Once again, I question whether you paid attention to the game. He did have five shots which is a fair number in my view.
Dempsey plays better when he has had a week's rest; playing 90 minute games twice a week is not conducive to good Dempsey performances.
Agreed. I thought CD had played very well up until Norwich and then this weekend. Just a bit off. He has logged a lot of minutes. A TransAtlantic flight and another 90 this week won't help. I won't be surprised or mind if he is on the bench this weekend for Spurs. Could use the breather IMO.
First, we were talking about this one match. So whether AVB keeps playing Dempsey is irrelevant. As for this one match, what other striker options do AVB have?
Demps did not start as a striker this match, but started "in the hole." His potential competition was Holtby. I know this because when Defoe went down, Demps "subbed in" for Defoe up front and Holtby "subbed in" for Demps. That said Spurs for sure are thin and that can't but help Clint's PT - and they are thinner if Defoe is down for any amount of time. I don't see Demps getting too much rest in the near future, unless Ade comes back and goes on a wild-hair tear, esp if Defoe is hurt.
My point (which I did not elaborate) was that had Defoe not been hurt, the logically substitution would be Holtby (or Sigurdsson) for Dempsey in the 2nd half. With Defoe hurt, that option became a lot less attractive, unless if AVB wanted to play Bale as a striker.
Sure, but you've still got Demps starting in the middle with both Hotlby and Siggy sitting in his stead. AVB likes Demps and I'm not surprised. I do think Demps is getting tired.
Okay, I was surprised Dempsey went the full 98 minutes against Newcastle; kudos for him and for AvB thinking he was the best option up top for this game despite the minutes he has played. OTOH, you can tell he did not have the "get up and go" he would have had with fresher legs. You could tell he was starting to wear down late in the second half. He paces himself quite a bit and with the Spurs' "helter-skelter" counterattack style, he sometimes looks slow and "not good enough" for CL-caliber team.
Demps has often looked "not good enough" for a CL team. And if you read USA posts a few years ago more than one poster thought he looked "not good enough" for the USMNT. It is one of those weird quirks about Demps. Unless one of his clever flicks, hopeful chips or full-charging headers results in a highligh reel goal, he looks like he is dogging it, a little lost and a half-step slow - none of which are true, most of the time. It's just how he looks. He should get face work - eyes specifically, to give him that sunny-face, always alert and surprised look 80 year old billionairesess have. Then he'd look like he was trying.