Dempsey continues to be underrated

[HatterDon]

According to Ms. Turner at least, and I tend to agree -- especially by Fulham supporters.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/georgina_turner/04/29/dempsey.epl/index.html?

Dempsey still underrated despite star performances at Fulham

On Wednesday evening in West London, Clint Dempsey became Fulham's top scorer in the Premier League era, scoring in each half against Bolton to first match and then surpass the benchmark of 32 set by fellow American Brian McBride and Steed Malbranque. It was somehow fitting that he should reach this milestone -- and in some style -- while all eyes were elsewhere, on the trumpeted and tempestuous Champions League meeting between Real Madrid and Barcelona. His quality seems forever caught in soccer's peripheral vision.

In part, he has suffered from the constant comparison to Landon Donovan; up against the U.S.' wholesome, twinkle-eyed star, Dempsey's brooding demeanor makes him an unlikely poster boy. Donovan's injury-time goal against Algeria at last summer's World Cup is seared on to the nation's memory -- even people who aren't that interested in soccer could probably describe it to you. That it was Dempsey's run and shot that created the opportunity, leaving the box open and the goalkeeper on the floor, is merely a footnote. His strike against England is virtually credited to Robert Green, but the U.S. had only four shots on target in 95 minutes, and Dempsey made two of them. Maybe he didn't really believe he'd beat Green from there, but as Bruce Arena once put it: "He tries s--t."

Fulham has had a pretty unexceptional season in the Premier League -- better than last year, mind you, but without the distraction of a Europa League adventure. Early on in the campaign, the team only broke a run of draws by losing a couple. It is just very recently that the club's strike force has been at its full complement: Bobby Zamora broke a leg in September, Moussa Dembele's season has been disrupted by a recurring ankle injury, and Andrew Johnson's return from a long layoff has been tentative, to say the least. In their absence Dempsey, a midfielder not nearly so eulogized beside the Thames as Damien Duff, Simon Davies or Zoltan Gera have been, has scored a career-best 12 goals (nigh on a third of Fulham's total).

Without Dempsey's goals, Fulham would be 10 points worse off -- critical in any season, let alone one such as this. That he has attempted more shots than any other Fulham player tells you how well he has adapted to the demands placed upon him, though it has never really been his game to lead the line. He has outscored every member of the PFA Team of the Year midfield, and matched the player who has virtually defined goal-scoring midfield play this season, Tottenham's Rafael van der Vaart. Yet the fanfare has been minimal and in some cases even grudging -- spectators who have invested several seasons in the idea that Dempsey is not a game-changer are reluctant to change their tune now.

Of course Van der Vaart has made an instant impact on Spurs and the league for the relatively tiny outlay of £8 million ($13.3M), but for £1.5 million (about $4 million then), but Dempsey has more than proved his worth since arriving from New England Revolution in 2007. It was his neatly crafted goal that gave Fulham its relegation defying win over Liverpool at the end of the 2006-07 season. Though in years to come people may struggle to remember that he has scored decisive goals at the Reebok, Upton Park and Villa Park this term, few will forget the incredible chip that ended Juventus' European hopes at Craven Cottage just over a year ago.

One of the fantastic things about that strike is that he doesn't even look at the goal -- he drops back out of the area five or six seconds before taking the shot and at no point in between does he even glance toward the keeper. That's not just about trying things. As Dempsey's first against Bolton demonstrated, he has tremendous technique. He's as good with his head as he is with his feet, and can generate surprising power with minimal backlift.

Ask most Premier League watchers what his best asset is, and they'll probably say strength and stamina. Certainly he has those -- he's made 40 or more appearances for Fulham in each of his full seasons, and spent his summers representing the U.S. (at the 2007 Gold Cup, in World Cup qualifiers, at the 2009 Confederations Cup and the 2010 World Cup finals) without flagging, and has quickly shrugged off injuries -- but that's a fairly humdrum assessment. It's not just that he'll hold off two defenders at a time, he can also find the mental space to pick the pass that plays in a teammate, as he did to set up Diomansy Kamara's goal against Tottenham in October. His sense of invention can be charmingly unselfish.

Before you say it, I'm not getting carried away. I'm not forgetting the games in which he has toiled to little effect, or that dreadful penalty against Chelsea in February. Perhaps 33 is not the most astonishing club record (Tim Cahill has 54 at Everton, for instance, and will have to add another seven to match Duncan Ferguson's tally).

Yet that says more about Fulham's struggle to sign and retain consistent goal scorers than it does about Dempsey, who, after just four years, is also the squad's longest serving member. It's a shame that he seems to be one of those players about whom we're much more willing to accept one bad moment as evidence of a more general mediocrity -- Dempsey has had to learn to take "above average" as a compliment -- than to take our cue from the flashes of brilliance he has repeatedly proven to be capable of.

Georgina Turner is a freelance sports writer and co-editor of http://www.retrombm.com/.



Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/georgina_turner/04/29/dempsey.epl/index.html#ixzz1KvrNMgNA

[Scrumpy]

A good article, but it saddens me that americans think we do not value 'our Clint'. He may have a few average games, but he is picked for almost every game. Managers know their stuff, and would not pick him if he did not deserve it.

I do not know any other (British) Fulham fan who does not think Clint is one of our better players, a consistent and honest player, a brave header of the ball and a man who would run through walls for his Club and fans. He is not a 'legend' yet, like McBride became, but he is very highly thought of by 90% of fans. When he finally moves on, or retires, then he will go down as one of the most succesful overseas players we have ever had.

I just want any Septics out there to know that he is held in huge respect by British Fulham fans.

[richie17]

she's british. good article but based on a slightly false premise I feel.

[MJG]

I thinks its interesting that under Coleman/Sanchez/Hodgson and Hughes he has always had to win them over. Under all of them I don't think he has ever been seen as a first XI player at the beginning of their tenure. He has had to put in the performances to earn that place.
This is down to his firstly lack of pace and then his slouched/lazy looking stance (a little like Waddle). He makes up for his faults by his workrate and goals in the end.
Don't get me wrong he annoys me with his diving and inability to stay on his feet, but he's a good player and worth a start in our team as he has proved on may occasions.

[jarv]

I was disappointed when he was not named in the premier 11. Absolutely should have been, so much more to offer than some of the others.

[YankeeJim]

12 goals this year. Team record 33 with no end in sight. Flop away dear Clinton, flop away.   :dead horse:

[HatterDon]

It's fair to say that he's vastly underrated in the states as well. in 2010 he finished 4th in voting as our best player -- FOURTH. There was, for a while, what looked like a concerted effort by John Harkes to denigrate everything he did. This came to a screeching halt after his brilliant performance in the Confederation Cup, but enough reporters bought Harkes's crap to vote the boy down.

The thing with Clint is that he's a lower-middle-class country hick from Texas who went to a 2nd rate university and goes through life with a "You think you're better than me? Well, you have to prove that every second of every day and if you let up, I'll run right over your ass" attitude. That's good to have when he's wearing your shirt, but it also means that he'll never be the brylcreem boy.

I tend to like players whose work ethic and consistency overcomes their limited skill set. That's why I've always been drawn to Hughes and, before him, Volz. The thing is that despite the fact that Dempsey is marvelously skilled and technically sound, in HIS mind, he still has to prove to the world that he belongs. To me, that makes him the perfect player. I don't think that his #23 is a coincidence. Michael Jordan may have been the most gifted athlete I've ever seen. He also worked harder than any pro in his sport to get better, was the least likely to take even a minute off on the court, and played with all the intensity of the 12th man who was likely, at any time, to see his entire career end.

Clint has never been my favorite Fulham favorite -- it was Boa Morte before Volzy -- but if I had a son or a grandson, Clint is the guy I'd set up for him as a role model.

[jarv]

Well said Hatter. Dempsey is by far, by a million miles the best ever outfield American player. I detest the media attitude towards him on American tv. You are right, harkes is so wrong, not just about Clint but on most of his comments. Can't stand the guy.

Donovan? A bit of a failure, only scores against weak opposition, failed twice in Europe but had about 5 decent games for Everton. No comparison with Clint.

By the way, I saw Clint's first game for the Revolution. Not sure but I think he was about 20. Absolute CLASS. He stood out even then. I said at the time, this lad is the best American player I have seen. He will move to Europe soon.

[nevzter]

Well said Hatter. Dempsey is by far, by a million miles the best ever outfield American player. I detest the media attitude towards him on American tv. You are right, harkes is so wrong, not just about Clint but on most of his comments. Can't stand the guy.

Donovan? A bit of a failure, only scores against weak opposition, failed twice in Europe but had about 5 decent games for Everton. No comparison with Clint.

By the way, I saw Clint's first game for the Revolution. Not sure but I think he was about 20. Absolute CLASS. He stood out even then. I said at the time, this lad is the best American player I have seen. He will move to Europe soon.

I think Dempsey is simply mentally tougher than Donovan and far superior in the air, which, in my mind makes him a better player.  However, Donovan's raw skills and natural ability outshine Dempsey's.  But, I wouldn't consider Donovan a failure yet.  Still, Dempsey = Donovan, but, God forbid a US supporter acknowledge the same.....

Another Glenlivet, sir?  Of course...

[Me-ate-Live, innit??]

I do not agree, if for example,  you take this board and go back through the pages there are more threads about Dempsey than any other player, on some there are 5 different threads.  Generally, there seems to be a need to say, on a daily basis : ''Dempsey is brilliant' and if it is not forth-coming the view is '' Fulham fans do not like/appreciate Dempsey'' . Well,  Simon Davies has been at Fulham for as long as Dempsey, he has has crucial goals, assists and team -lifting performances and he is also the ultimate professional.  Yet,  we do not even have a song for him, that does not mean he is generally not appreciated or disliked.

 
IMO, the joy of football is that you can like or dislike a player for no good reason, it is probably the only area of ones life where you can think what you want without recourse. But then, why should we be told how to think about a player or a game ???
For example, I loved Saha but found Boa very annoying and  when he was sold in the dead of night I was not unhappy. Konchesky would have been an excellent winger with an amazing left foot, but he left me cold as a defender and we lost alot of points and games because he could not tackle in open play. Yet Bonnissel was only with us for a few games and  I still remember him.  Goma was the light on my landing, when he was at the club we were invincible in defence !!!

The truth is,  He (Clint) is not greater than the sum of the parts and he will never be loved like McBride but that does not make him un - appreciated or disliked.    

[Lighthouse]

One week, some of us are saying, Dempsey needs a rest. He scores a goal or two and we all say hurrah, play Clint. Then he goes moody and we say, Dempsey needs a rest. Then he plays well and we say Hurrah play Clint. When he is subbed and doesn't hug everybody, some of us say, what a petulant bloke he is. When he scores and goes running to the bench (even without EJ being there) we say what a great band of brothers we have.

Dempsey is Dempsey. KCat has said better than I could, There have been more threads about Clint than any other player. But he has had to play an awful lot of times, when a rest would have been fine. Davies is injured for a few games, comes back and is sensational for a while. Dempsey is brilliant one week and simply knackered the next.

But underappreciated he is not. Without Demps we know exactly where we would have been. Without him playing out of position for much of his time with us, we know exactley where we would be. When or if he moves to a better side, we will miss him. But one week I want to build a statue to him and the next I want it to fall down as often as he does. Dempsey is Dempsey. Talked about more than any other player. Appreciated by most of us. Dempsey is Dempsey.

[RidgeRider]

 Well done Ms. Kcat and Mr. Lighthouse.  :045: Both excellent perspectives.

[ImperialWhite]

For science (!) I'm compiling an Excel file of our MOTMs - my guess is that Dempsey is under represented (I'm struggling to find them all for some reason though - we have had one every single match haven't we?).

[HatterDon]

Excellent point, Ms. KCat, and this is about the 15th time I've seen someone bemoan the fact that Super Simon doesn't have his own song. Here's what I DON'T understand about that. It seems to be that LB No11 and a couple of others composed Moussa Dembele's song in one thread and it's been sung ever since.

If you guys can't get your feces assembled and come up with a song for Davies, then I'm going to have to believe that it's because he's Welsh and you all still hate Coleman and Pembridge.  :hook:

GET WITH IT!