Could losses to both Dempsey &Dembele hurt us for longer than initially thought?

[Frankie-Peter Taylor]

I've been thinking about this for a while now. No doubt are they both class talents and any team would miss their contribution, but then the worry is not replacing them, it's the extra transitional season that we will have to take to embed the new players. We've already seen this season that Bryan Ruiz, although class in places, hasn't settled as quickly as we perhaps would have liked. A fantastic passer of the ball, with incredible skill and vision, it is expected that he may really crack on and show his talent in the next coming year. With Dempsey and Dembele looking on their way out, it is likely that Martin Jol will look outside of England for replacements despite the rumours of players + cash deals for Fulham's starmen from English teams.

The main names being spouted about at the moment are Nacer Chadli, Oussama Assaidi, Luciano Narsingh and Marcel Jansen. All more likely replacements for Dempsey than Dembele. The problem with Dutch players (and we've seen it before), is that they do take time to settle, with people like Alfonso Alves coming to mind quickly. As a loyal supporter, I wish Clint Dempsey and Moussa Dembele the best whatever happens but I do sincerely worry for our form at the start of next season. Okay, maybe that last bit was a bit of an over reaction because we do still have plenty of Premier League players, the point still stands though.

Losing both (which we may still not do), may slow the pace of Martin Jol's aim of lowering the average age of the Fulham squad, with missing such vital players to our squad, he may feel that keeping the experienced players may help the risk of a drop in form. I have faith in what Fulham decide to do this summer and who Martin Jol decides to bring in, the only thing I would change is having 4 more years on Dembele because £12m is a steal for any club, world class footballer.

[EJL]

Losing a lot of key players isn't always going to mean you're stuck in transition. Look at Newcastle! They've shown that you can lose all your vital players and still come out stronger from it. Not saying it's going to happen ... but I don't think we'll slow up as much as you suggest.

[TonyGilroy]

I think the problem is that the club simply doesn't know whether they're staying or going.

Selling now for a good price gives us time to buy in replacements and integrate them in pre season. The worry (and IMO probability) is that they won't sign new contracts and right at the end of August the predators strike when they miss out on their priority targets.

We did the right thing with Schwarzer 2 years ago and I think the message to the players and their agents should be that we won't contemplate selling after, say, mid July. If we take that stance though we'd have to accept that we lose them for nothing next summer and that could mean losing up to £30M.

Tough times ahead for Mackintosh.

[MJG]

Of course when a team loses 2 first team starters it could cause problems, but you hope we will buy 2 to replace or already have people to step in.
You could argue that it would be a good thing if both moved on.

The team with Dempsey on the left is a bit lopsided attacking wise. As an attacking force down the left side of the field we came bottom of all the clubs in the Prem. A replacement I suspect will be more of a natural wideman (even if he is inverted).
With Dempsey gone then Ruiz would have to step up and replace him as the man who gets forward the most from one of the 5 midfielders we play. I'm not convinced anyway that Ruiz/Dempsey/Dembele can all play together anyway in the same midfield.
I also think he's undroppable and also can't be taken off as a sub which means he either plays on the left or upfront. He's first choice striker replacement. If we bring in another 1or2 forwards that would have to change. Is he stopping the progress of others or even the team?

For Dembele, he has all the control a player could ask for, its like the ball is glued to his foot, but he still struggles to get in the box and does not score enough. Lots of flair and whoo's and ahhh's but any end product?

I know this all comes across as I don't like them, I do like them, but they are just two players and if they move on we will just continue as before and deal with it.

[White Noise]

Dempsey ominously said 'the transfer window is open until 31st August'. This perhaps suggest he is in for the long haul in terms of waiting for offers so the club's hand may well be forced.

[JBH]

With the £25 mil we will get for them MJ can but 3 x experienced 23 - 26 yearolds

[MJG]

Dempsey ominously said 'the transfer window is open until 31st August'. This perhaps suggest he is in for the long haul in terms of waiting for offers so the club's hand may well be forced.

Thats my worry. If this drags out to the last day we are in danger of losing both for about a total of £10M. Also it fecks up all the team planning and getting in replacements.

[mrska]

Im worried..  but have pushed it out of my mind till something actually happens. Im sure Jol would buy like for like replacements...  I also worry that Brede and Pog havent yet been signed up yet...

[ffc73]

Turn it on it's head.  Could keeping Dempsey and Dembele hinder our progression?  

I do not think Jol would buy another 'Dempsey' as I do not think he is the natural wde-man Jol would prefer.  Diarra may be an older version of Dembele that buys Jol time to find a younger replacement.

If they sign new contracts, soon, and stay I will not complain but if not please go and let FFC move on.  My thoughts mirror those expressed by MJG.  

The recent thread "Great Football League Teams 35: Fulham, 1982-3" was a reminder to those of us that watched that team depart how a previous regime managed to dispose of multiple talent and put us back decades.  I do not fear that today.

There are no guarantees in life but if it comes to pass that we lose either of these "class talents" this summer then I am confident that we have quality players at Motspur Park eager to step up and prove themselves.  Also I believe, if necessary, the club will bring others in.

[MasterHaynes]

Dempsey ominously said 'the transfer window is open until 31st August'. This perhaps suggest he is in for the long haul in terms of waiting for offers so the club's hand may well be forced.

Thats my worry. If this drags out to the last day we are in danger of losing both for about a total of £10M. Also it fecks up all the team planning and getting in replacements.

I think if it goes to the wire we will demand a higher fee as compensation for losing quality players with no time for finding replacements. If we were only going to get £10m for both then we could easily get that in January so no incentive to sell either of them

[MJG]

Dempsey ominously said 'the transfer window is open until 31st August'. This perhaps suggest he is in for the long haul in terms of waiting for offers so the club's hand may well be forced.

Thats my worry. If this drags out to the last day we are in danger of losing both for about a total of £10M. Also it fecks up all the team planning and getting in replacements.

I think if it goes to the wire we will demand a higher fee as compensation for losing quality players with no time for finding replacements. If we were only going to get £10m for both then we could easily get that in January so no incentive to sell either of them

Come January both would have contracts running out in 6 months, do you really think we would get £5m for each of them then. More like 2-3 if anything really. They could sign a pre contract deal with no fee involved and then coast thru the ready of the season.clubs do not pay over the odds in January for players who have a Bosman coming up.

[ffc73]

FFC should take note of Bolton's handling of Cahill's transfer as an example of Bosman market forces driving prices down

[mangoputney]

Transition scares me too

Both should be asked to go ASAP opposed to doing our legs last minute

Trust Jols ability to replace, just hope not panic buying late late on

Demps fave player but think he's gone, feeling Moussa's staying

[Mr Fulham]

Transition scares me too

Both should be asked to go ASAP opposed to doing our legs last minute

Trust Jols ability to replace, just hope not panic buying late late on

Demps fave player but think he's gone, feeling Moussa's staying

think both are gone to be honest. dembele tottenham bound with Modric and vdv possibly on their way out.

[Admin]

Transition scares me too

Both should be asked to go ASAP opposed to doing our legs last minute

Trust Jols ability to replace, just hope not panic buying late late on

Demps fave player but think he's gone, feeling Moussa's staying

think both are gone to be honest. dembele tottenham bound with Modric and vdv possibly on their way out.

VDV won't be out of Spurs that soon, he'll still be there this summer. Modric' maybe but depends on where he goes, if Chelsea, then this all depends on the new manager and how they view him and if they want him.

Nothing will happen yet, it's far to early, both players are on holiday sunning it up, spending time with their famillies. There's nothing to say that both will still be here come the summer. The club won't decide on contracts until they return, Jol has already said this so if they both want to sign, we ain't going to know as yet.

I predict that we'll keep one. It'll end up being the other way around I recon with Dembele' staying and Dempsey going.

[mangoputney]

Can stomach losing one... In Jol We (must) Trust

[Mr Fulham]

VDV won't be out of Spurs that soon, he'll still be there this summer.

Schalke have made an offer. His wife works in Cologne, he is from the Netherlands, the dutch border is very close. He knows Huub Stevens and he knows the Bundesliga.

[Lighthouse]

The point is well made that in Ruiz we have a possible replacement for Dempsey. Not sure Dembele will be a great loss in as much we have players ready and better equiped to play in his present position. Yes he can be great but ....

We don't need to replace these players. We do need forwards,wide players and a right back. Yes we could do with keeping Dembele and Demps but ironically their loss may not be as bad as we think.

[HatterDon]

Well, we have the makings of a fine young squad that only needs 2 or 3 competent strikers to fill it out. If we lose Dembele and Dempsey, we should still be able to finish 17th -- which, if we lose both, will be our only aim this coming season.

Having analyzed all that, if we had been without both our Ds this PAST season, we'd have been relegated.

Sobering.

[AlFayedsChequebook]

The point is well made that in Ruiz we have a possible replacement for Dempsey. Not sure Dembele will be a great loss in as much we have players ready and better equiped to play in his present position. Yes he can be great but ....

We don't need to replace these players. We do need forwards,wide players and a right back. Yes we could do with keeping Dembele and Demps but ironically their loss may not be as bad as we think.

May I enquire who youth think in our squad is a better player than Dembele in his current position?