No, you said you don't think Dempsey was a 90 minute player, which is kind of absurd. He has scored many goals for the national team and his club teams late in games, and the second half. I bring up facts to prove my point, and then you come up with this fine line "Are you trying to go that far back to try to make your point? nice try"... That is your quote. Going back to the previous day is not that far back, if i'm not mistaken.
To qualify a player's current form you take in to account what that player has done in the past 6 months or less, you try to go back even further to back up your opinion, when the numbers don't jive to your liking you start to come with last games stats.
Klinsmann believes Dempsey's loan at Fulham has paid off in MLS http://www.mlssoccer.com/worldcup/2...eves-clint-dempseys-loan-fulham-paying-now-ml
^Comes off as finding a way to praise Europe. When he first came back from Fulham he still looked not so great. I personally think it came down to figuring out how to play with Seattle's midfield and Martins. And that required actual time at his club. Not Fulham.
Yeah. JK told everyone to go to Europe on loan. Then only one guy does. No way JK says that it was a bad move.
I think that's partially true and unfortunately we will never know this but to me... Dempsey's loan to Fulham put him in his place. He realized that when he returned to the mls he would need to adapt to his teammates and work within the constraints of the team instead of expecting the entire team to play to him. He isn't a talent like Messi or Ronaldo that can command that team play to him and let him take over a game.
Wow. Sarcasm? Dempsey has never been someone to who expected the whole entire team to play around him. In reality, Fulham were just a team that was bad and was going to be fighting relegation until the end, and Dempsey wasn't in the form too really help the Cottagers out.
It does seem likes he's found his goal scoring touch again and thankfully in time for the WC, assuming he keeps at this pace.
Dempsey is such a hot and cold guy, lets hope he's found his form again for the WC Now to get Altidore and Donovan in good form for the WC and we might be on to something...
The issue was of fitness not goal scoring touch. He's moving well again and now able to get himself into good attacking positions.
This thread was a total win. We should have an archive for "Best of USA BigSoccer." The Adu threads and the last Altidore one also should go there.
Most people probably see by now that Clint could lead the line for us like he does in Seattle if we put the right guys around him. Klinsmann will put Altidore up top with Dempsey second striker. What do u think. Is that our best bet? I dont think so. Who could play the Neagle-Martins partners for Dempsey in Brazil in ur opinion?
I'll take a stab Neagle = Donovan - scoring threat and is a good passer Demspey = Dempsey Martins = Wondo or AJ - poacher style striker that has a nose for goal, and is a good finisher
This is pretty much it. I would have AJ/Donovan and Dempsey up top with Zusi/Bedoya/Donovan on the wings. Altidore should not be an incumbent starter. I hope Klinsi tells him he will have to show massive improvements in camp and get goals in the warm up friendlies to get back into the conversation as a penciled in starter. Heck Agudelo and Boyd are in better from at the moment.
Hmm. Hyperbole from 101greatgoals.com http://www.101greatgoals.com/blog/c...led-off-virtuoso-display-v-colorada/#comments
Seattle is playing a narrow 4-4-2 like the USMNT did against Mexico. Not quite the same midfield but the forward formation is pretty similar. I'm expecting that this will be used against Ghana who have not yet been tested defensively.
I wouldn't put too much credence in random numbers produced by the worst Video Game Company of all time. Just sayin'. But I for one am really glad that Dempsey has found his legs again. I concur. It seemed that all Dempsey really needed was consistent playing time on a side that would actually utilize his talent and he would find his legs again, and Fulham was not that team. Good thing is, I feel Jozy can rebound once he gets on the US Camp.
Your line-up looks so much more likely to score than - any - with Altidore. I agree the - incumbent - is Dempsey; and everyone else around him (AJ up top; or Donovan if he loses 5 pounds and is running like his knee is fine) is a variable. Zusi/Bedoya/Donovan on the wings also sounds good to me. All the criticisms of awful Sunderland as being to blame for Altidore's miserable PL season fade away when a 21 year old kid up from the minors starts scoring like Messi when taking Altidores's place on the field. Counting on Altidore's quick revival in form in May when the limitations of Altidore's game seem to be completely found out by the quality defenders in EPL - and hence, at the cup - is not a great bet. Please comoesa put in a word with Klinsmann or Herzog, maybe they will listen to you.
Disagree. It may have started off as fitness, but he was also second guessing himself after a long draught - the stress of not scoring tends to weigh on you, put the pressure on (along with those DP $$$), and I think that got in his head a bit. It wasn't just fitness for 6 months. But it really really really doesn't matter now. My original answer was no, and it still is.
Too speculative. He was however certainly not getting on the ball. Tough to be effective as a withdrawn forward if you're not getting on the ball.
Your fitness commentary is just as speculative unless you are the team doctor. When you go through a slump that long it's not just 1 thing typically. Boiling it down to just fitness is only 1 parameter. It's likely fitness, not getting the ball due to Seattle's confused midfield last year, his own tendency to drop deep (you can't just put the blame on other people), DP contract pressure, Seattle's not being able to figure out the optimal formation and include EJ, and Clint's own insecurities in the box when he was mis-firing (we saw this is USMNT games as well). It's a similar combo of issues for Jozy and LD right now (Jozy's longer in duration, LD's shorter). I like the combination rationale much better as it helps explain a several month slump - and reflects the work that Sigi did in the offseason on tactics. The thing I like best about Clint's play right now is he's keeping it simple and not dropping deep for the ball. I love when he's direct rather than trying to invent crap - and Martins does too. Their combination work has been stellar and I really like Clint's passing game up top. I hope that someone can take advantage of that in Brazil - worried that Jozy is out of shape there, but I wouldn't play anyone else there until I see players in camp. It's also why I want LD starting - the two of them play well off one another. Always have. Though Zusi has looked pretty good combining with Clint as well at times. Not so sure on Bedoya who had more time with LD.