he has been in, that can be described in the below quote from a recent Zonal Marking post: “The problem with facing Giuseppe Rossi and and Nilmar is that they make unusual runs, from inside to outside – if they’re tracked too far, it leaves the centre of the pitch completely open.” Now, if that is starting to familiar, it should. Even in arguably the first system that Altidore has played in where he has not been paired with a traditional center forward, Villareal’s system is still based on the types of runs that Jozy has been making throughout his career. Finally, over the winter transfer window, Jozy was loaned to Bursaspor, where he has been asked to truly play away from center as a right winger making the same runs from the opposite side as when he began his career in New York.
A retrospective focused on what position he has been asked to fill by his coaches, versus the position that USMNT fans want him to fill because of the current void in center forward, leads to different conclusions about his play. To make a parallel to MLS, and RSL specifically, Jozy has been repeatedly asked to field the role of Espindola, but is being judged on his performance filling the role of Saborio.
His hat-trick against T&T is a perfect example of what Altidore’s natural role is. On the first goal, Ching knocks a long-ball down for Donovan, who plays across to the back post run of Altidore. On the second, Ching makes a near post run to open space for Jozy who is coming in behind him. On his final goal, Altidore, despite being the only forward on at the time, is the fourth US player to enter the box and puts away the shot. In rewatching these highlights, I was reminded of the runs of Clint Dempsey. In dissecting their styles of play, the parallels only grew stronger.
Seeing the physicality of Dempsey as evidenced by leading Fulham in fouls suffered by 30 and the hacking that he took in the recent Paraguay match, reminded me of the foul drawing capacity that Altidore showed in his time at Hull. Both prefer to take people on through dribbling and neither are the playmaker off the pass that Donovan is. Though Altidore's heading ability is often questioned, he has put away his fair share of aerial chances on very similar runs to Dempsey. Their career goal and assist rates are not dissimilar, especially considering that Dempsey was in his first year of MLS at Jozy’s current age.
There is some divergence between the two, based largely on their routes to becoming the players that they are. Dempsey’s fitness and defending are better having been primarily a midfielder in his early career. Altidore’s hold-up play is better at his age for the opposite reason.
If Altidore and Dempsey are from similar molds, then it makes some sense why Bradley would be hesitant to start them up top together, opting instead for a center forward place holder. The question remains going forward; what is the best use of offensive talent up top for the US? With Jozy never being asked to take a center forward role at the club level, his development into that role with the national team will be unnatural and therefore slow, as evidenced by the games with Jozy as the lone striker. In a 4-2-3-1, playing Jozy on a wing with Donovan and Dempsey being the other two in that line makes some sense, but that continues to leave the question about the center forward position and further compresses a crowded and talented midfield. Charlie Davies return to fitness could be an answer to that first issue, as could the emergence of Teal Bunbury.
Jozy Altidore is probably not the short or long-term solution to the center forward problems of the US. This does not mean that he will not develop into a great player, nor does it mean that he should not have a place in the USMNT. It does mean that comparing him to center forward may be misguided. For better or for worse, a player’s development will be dictated much more by his club managers than his national team. With Jozy’s club managers not playing Jozy in a center forward position, it’s probably better to embrace the road that Altidore appears headed down. If Jozy does become the heir to Clint Dempsey, he will probably turn out a pretty nice career for himself.
When Jozy first began receiving playing time with New York, Bruce Arena used him basically as an inverted winger, letting him cut in from the left and take long distance shots on goal. When he did solidify his place in the top line for New York, he was partnered with a traditional number 9 in Juan Pablo Angel and allowed to play off Angel’s center forward position. From there, he moved to Villareal, where he received a couple of starts opposite Giuseppe Rossi and a few sub appearances before being loaned to Xerez, but more on Villareal in a bit.
At that time, Jozy began to make his push into the national team picture; first, in two “B” team starts in the semifinal round of qualifying after the US was assured of moving through. Then, as a sub against El Salvador and starter against T&T in the Hex, Altidore was very effective in combination with Brian Ching. As the summer of 2009 went on, he partnered with Charlie Davies. Again, he played in a role where he was free to drift out wide, with Donovan, Dempsey, and Bradley tending to fill that space by making runs from their midfield positions.
After a solid run in qualifying and the Confederations Cup, Jozy was loaned to Hull City where he featured opposite either Vennegoor or Fagan again playing in an off-center forward position. While he was working on his hold up play, this was because of the size of the space between Hull's strikers and their midfield even though he was generally receiving balls wider than a traditional target forward.
After the injuries to Davies, Altidore was partnered with Casey, Cunningham, and Findley, all of whom naturally act as more of a center forward than Jozy does. All of these players were basically pawns used to move defenders and create structure for Altidore, Donovan, Dempsey, and Bradley to take their most natural roles. With Jozy pulling one center back out wide, the other center back being disposed by the other forward, Donovan and Dempsey making diagonal runs from the wings, and Bradley entering the box just in time for a cut back pass or rebound from a shot.
This brings us to the current season. Altidore again started the year at Villareal seeing time in the Copa del Rey, Europa League, and La Liga. Villareal gave Jozy a slightly different look from the systems that he has been in, that can be described in the below quote from a recent Zonal Marking post: “The problem with facing Giuseppe Rossi and and Nilmar is that they make unusual runs, from inside to outside – if they’re tracked too far, it leaves the centre of the pitch completely open.” Now, if that is starting to familiar, it should. Even in arguably the first system that Altidore has played in where he has not been paired with a traditional center forward, Villareal’s system is still based on the types of runs that Jozy has been making throughout his career. Finally, over the winter transfer window, Jozy was loaned to Bursaspor, where he has been asked to truly play away from center as a right winger making the same runs from the opposite side as when he began his career in New York.
A retrospective focused on what position he has been asked to fill by his coaches, versus the position that USMNT fans want him to fill because of the current void in center forward, leads to different conclusions about his play. To make a parallel to MLS, and RSL specifically, Jozy has been repeatedly asked to field the role of Espindola, but is being judged on his performance filling the role of Saborio.
His hat-trick against T&T is a perfect example of what Altidore’s natural role is. On the first goal, Ching knocks a long-ball down for Donovan, who plays across to the back post run of Altidore. On the second, Ching makes a near post run to open space for Jozy who is coming in behind him. On his final goal, Altidore, despite being the only forward on at the time, is the fourth US player to enter the box and puts away the shot. In rewatching these highlights, I was reminded of the runs of Clint Dempsey. In dissecting their styles of play, the parallels only grew stronger.
Seeing the physicality of Dempsey as evidenced by leading Fulham in fouls suffered by 30 and the hacking that he took in the recent Paraguay match, reminded me of the foul drawing capacity that Altidore showed in his time at Hull. Both prefer to take people on through dribbling and neither are the playmaker off the pass that Donovan is. Though Altidore's heading ability is often questioned, he has put away his fair share of aerial chances on very similar runs to Dempsey. Their career goal and assist rates are not dissimilar, especially considering that Dempsey was in his first year of MLS at Jozy’s current age.
There is some divergence between the two, based largely on their routes to becoming the players that they are. Dempsey’s fitness and defending are better having been primarily a midfielder in his early career. Altidore’s hold-up play is better at his age for the opposite reason.
If Altidore and Dempsey are from similar molds, then it makes some sense why Bradley would be hesitant to start them up top together, opting instead for a center forward place holder. The question remains going forward; what is the best use of offensive talent up top for the US? With Jozy never being asked to take a center forward role at the club level, his development into that role with the national team will be unnatural and therefore slow, as evidenced by the games with Jozy as the lone striker. In a 4-2-3-1, playing Jozy on a wing with Donovan and Dempsey being the other two in that line makes some sense, but that continues to leave the question about the center forward position and further compresses a crowded and talented midfield. Charlie Davies return to fitness could be an answer to that first issue, as could the emergence of Teal Bunbury.
Jozy Altidore is probably not the short or long-term solution to the center forward problems of the US. This does not mean that he will not develop into a great player, nor does it mean that he should not have a place in the USMNT. It does mean that comparing him to center forward may be misguided. For better or for worse, a player’s development will be dictated much more by his club managers than his national team. With Jozy’s club managers not playing Jozy in a center forward position, it’s probably better to embrace the road that Altidore appears headed down. If Jozy does become the heir to Clint Dempsey, he will probably turn out a pretty nice career for himself.
by Daniel Popko
Clint Dempsey’s dribbler squeaked by Robert Green for the first of five (fine...seven) US goals in South Africa. In addition, he had a high work rate and was dangerous enough playing for the Stars and Stripes that, on top of the best season of his career with Fulham, Deuce became an in demand commodity on the European transfer market.
While some of the “bandwagon fans” that jumped on for the magical run (have no fear, you’re perfectly welcome to come aboard, everyone has to start somewhere) might not have been able tell you what Dempsey’s club team was or, if they could, where it was located, that wouldn’t stop them from rallying behind one of their heroes. What if he suddenly found himself playing weekly in front of 80,000 screaming fans at the San Siro?
Have no fear, soccer’s “silly season” is here.
American sports fans love the speculation that comes with player movement. Millions tune in for the NFL Draft. The MLB Hot Stove captivates the nation. LeBron’s “Decision” was the third highest-grossing cable program of the year (but it still couldn’t touch Nickelodeon’s “ICarly.” No really). If the average American was looking for a boost to jump into love of the “other” football, what a better time than during the transfer market after the World Cup?
Transfer rumors make LeBron “taking his talents to South Beach” look tame by comparison. Young guns like Mario Balotelli and Neymar might command transfer money totaling upward of $30 million,, but could just as easily end up going nowhere. Cesc Fábregas treats Barcelona and Arsenal like a rose ceremony on “The Bachelorette” (sorry, I have female roommates. I couldn’t avoid the show if I wanted too, and believe me, I want to) and 30+ stars contemplate furthering the over-analyzed label of the MLS as a retirement league.
Men’s National teamers have moved around this transfer window, but nothing has made a big or even a moderate splash in world football. Sure Sacha Kljestan is headed to Anderlecht in Belgium and Jonathan Bornstein planned a move south of the border to Tigres. Even Jay DeMerit and Frankie Simek will be sporting some fresh colors in the Football League next season. Fantastic. I wish them all the best of luck - but there are bigger fish to be fried.
At this point it seems clear that even the endless pockets of Manchester City won’t table a bid that could make Don Garber consider letting American Golden Boy Landon Donovan leave MLS, so the speculative eye turns to the USA’s other dynamic attacking force (sorry Jozy) in Deuce.
The rumour mill stared churning in early July with reported interest from Italian giants Milan. With his former manager at Craven Cottage, Roy Hodgson, moving to Liverpool, that too became a “potential destination.” If the investigative reporting and impeccable sources of Wikipedia are to be believed (they shouldn’t, but then again real journalists tend to be nearly as accurate with transfer speculation), Napoli, Juventus, Bordeaux, Sochaux, Borussia Mönchengladbach were all lining up to have Clint sign on the dotted line.
The Napoli interest seems legitimate enough and Juventus would almost certainly like to avoid this happening again, but those final three clubs scream of pro-American linking just for its own sake. I’m not saying none of those teams wouldn’t benefit from Dempsey’s presence, but all three feature a prominent American on the roster already -- at least until Bradley flees Mönchengladbach for greener pastures. Not to mention, Sochaux, Mönchengladbach and Hannover could be viewed as a step down in club quality from Fulham.
Now while rumours are just as likely to come from real sources as a few supporters enjoying a pint, it’s not as if clubs are interested in Deuce for his place of honor in the eye of the American fan. They're after his composure, skill and the moments of brilliance he can provide in goals like his chip against Juve. Jason Kuenle tackled the idea of American friendly clubs when talking about the odyssey that Ricardo Clark could have had, and perhaps the success of Bradley, Steve Cherundolo and hopefully Charlie Davies will give these clubs a better idea of what American players can do, opening the door for young guns coming up the ranks.
Clubs like Fulham, Everton and arguably Aston Villa already seem to be keen on giving Americans a chance.. Scandinavia is simply bustling with American talent. Plymouth Argyle have even come back to offer trials to Cody Arnoux and Anton Peterlin after enjoying seven sublime appearances from Kenny Cooper. Even Milan would be going back for another piece of the pie after signing Oguchi Onyewu as their fifth choice center back.
While I don’t need to preach to the choir that is reading this right now, these are the small developments that are refreshing to hear. We care about Carlos Bocanegra making an essentially lateral move in Ligue 1 and Eddie Johnson and Freddy Adu’s double-loan to Greece, but Donovan spending 10 weeks in the blue jersey of Everton or Deuce possibly moving to a top European club grabs attention. It has the ability to make mainstream headlines, even in the American sports media.
At this point in soccer’s development in this country, any positive visibility is a good thing. It may not immediately put people in the seats for an FC Dallas-Kansas City Wizards game, but American players playing Champions League soccer at the top clubs in the sport makes the game more visible to the average viewer.
If you turn on Fox Soccer, you’re much more likely to see a match with AC Milan or Liverpool than Mönchengladbach or Sochaux. Having a player like Dempsey on the pitch may be enough to keep those fringe fans watching. Even if it’s not directly drawing them into the domestic game, it could be enough to get them interested in the sport itself beyond the national team, which itself is a start.
If Joe Average keeps coming back for more footy and realizes that Dempsey once plied his trade in the jersey of the New England Revolution or Tim Howard manned the cage for the MetroStars, maybe they’ll look around locally for their next fix and a view of the talent of tomorrow. Everyone’s journey to football fandom has to start somewhere.
Who knows, it may even be getting to see Maurice Edu make a clattering tackle on Sacha Kljestan in the Champions League group stage. That’s something almost every American fan can get behind.
I'll admit it; I like athletes with chips on their shoulders. I can empathize with the pressure they must feel, the natural reaction being one of hurt feelings, raw nerves, and an desire to "prove people wrong".
It doesn't even really matter if there are too many of those "people", or if the athlete is erecting a straw man with the help of their own over-sensitivity. Sometimes, people under the microscope don't always respond the way they should. They're human, after all.
So I'm giving Oguchi Onyewu a pass on the chip he's cultivating during the run up to the World Cup. He seems to be feeding it indiscriminately, tweeting about "haters", bristling when the press questions his fitness, and just generally giving off an angry vibe. Everyone doubts him. No one believes he'll be fit. Hell, some were saying that leaving the big guy off the team might be a good idea.
Not the sane ones, but whatever.
I'm giving our man Gooch a pass not because I think his reaction is justified, but because I think it is truly motivating him that there is any doubt at all that he can be ready for England on June 12th. As a fan, this is all I care about; I get the media reacting in shock horror when they ask what is a reasonable question and Onyewu fires back with vitriol, but that doesn't affect me. If Gooch needs a chip to push himself, I'm all for it.
It's not like Onyewu is the only guy harboring a me-against-the-world grudge. Clint Dempsey's comments, specifically when asked about his inconsistent performances when wearing the U.S. jersey, were intriguing to say the least. Deuce seems like a guy with an internal fire constantly burning, one stoked by the fuel of external criticism, and it's hard to argue that it hasn't helped him. Dempsey got defensive, and probably rightfully so; American fans put a lot on the Texan's shoulders, and he considerable talents only serve to bring him harsh assessments when he doesn't seem to live up to them. Again, if this is what he need to spur him along, I say stoke away.
Athletes are human beings (in case you didn't know), susceptible to all of the same insecurities and personal demons we all face. There's a line they must be careful not to cross, but a hearty desire to "prove everyone wrong" can be beneficial. The motivation each player drums up to push them to new heights on the field is extremely personal, and varies from man to man. Donovan dealt with scathing criticism for years, internalized his processing of it, and claims it now has made him a better player. Dempsey seethes, and has only become an integral part of both his club and national team. Onyewu is new to this, with his recovering knee sowing seeds of doubt, giving both fans and media reason to question his ability to play on an high level in two weeks time.
If it pushes him, means he works just that much harder in training, or is able to push beyond the natural reluctance he might have to land on the knee (see Tuesday's non-jump), then it won't matter to me if he gets a little testy.
Oguchi Onyewu has haters? I hope he proves them all wrong.
Clint Dempsey isn't the fastest player on the US roster. He isn't the most technically gifted. He's not he tallest, the strongest, or the most successful. But come the World Cup this summer, he just might prove to be the most important. As a whole, the United States is a hardworking, difficult to break down team. Landon Donovan is the epitome of that mentality. Industrious without the ball, purposeful and direct with it, he's the player around which the American attack has been built around. But I have an inkling that if any American player is going to leave his mark on this World Cup, it will be the one we call "Deuce."
For me, Dempsey is the most intriguing of the USMNT core. He has a frustrating tendency to drift out of games, especially against so-called "weaker" opposition, and a thrilling habit of performing when he's needed most. He's unpredictable, mercurial, intense, volatile. He's a skillful winger with a bag of tricks and penchant for the kind of audacious goals which get you out of your seat and shaking your head in disbelief. "Did he just DO that?" could be Deuce's tagline. His recent wonder strike for Fulham to knock Italian giants Juventus out of the Europa League was widely proclaimed as the greatest goal ever scored by an American in European competition, rivalled only by his goal against Liverpool that saved Fulham from relegation. If you remember, Dempsey was the only American player to score at the last World Cup, thumping a rifled volley home from a perfect DaMarcus Beasley cross, when the US was, for all intents and purposes, out of the competition already.
That single-minded, never-say-die attitude is a constant feature of Deuce's career. His ability got him out of the Nagodoches, Texas trailer park of his childhood and opened doors which led to college and Major League Soccer. He was drafted by the New England Revolution, and won the Rookie of the Year award. During his time with the Revolution, MLS turned down several lucrative offers for him from Europe. Not happy with playing the big fish in the small pond, Deuce spurned MLS's offers of contract renewals and marquee staus to dip his toe in arguably the biggest pond of them all and sign with English Premier League side Fulham. Through what seems like sheer force of will, Dempsey carved out a first team position for himself, and he has become one Craven Cottage's biggest cult heroes this side of Johnny Haynes.
With the participation of Charlie Davies this summer a doubt, even more of the attacking responsibility will fall to the midfield, and with Landon Donovan providing the bulk of the creativity, it will fall to Deuce to provide the flair and dynamism. If his past performances are any indication, Deuce is hungry. Hungry to improve, hungry to prove himself, and hungry to be the best. "Complacent" is an alien word to Deuce, which is why we love him so much.
There's no way to color today's injury blow to Fulham and USMNT player Clint Dempsey other than "potentially devastating". Dempsey has come to be a major contributor for both club and country, popping up for crucial goals, putting pressure on opposing defenses, and allowing his managers supreme flexibility.
Dempsey's reputation as a talented, hard-working player is both accurate and well-earned. It's a testament to his abilities and success with Fulham that a perceived drop-off in his play with the Americans is so supremely frustrating. It's not that Dempsey doesn't do plenty while wearing the Red, White, and Blue, it's that he isn't quite as consistent. In both lineups he is crucial, depended-upon, and dangerous. For both sets of fans, he's a favorite.
So it's understandable that the reaction to Dempsey's knee injury in today's match against Blackburn has USMNT fans cursing their luck and gnashing their teeth. With an already problematic injury situation that includes a sidelined Oguchi Onyewu and Charlie Davies, any hint that Dempsey could miss the World Cup is enough to send some fans into a death spiral of depression and lost expectations. Without Dempsey, what chance does the US have of getting out of their group?
Fortunately, we don't yet know that Dempsey will miss the tournament in South Africa. He is scheduled for a scan, and while Fulahm manager Roy Hodgson's appraisal lends no optimism, there's always a chance that the damage is less severe than it seems. With a favorable prognosis and a little luck Dempsey might be back on the field for the Cottagers in a few months, giving him enough time to get back to full fitness and form before June.
Of course, there's the heart-breaking alternative, that Dempsey is out for a protracted length of time and that he either won't be healthy or won't be ready to play for his country this summer. It's that thought that has the fan base worried, and it's that thought that has some wondering if the US will manage anything out of their group stage matches.
Playing without Dempsey would clearly make the Americans a weaker side. Dempsey's experience and talent cannot be replaced easily by Bob Bradley, and there's no real reason to believe that anyone could fill Clint's shoes. The US could be headed for disaster in South Africa, though the loss of Dempsey is not in itself the tipping point. Yes, Dempsey plays a key role, and yes, any substitute is likely to come up short of his standard; but there have been enough games won by the US without a stellar performance from the midfielder to think that it's possible they can get by minus his presence.
But simply because getting through without Dempsey is possible doesn't mean it's likely. The danger Dempsey presents allows other players on the field to find space and make things happen, even when he's not scoring himself. I fully expect that Bob Bradley will curse (if he does curse) his and the team's luck (if Dempsey is indeed lost) briefly before moving on to revamping his lineup. What was a unclear outlook for success becomes all the more murky without Dempsey, and the quality of Bradley's squad will take a massive hit.
I'm crossing my fingers that Dempsey's injury is not season-ending, that he won't miss the World Cup, and that any discussion of the USMNT without him becomes moot almost immediately.
It's about time the US squad caught a lucky break.
Jozy Altidore is still searching for consistent playing time at EPL strugglers Hull. Freddy Adu's status is again in limbo after being sent back to Benfica (who don't really want him) by Belenenses. Eddie Johnson is headed to Greek Superleague side Aris FC after failing to break into the rotation at Fulham. Three young "name" American players, each with their own problems succeeding in the tough environs of European soccer, and ripe for criticism because of it.
To hear some tell it, the issues each player is facing, often viewed as self-inflicted by (reported) lack of effort, ill-advised public outbursts, and general bad attitude, is indicative of a wider problem with young Americans employed abroad. Be it generational and cultural, there must be something intrinsically wrong with American footballers, because this evidence seems bears it out.
Except that the evidence, as one would expect with across a range of examples, is by no means uniform. In fact, the number of American players "failing" in Europe, an assessment that naturally depends on the how success is defined, is relatively small. For every Freddy Adu or Eddie Johnson, there's a Mike Grella, Marcus Tracy, or Alejandro Bedoya; players without the name recognition but who have worked hard and carved a niche for themselves in various leagues. To say that a singular "American attitude" pervades the player base plying their trade abroad outside of the United States, is disservice to those who are taking full advantage of their opportunities.
Our natural inclination as observers is to group like things, then draw conclusions using those shared elements. We want to lump Adu, Altidore, Johnson, and others together because they share a common nationality and upbringing; American soccer exports are few enough that each case is imbued with more significance than it probably deserves, making the disheartening cases all the more visible. It therefore seems logical that at least some of their failures (again, relatively speaking) is attributable to the the origin of their passport.
Each of the players in question, as well as Charlie Davies, Clint Dempsey, Michael Bradley, Benny Feilhaber, and a multitude of others, carries the burden of American soccer's emergence with them. As more and more players head overseas, the largest amount of individual scrutiny will be saved for the most-hyped among them. That is certainly the case for Altidore and Adu, two young players whose personal reputations have somehow become tied to a wider view of American talent. Because they get the headlines, have the largest transfer fees, or garner attention from quarters that generally ignore soccer, their cases take on added importance.
That flawed thinking not only goes for soccer minds in Europe and elsewhere, but for Americans analyzing and observing the game. The psychology involved is complicated, but two main factors seem to be at play; knowledgeable Americans, those who view themselves as authorities, respond to the overrating of some players with harsh assessments that often involve generalizations, while also exhibiting aspects of an inferiority-complex. They're American, and they're countrymen are stagnating in Europe, so their reaction is to downplay those players as "not good enough in the first place" in order to deflect any ridicule they might receive from their colleagues abroad or the better to reinforce their own expert credentials. Hard to blame them.
That's not to say the players should be beyond reproach or that every analyst is guilty of the above. But the unavoidable fact that not every hyped player can "make it" gets lost in all of the noise. Scouting in every sport is hit-and-miss, and even the most intelligent soccer minds tap up youngsters that never amount to anything more than reservists. We remember those that rise from starlets to stars and laud the ones that fulfill their potential, but what about the rest? How many Americans succeeding in Europe, as have more than a few, will it take before those that fail are no longer evidence of some American pandemic of bad attitudes?
Each player, regardless of his provenance, is deserving of critique if he fails to live up to his presumed talent. Clubs don't buy or take players on loan that they do not think can help them win or have sufficient ability to progress to that point, so when the player fails to make an impact it's difficult to find any explanation than that his mental strength and discipline are lacking. Still, so many factors go into a players development that it's difficult to pinpoint any one as the source of the issue; does Freddy Adu or Jozy Altidore's origin mean more than the coaching, environment and training techniques to which he's exposed?
There may not be a widespread bias against American players (and if there is, it's fading considerably), and there may be less generalization of their abilities than in the past; but there likely remains a sense, both in their own home country as well as abroad, that Americans are collectively guilty of certain things. Rarely are stereotypes fair to the entirety of a population, even if a portion of that population embody it. The labels of "lazy" and "entitled" are starting to stick to young American players because a few bad apples; that's not only unfair, it's the result of a flawed assessment.
There is no over-arching problem with American players, but there are a few giving their fellow countrymen a bad name.
Something I failed to bring up when I posted that Clint Dempsey will miss Saturday's US qualifier against Honduras due to a shoulder injury is the question of it's affect on both the team and the player. I'm not original in the idea, though I should have mentioned it when it occurred to me, as Steve Davis has beaten me to the punch.
Original or not, it's a question worth asking. Dempsey hasn't exactly burned it up for the Nats the last few times out, and while he may still be an automatic starter for the foreseeable future, there might be something to having him watching someone play his position. Sure, it's for injury and not because Bradley is sitting him down, but anything to light a fire under the guy, right?
There's no question of Dempsey's quality, and I'm still in the camp that says he can be and is the best American player when he wants to be; but Deuce is clearly guilty of taking some time off during games, and disappears for long stretches. When he does attempt to make things happen, he often does too much, leading to bad turnovers and ruined momentum. I realize that I've put Dempsey in a "damned if you do, damned if you don't" situation (just a little), but there is a happy medium that Clint finds more easily while wearing a Fulham than he does when wearing a USA one.
Because of that talent, and because the manager of the US National Team is not in any position to be choosy, Dempsey continues to start without any real sense that his position is under any threat. There aren't many players who can handle that situation without some kind of let up in their play; it's human nature to get complacent when pressure is non-existent. At Fulham, especially as he was forced to re-earn his place in the team after the arrival of Roy Hodgson, Dempsey is constantly playing for his job. With the Americans, that's not the case, and whether Clint is conscious of the problem or not is irrelevant as long as his performances continue to smack of periodic disinterest interspersed with moments of "I'm the best player on the field and I'm going to prove it."
Up to this point, Bob Bradley hasn't had the luxury of sitting Dempsey down. World Cup qualifying, especially with the Americans' inability to win on the road in Central America, is a tense affair fraught with little margin for error and even less opportunity to experiment. Without a proven player to plug into Dempsey's spot, Bradley has done what most managers would; play the best you have, regardless of consistency, and hope that the quality comes through more often than not.
As nice of an idea as it is, I'm skeptical of the affect Dempsey's inability to play will have on him. He's not being benched in favor of someone else, so the impetus to get back in the lineup and prove he should be there won't necessarily be there.. If it was to happen, it would take a masterful performance by his replacement (who I am guessing will be Stuart Holden); in that case, Dempsey may have just a tiny pang of fear that his spot could be lost, at least for the time being while Bradley goes with the "hot hand".
Pity then, that there are only two meaningful games left in 2009 for the US; by the time 2010 rolls around, and the preparations (fingers crossed) for South Africa are in full swing, Clint Dempsey might just step back into this usual spot on the right side of the American midfield, without having really taken anything out of his brief time on the bench.
The question is asked, and I've spent entirely too much time attempting to psycho-analyze Clint Dempsey. Besides, we won't know the answer until at least October 14th, Dempsey's next opportunity to play.
Thoughts? Will Dempsey get anything out of sitting this weekend?
Clint Dempsey has been ruled out of the upcoming US World Cup qualifier with Honduras due to a slight shoulder sprain picked up on the weekend while playing for his club side Fulham.
Dempsey left Fulham's match with West Ham in the 84th minute and underwent an MRI today. The injury makes unavailable on of Bob Bradley's regular starters, and creates a hole on the right side of midfield. While Dempsey's play for the US has been generally regarded as less than stellar in recent months, he was a fairly consistent contributor and provided several key goals over the course of the qualifying campaign.
Bob Bradley will need to choose a replacement for Dempsey out of a group of young midfielders that include Robbie Rogers, Jose Francisco Torres, and Stuart Holden. Holden has see the most first team time for the US recently, and would figure to be the man to step into Dempsey's position.
What do you make of the loss of Dempsey, and who do you think Bradley should start in his stead?
Day two of the European transfer window, and the rumors are at a fever pitch.
Our man Deuce is now the subject of rampant speculation, with Dempsey linked to Everton in the English rags.
But wait, there's more. While Everton is the favorites according to the Sun, other clubs are in the mix as well. Dempsey's agent says that English, French, German and Spanish clubs have inquired about the American's services.
All of this comes directly after Clint himself said that he wants to stay with Fulham. But he only has one year left on his contract, and while I don't believe that he has "rejected" a new one (The Sun's choice of words), it is telling that he has yet to sign a new one.
It's quite a list (even though we don't know which clubs are involved other than the Toffees), and it speaks to Dempsey's strong season at Fulham and his impressive showing at the Confederations Cup. While many of us were just a little critical of Clint during the tournament because he seemed to disappear at time, he did win the Bronze Ball as the third best player in the tournament. Clubs have certainly taken notice. Dempsey is an excellent player, and one some might even called the best of the Americans; a move to a bigger club on a bigger contract is well-deserved.
The question is whether it serves Dempsey to move. Many I talk to would rather see him stay a Fulham, where he has steadily improved over his time there. After Roy Hodgson took over at Craven Cottage, it took some time for Dempsey to work his way into the manager's good graces and into the regular first eleven; but he's done so, and excelled in the process.
I'm torn here, because I think that Dempsey has done so well and grown so much at Fulham and under Hodgson that a move might be a bad thing. On the other hand, the more Americans move up the food chain and break down the belief that Yanks can't play, the better. Everton is a bigger club than Fulham, plain and simple; playing for the Toffees, who might push for a Champions League spot, would certainly raise Dempsey's profile at the least.
What do you think? If any of these rumors are true (and take them with a grain of salt, naturally), would you rather see Clint stay at Fulham, or move on to Everton or one of the other leagues rumored?
If you stuck with ESPN during the post-match festivities yesterday, perhaps in a mild catatonic state of shock as I was, you might have noticed that Clint Dempsey received the "Bronze Ball", the award given the third best player in the tournament as voted by the journalists covering the Confederations Cup.
Dempsey had a fair tournament, and put a few very nice goals, including the most important of any the US scored, the third against Egypt. But no only was he not the third best player in the tournament over all, he wasn't even the best player on his own team.
That distinction, and while I don't expect it to be unanimous because it is of course a subjective evaluation, belongs to Landon Donovan.
I have yet to speak with someone since the Americans ended their down-and-up Confed Cup who does not believe that Donovan is the clear choice for best US player. He was all over the pitch throughout his time in South Africa, starting attacks, clearing balls in defense, harrying opposing players in the midfield, and leading by example; if asked, I'm sure that even Clint himself would agree that Donovan played better than him throughout the competition.
So why then, did Dempsey receive an award and Donovan did not? To be fair, I'm doubtful that Donovan was too broken up about being left out of the ceremony, especially in light of the disappointing loss to the Brazilians; a trophy, bronze or otherwise, would be little consolation to a player who so desperately wanted to win.
But for us, the fans and observers of the team and the tourney, who while admittedly biased can often be harsh in our assessment, Dempsey over Donovan for a meaningless trophy is worth talking about.
My thought today, as I sift through the event of the last two weeks and attempt to put everything in the proper perspective (and I'm still working on it, no matter my earlier post), I'm struck by what I believe to be a fairly reasonable thought: Dempsey trumped Donovan for the award because Clint Dempsey plays in a "real" football league and Landon Donovan plays in Major League Soccer.
Sorry about the bold there. Just want to be sure you didn't miss it.
This isn't some grand conspiracy theory, or groundshaking pronouncement; but it is a stark reminder of the bias that both our players and our league face in the wider footballing world. It would have been almost impossible for the writers to leave an American off the podium after the run they put in to close out the tournament, and while both Dempsey and Donovan were in the running, it's clear that Dempsey's Premier League pedigree won out. If we are to assume that the collection of writers in South Africa, and I know nothing about the makeup of that group but I think it's reasonable to guess, are reasonably intelligent and well-heeled in the sport, then it's difficult for me to conceive of them missing the fact that Donovan was better than Dempsey.
Congrats to Clint. It probably shouldn't have been you.
Your thoughts? Am I crazy and just delirious for a tiring weekend and a terrible Monday at work?
It's Friday, and little of note is likely to happen today, so forgive me if I've let my mind wander a bit. But everyone's favorite Euro snob, the man Ginge, suggested something intriguing on this week's Match Fit USA Soccer Show that deserves a bit more exploration. He suggested, in passing and without much explanation, that perhaps the United States' two most heralded attacking players might actually have trouble playing together. I'm speaking of course, of Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey.
Ginge's suggestion, which caught me by surprise a bit initially, now seems like a reasonable thought if we go by the form of both players when wearing National Team colors in recent times. Neither has exactly burned up the pitch, and Dempsey in particular has seemed to only show up during a match when making a mistake or dribbling himself into a turnover. Donovan's work rate is unmatched for the Nats, but what has he done of note besides put in the occasional penalty kick?
This is sticky idea, the thought that perhaps two of the Unites States' best attacking options don't work on the field together. The particulars of breaking it down are well beyond my tactical knowledge, and it would be irresponsible of me to dance around and generalize in order to back up the concept.
So I put it do you: Is there anything to the notion that Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey are the American Gerrard and Lampard, two players whose similar abilities and need for the ball make them somewhat incompatible when playing together?
Remember; it's Friday, there's little to talk about that we haven't already covered around here, and I admit that this is mindless space-filling nonsense. Consider it a pre-weekend pointless debate (I like that. Might have to make it a regular feature of MFUSA).
A couple of days ago, I put up a quick poll on who you guys believe is currently the best American player (non-goalie). Although the number of votes was fairly minimal, I think the exercise did its job; namely, it proved that there's a segment of USMNT fans that believe Clint Dempsey is the best player we've got.
I disagree, though I it's a lot closer than it used to be (and Michael Bradley is probably not too far behind either). Because some think Dempsey is better, and because I have the time and energy to do so, I've decided to do a little head-to-head comparison of the two players.
I'm using a point system format; meaning that in each area, the player can either get a win, draw, or loss, and earn points for a result. Three points for a win, one point for a draw, and obviously zippy for a loss. Here we go.
Remember that this is a subjective attempt to determine who's better, and that it is only one man's opinion.
Skill
Even Dempsey backers would have to admit that Donovan is the more skillful player (apparently not; see comments); while neither is Ronaldo or Messi, each can do some pretty impressive things with the ball. Still, Donovan has proven that, given the opportunity, he can impress with his skill. Dempsey has the stepovers, something that Donovan rarely employs (though I think it's there), and both can create space with the ball at their feet.
Result: Donovan Win (3 Points)
Speed (Pace for our English friends)
Not much of a contest here. Clint's not exactly slow, but Donovan's speed is world class; everyone remembers moments where Landon's speed changed a game. Speed's not everything of course, but it does play a role in a player's ability to stand out on the field.
Result: Donovan Win (3 Points)
Positioning
We're talking runs, off-the-ball movement, and the ability to be in the right place at the right time here; both are good at finding open space and making themselves available. Donovan's speed is an advantage in this area, though Dempsey might actually have a better natural sense. I'm calling this one a draw, because the differences are slight enough to make it matter of perspective/recency.
Result: Draw (1 point each)
Playmaking
Getting into space and making the right run is great, but an attacking player is more correctly defined by his ability to set up his teammates. Donovan has a slight headstart in this area because he usually plays more in a more central role than Dempsey, and I'm taking that into account. Still, I think this is another win for Donovan.
Result: Win Donovan (3 points)
Defense
Although both players are offense first as their positions dictate, each obviously has defensive responsibilities. Tracking back is something neither player is hesitant to do when it's called for, so this seems to be another tightly contested area. My sense though, is that Dempsey works a little harder, and is usually more sucessful in his efforts.
Result: Win Dempsey (3 points)
Level of Competition
I might put less stock in where a player is playing his club soccer than most, and so I'm consciously going against my instinct on this one. It might be a bit unfair to Landon, especially in light of his recent efforts to get back to Europe, though his failed stints in Germany as a younger player have to be taken into account. Donovan obviously scores a lot more goals in a lesser competition (and internationally), but Clint is playing in what is generally considered the best league in the world. In deference to those who think it matters, this one's clearly a win for Dempsey.
Result: Win Dempsey (3 points)
Final Standings:
Donovan 10 points
Dempsey 7 points
In the end, Dempsey comes up a win short of tying for the title. I'm tapped out on areas to compare the two, which obviously doesn't mean there aren't more. If anyone has a suggestion (although I'm sure it will be colored by your bias for a particular player), please speak up and I'll add it in.
As I said, I tried to be a objective as possible, and not let my overall sense of each player color the results. Breaking it down into individual areas of comparison seemed the easiest way to accomplish that, though it's obviously not perfect.
So step up, add a point of comparison, make your case, or just disagree with my results.
After a stressful week at work, sometimes it's nice to just let all the serious issues of the day slide away and focus on what's really important:
If Fulham beats Manchester United tomorrow (I know what you're thinking, but it could happen), Clint Dempsey has promised to get back on the mic and spit a few rhymes in honor of the FA Cup Final (bottom of the page, in the "And Finally" section).
Nice.
If you didn't already have a reason to root for the Whites against United, now you do.
"Classic" and "epic" are the first words that come to mind.
If Fulham beats Manchester United tomorrow (I know what you're thinking, but it could happen), Clint Dempsey has promised to get back on the mic and spit a few rhymes in honor of the FA Cup Final (bottom of the page, in the "And Finally" section).
Nice.
If you didn't already have a reason to root for the Whites against United, now you do.
"Classic" and "epic" are the first words that come to mind.
