Clint Dempsey and Bryan Ruiz...

[jarv]

Shared a warm hand shake after the USA/Costa Rica match.  What a fine player Clint still is. A superb through ball to create the first goal and a decent free kick around the wall to score the 2nd. (poor goalkeeping also to be honest). Good to see him still going strong, age about 35 now??

[YankeeJim]

Yea. He came on in the last half hour and promptly sent a great thru ball for an excellent chance and his next thru ball resulted in a goal. Then the dead ball goal and later sent another great thru ball that should have been converted. Perfect example of an impact sub...and all this after two heart procedures. I still wonder why a very few on here hated him so much.

[cmg]

I still wonder why a very few on here hated him so much.

Yes. Odd. Maybe 'hated' is a bit strong, but certainly he was not fully appreciated in some quarters. No idea why.

I thought this bloke's twitter got it about spot on:
"Best thing about @clint_dempsey, and it's the most enviable quality of a pro athlete, the bigger the moment, the more likely he'll show up."

[YankeeJim]

I still wonder why a very few on here hated him so much.

Yes. Odd. Maybe 'hated' is a bit strong, but certainly he was not fully appreciated in some quarters. No idea why.

I thought this bloke's twitter got it about spot on:
"Best thing about @clint_dempsey, and it's the most enviable quality of a pro athlete, the bigger the moment, the more likely he'll show up."

Perhaps hatred is a harsh word. Lets just say he annoyed people. Bruce Arena was once asked what was special about Clint. His answer, "He trys poo". Juventus comes to mind.

[HatterDon]

The lead that was buried here: until Clint came on the pitch with about 30 minutes to go, the mantle of brilliance was all Bryan's. He was pure class.

Nice to have had these two guys wear our colors for a few years. And, Mr. Jarv is right, the moment between the two at the final whistle was great. I can only assume that Bryan was asking Clint about his health.

[Holders]

Two excellent players, very talented in their different ways, whom I'm proud to have seen play for Fulham.

[bog]

Two excellent players, very talented in their different ways, whom I'm proud to have seen play for Fulham.

:plus one:

[Twig]

Always a big fan of Clint, he performed well for us and was a big factor in those successful years.  Bryan less so, generally ineffective and we only saw flashes of how he might have harnessed his talent.

[The Swan]

Never took to Ruiz. Dempsey was one of my favourites. It would be nice to have a player with Dempsey all round play in the team now.

[@jolslover]

Two excellent players, very talented in their different ways, whom I'm proud to have seen play for Fulham.

+1

[nose]

never a great fan of clint iin the way other people were. certainly till jol arrived he played forhiself, not the team. always tried to over elaborate, did not have the worth ethic of the others in the roy team's and awat at portsmouth did not track back at any stage, it was no suprise when he was substituted. he spent far too much time trying to buy fouls and falling over when the wind changed direction.
when jol came he got him to stop shooting from 35 yards and made him get into the box where he was far more effective.

Clint was ok, had an eye for goal but was massively overated by some, he wasn't part of Roy's prefered starting 11.

[Forever Fulham]

He was the difference against Costa Rica for sure.  Superb touch as a passer. That second dead ball goal had amazing bend to it.   some serious spin on it.  But Bryan Ruiz...Best player for his team.  He's the straw that stirs the drink.  He was never used the right way at Fulham.  Stifled.    What the hell has happened to Mexico?  U.S. v. Jamaica in the finals for the Gold Cup.  No Mexico.  Weird.  And you, Oscar Saucedo, shame on you.  Playing like a thug this tournament.  Head hunting.  Trying to hurt people instead of just playing.   What happened to you?  Tickets for the final are going for around $190 a ticket.  San Francisco's Levi's Stadium.  Will probably sell out.   

[RaySmith]

Always a big fan of Clint, he performed well for us and was a big factor in those successful years.  Bryan less so, generally ineffective and we only saw flashes of how he might have harnessed his talent.

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[f bloke]

never a great fan of clint iin the way other people were. certainly till jol arrived he played forhiself, not the team. always tried to over elaborate, did not have the worth ethic of the others in the roy team's and awat at portsmouth did not track back at any stage, it was no suprise when he was substituted. he spent far too much time trying to buy fouls and falling over when the wind changed direction.
when jol came he got him to stop shooting from 35 yards and made him get into the box where he was far more effective.

Clint was ok, had an eye for goal but was massively overated by some, he wasn't part of Roy's prefered starting 11.

I know this view is a minority view but the only issue I had with Roy Hodgson was his preference for Simon Davies over Clint. SD was consistently referred to as our most underrated player but for me his Europa goals makes him one of our most overrated players of recent times. He was known as Sideways around us, he was invariably a receive and lay off merchant, any forward pass was greeted with ironic cheers. Over the course of a season he would do a few good things, particularly if he was put into a good position by Murphy or Gera, but he rarely created for himself and rarely took control of or imposed himself on a game.

Dempsey was a far better player, technically better, much braver in possession with much better attacking instincts. Along with Murphy, Dembele, Diarra and Duff he was part of by far our strongest midfield over the last 50 years. I actually think he is one of our most underrated players of recent times

[nose]

never a great fan of clint iin the way other people were. certainly till jol arrived he played forhiself, not the team. always tried to over elaborate, did not have the worth ethic of the others in the roy team's and awat at portsmouth did not track back at any stage, it was no suprise when he was substituted. he spent far too much time trying to buy fouls and falling over when the wind changed direction.
when jol came he got him to stop shooting from 35 yards and made him get into the box where he was far more effective.

Clint was ok, had an eye for goal but was massively overated by some, he wasn't part of Roy's prefered starting 11.

I know this view is a minority view but the only issue I had with Roy Hodgson was his preference for Simon Davies over Clint. SD was consistently referred to as our most underrated player but for me his Europa goals makes him one of our most overrated players of recent times. He was known as Sideways around us, he was invariably a receive and lay off merchant, any forward pass was greeted with ironic cheers. Over the course of a season he would do a few good things, particularly if he was put into a good position by Murphy or Gera, but he rarely created for himself and rarely took control of or imposed himself on a game.

Dempsey was a far better player, technically better, much braver in possession with much better attacking instincts. Along with Murphy, Dembele, Diarra and Duff he was part of by far our strongest midfield over the last 50 years. I actually think he is one of our most underrated players of recent times

sorry and \I am not being rude but what you are saying is far from correct. clint was lazy, would always do thr flashy when simple was better and fell over whenever he was touched. at portsmouth his lack of effort at the most important game was a disgrace and i was suprised roy ever played him again!
SD was a thoroughbred with brilliant vision and touch, unfortunately injury made him half a yard short on pace but to denegrate a true brilliant player scoring in the final of a european competion and a sublime effort based on pure skill in the semi plus may very fine performances is ridiculous....

clint had some skill but was massively selfish in his play, only concerned with his own game, not the team...... until jol arrived and whilst i loathed jol, he changed clint into a different far more effective player... when jol came clint stopped falling over, stopped shooting from anywhere and got himself in the box, arriving late to pick up the loose ball..... hence his dramatic increase in goal scoring.

the OP wondered why he wasn't always loved, and i was for the reasons stated.

[michaeldavidheat]

Ruiz was never cut out for the Premier league - clear from the start. Dempsey at least adapted. 


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[f bloke]

never a great fan of clint iin the way other people were. certainly till jol arrived he played forhiself, not the team. always tried to over elaborate, did not have the worth ethic of the others in the roy team's and awat at portsmouth did not track back at any stage, it was no suprise when he was substituted. he spent far too much time trying to buy fouls and falling over when the wind changed direction.
when jol came he got him to stop shooting from 35 yards and made him get into the box where he was far more effective.

Clint was ok, had an eye for goal but was massively overated by some, he wasn't part of Roy's prefered starting 11.

I know this view is a minority view but the only issue I had with Roy Hodgson was his preference for Simon Davies over Clint. SD was consistently referred to as our most underrated player but for me his Europa goals makes him one of our most overrated players of recent times. He was known as Sideways around us, he was invariably a receive and lay off merchant, any forward pass was greeted with ironic cheers. Over the course of a season he would do a few good things, particularly if he was put into a good position by Murphy or Gera, but he rarely created for himself and rarely took control of or imposed himself on a game.

Dempsey was a far better player, technically better, much braver in possession with much better attacking instincts. Along with Murphy, Dembele, Diarra and Duff he was part of by far our strongest midfield over the last 50 years. I actually think he is one of our most underrated players of recent times

sorry and \I am not being rude but what you are saying is far from correct. clint was lazy, would always do thr flashy when simple was better and fell over whenever he was touched. at portsmouth his lack of effort at the most important game was a disgrace and i was suprised roy ever played him again!
SD was a thoroughbred with brilliant vision and touch, unfortunately injury made him half a yard short on pace but to denegrate a true brilliant player scoring in the final of a european competion and a sublime effort based on pure skill in the semi plus may very fine performances is ridiculous....

clint had some skill but was massively selfish in his play, only concerned with his own game, not the team...... until jol arrived and whilst i loathed jol, he changed clint into a different far more effective player... when jol came clint stopped falling over, stopped shooting from anywhere and got himself in the box, arriving late to pick up the loose ball..... hence his dramatic increase in goal scoring.

the OP wondered why he wasn't always loved, and i was for the reasons stated.
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Well we have to agree to disagree.  His Europa goals make SD part of Fulham's folklore and history and fair play to him for that but he was no thoroughbread - he was a safe and steady eddie who had the core skills to be a better player than he was - he struck the ball well and was capable of good delivery from set pieces (although no Jimmy Bullard) and from wide areas but unlike Duff or Dempsey he had to be put in those areas by others.  His default  play was a pass back to Konchesky or a lateral pass to Murphy - hence  why he was called Sideways. It was others near me that first picked up on his Sideways tendencies but when pointed out, it was absolutely true - although he was capable of doing good things from time to time, in my opinion, he never assumed enough responsibility game in and game out and frequently abdicated responsibility. 

Yep - thanks for the Europa goals and those memories and for being one of the few that put in a shift in the Sanchez era -  but in my opinion (which I appreciate does not accord with yours or most others - but does not make me far from correct - since most of the people who sit within 10 seats or so around me would be of a similar view to me - trust me - his every move was scrutinised) he was a distinctly average premiership player and not in the same league as Dempsey when each of them are being compared at their best.  That Hodgson could not get the best out of Dempsey was not necessarily Dempsey's fault - but to be fair to Hodgson, his preference for the safe and steady SD over the more maverick CD is probably the only thing I would disagree with him on during his time with us.

You also criticise me for 'denigrating' SD for his Europa goals and yet you are happy to denigrate CD despite his match winning goal against Juventus?

We will not agree on this but because my view does not accord with yours this does make my  view on this ridiculous  - every ironic cheer for every forward pass would suggest that there is at least scope for a differing opinion