Dempsey at centre mid ???

[GoldCoastWhite]

The official match report says that Clint went to centre mid when Danny came off for Zamora around the 70 minute mark. Interested to hear your opinions on how he performed there and whether he has what it takes to be a potential replacement for Danny in the future.

[MJG]

He did go there and I was very surprised to see him put at cm since we had Davies and Greening on the bench.
Yes we won and people will say its Hughes going for it, but he is not a CM and I don't recall him ever playing in that position for us. The game was very open so it did not matter but I would not want him playing in that role if we were defending in a very tight game.
For me it almost smacked of not taking the top goalscorer so l will keep him on at CM.

[Fletchino]

To be completely honest I didn't notice Dempsey all game I think he is now a striker he now has the greed for goals which most strikers have too.

[clint23]

Yes, Dempsey went to centre mid, but he was most of the time in the box as a third striker, certainly not his position.

[TonyGilroy]

Murphy had a strangely, almost uniquely for him, ineffective game. Their number 2 man marked him out of the game.

Hughes went for a win. High ball to Zamora bypassing midfield and try to get in their box. It worked.

I'm sure that Murphy and Etuhu (who was good yesterday) will start at Everton as will Zamora which may well see Dempsey on the bench. Kakuta wide left looks sensational and I might be tempted to start him. Hughes probably won't but I can see him coming on earlier in future mtches.

[epsomraver]

Really surprised that Gudjohson didn't come on as the game was very physical.

[richie17]

the game as so open by then that positions weren't what they would normally be.  He did okay but nobody was pressing and he could roam, so decent switch in that it kept a goal threat on the field while not sacrificing too much defensively.

[McBridefan1]

I've been saying for years Dempsey should be trained propperly as a centre mid... he finds passes and sees the field better than most people give him credit for... if the offense flowed through dempsey I could see good things happening. Right now he is immature and thinks scoring goals makes you the man, but what always impressed me about his game was his slick passing. I could see Demps being benched and used as a second half sub for Danny in the future, and I can see him not being mature enough to accept that role. It's too bad he really could be special in that position, as he gets older and wiser that would be his natural position in my not so humble opinion.

[nevzter]

I think he could fit in the role, but as of now, he doesn't have the discipline as stated above - he wants goals and heads for the box every chance he gets (nothing wrong with heading for the box on any occasion!).

If Hughes wants him on the pitch, he'll put him wherever to accommodate the subs...it's a great thing to have options, ain't it?

COYW

[Jack Fulham]

I don't think Dempsey is decisive enough with his passing to play centre midfield. He plays far too forward as well which would leave his partner and the defence exposed. Only worth putting him there when we're chasing a game in the latter stages.

[NewYorkYank]

If I recall correctly, he has played in the middle on occasion for the US National Team in the more distant past.  Further, he has played as a withdrawn striker and, when on the wing, he drifts into the center anyway.  I think he is more suited than Davies to play in the middle.  He is stronger (when he is not diving for fouls) and better in the air.  Davies seems more suited than Dempsey to play wide.  I think as a situational move to add more offense, it makes sense for the moment (although we will have to suffer more pointless long-range shots).  I also agree with a number of posters that he would be physically suited to play in the middle, if not yet mentally.

[simplyfulham]

Really surprised that Gudjohson didn't come on as the game was very physical.

I thought the same thing. Surely his technical ability would of been able to draw free kicks and unlock a lumbering defence.
Saying that you couldn't take off AJ, he had a very good game.

When Murph came off and Dempsey went into the middle, we seemed to lose our shape, someone already remarked about how the game became more open after he came off. Partly because our lack of organisation in the middle meant we no longer dominated that area of the pitch.

[TonyGilroy]

The problem was that Blackburn dominated midfield throughout. Once Zamora came on the idea was to play longer balls to him and use his hold up abilities. Dempsey was a bit deeper but only nominally a midfielder.

As he usually does Hughes was going for the win.

[AlFayedsChequebook]

The problem was that Blackburn dominated midfield throughout. Once Zamora came on the idea was to play longer balls to him and use his hold up abilities. Dempsey was a bit deeper but only nominally a midfielder.

As he usually does Hughes was going for the win.

Blackburn dominated the midfield by by-passing it. Murphy was having 0 influence on the game so with Zamora on, we could play a 4-4-2 diamond with Dempsey at the tip. Was a good move in the end as it allowed us to pressure their backline more. Kakuta also offered an outlet.

[TonyGilroy]

Blackburn played through the midfield and dominated it by nullifying Murphy.

There was nothing thuggish or long ball about Blackburn. I thought they deserved something from the game. Hughes changed things to go for the win. That was how we turned the game round.

That and perhaps a large Harrod's hamper in Clattenburg's changing room.

[goffc]

The problem was that Blackburn dominated midfield throughout. Once Zamora came on the idea was to play longer balls to him and use his hold up abilities. Dempsey was a bit deeper but only nominally a midfielder.

As he usually does Hughes was going for the win.

Blackburn dominated the midfield by by-passing it. Murphy was having 0 influence on the game so with Zamora on, we could play a 4-4-2 diamond with Dempsey at the tip. Was a good move in the end as it allowed us to pressure their backline more. Kakuta also offered an outlet.

chequebook - i like your posts, but you are far too logical on this one.  we are trying to determine if we know better than sparky where demps can or can't play.   :005: