The Texan Gets His Spurs: Dempsey at Tottenham [R]

Discussion in 'Yanks Abroad' started by bungadiri, Aug 31, 2012.

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Poll closed Sep 2, 2012.
  1. Spurned by Fools; Spurred to Greatness: Dempsey at Tottenham!

    12.1%
  2. I can go off my Xanax now that the Deadline has passed: Dempsey at Spurs [R]

    5.1%
  3. The Texan Gets His Spurs: Dempsey at Tottenham

    38.9%
  4. Spurring Tottenham to the Champions League: Clint Dempsey

    3.5%
  5. Put on your Spurs and Ride! Clint Dempsey at Tottenham

    3.1%
  6. Clint dusts off his Spurs. Dempsey at Tottenham

    5.8%
  7. Earning his Spurs: Clint Dempsey in a Shootout at the N17

    1.6%
  8. Tottenham drops a Deuce in the Liverpool?

    18.3%
  9. Clint goes (north-)eastward to earn his Spurs

    1.2%
  10. Spur of the Moment: Dempsey at Tottenham

    29.6%
Multiple votes are allowed.
  1. Fanatical Monk

    Fanatical Monk Member+

    Jun 14, 2011
    Fantasyland
    I don't know anything other than he got a lot of money from Seattle on a longer deal. Is it possible he and AVB had a conversation about him moving on? Sure. But that could have just as much to do with not being able to offload other players (adebayor, Defoe, Parker) as it does how he felt about CD. There is a lot more dead wood on that roster than he.

    He was a productive player last year WHEN HEALTHY, and got the majority of minutes when he was healthy. With the removal of boy wonder, he was going to be needed to stick in it the net this year. I have no doubts he'd have played a lot of minutes. There aren't a lot of proven EPL goalscorers on that team now.

    If I had to guess, Dempsey knows they just got set back to the Juande Ramos era with Bale leaving, and won't see the UCL anytime soon. He knows he's not going to get another big pay day after this one, so he took it and ran. He probably thought about his kids, and his marketability too. He took some lemons and made lemonade.
     
    Craig P and yankthisyank'swank repped this.
  2. Suyuntuy

    Suyuntuy Member+

    Jul 16, 2007
    Vancouver, Canada
    They still need a better midfield. A strong attack with a weak midfield is like a catoblepas, an animal with a head that can do a lot of damage, but a body too weak to even lift it.
     
  3. Pass-n-Go

    Pass-n-Go Member+

    Jul 5, 2008
    It was probably a combination of factors. The Spurs situation. Playing time. Money. Less travel for USMNT.
     
  4. EruditeHobo

    EruditeHobo Member+

    Mar 29, 2007
    San Francisco, CA
    Club:
    Liverpool FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Doesn't have to be one or the other, could be all of those things. With Bale gone I think Spurs are reinforcing. They will miss him as a game winner, but with the money they could be more balanced and perhaps more effective overall.

    I think it's a pretty good deal for all parties. Dempsey gets to be a lock starter and star in a big soccer town, Spurs get their money back and wages off the books.
     
  5. Fanatical Monk

    Fanatical Monk Member+

    Jun 14, 2011
    Fantasyland
    I don't disagree with any of that. It works out well for everyone but bungadiri who wont get to moderate this frikas much longer.
     
  6. jond

    jond Member+

    Sep 28, 2010
    Club:
    Levski Sofia
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    The less travel for the NT is an argument put out there by people who only want to look at one side of this.

    Yes, no more trans atlantic flights for qualifiers, although with the WC next year it appears we'll be playing more friendlies in Europe. Bosnia in two weeks, two Euro friendlies in Nov. So suddenly he still does have those long flights.

    But, something ignored is the travel within MLS which doesn't compare to travel within the EPL, unless looking at a few Europa games. Even then, travel to eastern Europe or Russia from London is a little over three hours, less time than a number of MLS cities from Sea. Going to NY, NE, Tor, Montreal, Philly, etc, represent 5-6 hour flights. Add the shit turf in Sea and a few other MLS cities and the less wear and tear argument(not you, seen it around these forums though) doesn't hold much weight.

    This was a move about money and comfort, especially if what Carlisle wrote is true about Hou being Clint's first choice. Nothing at all to do with quality of play or level of competition.
     
  7. jond

    jond Member+

    Sep 28, 2010
    Club:
    Levski Sofia
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    More hyperbole. This is amusing.
     
  8. y-lee-coyote

    y-lee-coyote Member+

    Dec 4, 2012
    Club:
    --other--

    That was why I used the word possible. I also didn't say the homesickness was limited exclusively to her.

    I think you overrate the value of a cosmopolitan city to a tejas country boy who likes bass fishing and chilling on the homestead. A great many people would call being forced to live in a cosmopolitan city a cursed existence, only tolerable until they made enouh money to live where there heart is and I can guarantee you that Clint Dempsey's heart was never in England, only his paycheck was.
     
  9. stonejh127

    stonejh127 Member+

    Sep 9, 2011
    Club:
    Columbus Crew
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    ---------ej---martins----
    neagle----clint----rosales
    ----------alonso----------

    that is a pretty damn good front 6.
     
  10. Pass-n-Go

    Pass-n-Go Member+

    Jul 5, 2008
    What part of a combination of factors do you not understand? It is just not one thing. Multiple things adding up together. I just gave an opinion on what could be those multiple
    factors.

    He made his decision on what he thought was best for him. YA needs to deal with it and stop acting like a parent living through their child.
     
    Mattbro repped this.
  11. Aduesque

    Aduesque Member

    Atlanta United
    May 11, 2010
    Georgia
    Club:
    --other--
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Funny how we agree whenever the topic isn't Adu.
     
  12. Aduesque

    Aduesque Member

    Atlanta United
    May 11, 2010
    Georgia
    Club:
    --other--
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I think it is an okay move for Dempsey. Like LD10, he needs to be in dominate form and where else can he do that other than the MLS. But he was a good player in Europe unlike LD10, so it doesn't make me worried but I just wanted to see him do more. Maybe a step down like Everton or even going to Italy and playing for a top 5 team there. I just expect more. But oh well, it was a solid move for him and Seattle is a team that fits.
     
  13. Sam Hamwich

    Sam Hamwich Member+

    Jul 11, 2006
    I realize it is pathetic that I am hugely disappointed by this move, but $30-35mm over 4 years guaranteed is good business. I guess, Deuce scores again.
     
  14. Gorky

    Gorky Member+

    Jul 28, 2006
    NYC
    Club:
    New York Red Bulls
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Time to close up shop here?
     
    Winoman and FlipsLikeAPancake repped this.
  15. usfootball20

    usfootball20 Member+

    May 15, 2012
    Club:
    Seattle Sounders
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Yeah, Rosales has gotten a lot worse though. Evans is better than him right now, in my opinion.
     
  16. Nastrabrahmus

    Nastrabrahmus Member+

    Mar 29, 2012
    San Diego, CA
    The end of an era. Quite crazy to me. My obsession and passion for following our yanks abroad began because of Dempsey and McBride.
     
  17. GiallorossiYank

    GiallorossiYank Member+

    Jan 20, 2011
    NJ/Roma/Napoli
    Club:
    AS Roma
    Nat'l Team:
    United States

    Oh how the years go by...
     
  18. stonejh127

    stonejh127 Member+

    Sep 9, 2011
    Club:
    Columbus Crew
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Evans will never be able to whip a ball into the box like Rosales.
     
  19. freisland

    freisland Member+

    Jan 31, 2001
    I meant it then and I mean it now, by the way. But in the best sense of all the words.
     
    bungadiri repped this.
  20. freisland

    freisland Member+

    Jan 31, 2001
    Probably not, and Spurs revamp might prove effective. But Dempsey's impact on the field last year - from key goals scored to opening space for Bale - was greater than many gave him credit for. Perhaps the revamp will take Spurs up the win or two they need to make CL, but someone is going to have to play out their backsides if Bale goes - or even if he stays, cause last season could have been his once-a-career.

    It will be fun to watch. One of the things that I think Demps could lose by going to Sounders is the impact of the "stealth work" he does. AM's and SS and 9.5's tend to get judged by passing and scoring, which makes sense, but there is also good hard work done by smart forward players who pull defender back post, make clever crossing runs to off-foot defenders, knows when to delay and leave space etc. Are there players at Seattle intelligent/gifted enough to benefit from Clint's play, which is more clever than some give credit for.
     
  21. Mattbro

    Mattbro Member+

    Sep 21, 2001

    "LD10" was a good player at Everton. Not sure which games you were watching.
     
  22. MarioKempes

    MarioKempes Member+

    Real Madrid, DC United, anywhere Pulisic plays
    Aug 3, 2000
    Proxima Centauri
    Club:
    Real Madrid
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I was saddened to learn of Clint's departure. However, I understand it. This came down to money and quality of life for himself and his family. Can't blame him. But as a selfish fan, I would have liked to see him play a couple more years in the Premiership. Best of luck, Deuce.
     
    mars2112 and superdave repped this.
  23. Mattbro

    Mattbro Member+

    Sep 21, 2001
    Why are people "sad" to hear about Clint Dempsey's departure? If anything it means you might more easily be able to see him play now that he's not thousands of miles away play in towns most of us have never been to.
     
    drgonzo and Dirt McGirt repped this.
  24. SoCalYid

    SoCalYid Member+

    Jun 11, 2011
    BigSoccer :)
    Club:
    --other--
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I don't think Dempsey influenced the space that Bale got that much. Dempsey helped but He didn't occupy many defenders or his passing didn't spread the defense, which was part of the problem.

    Bale's emergence last season had more to do with the increased touches he had from the prior season, a free role across the top, no Modric or VDV, and imbalance. A lot of those cracking goals from outside of the box were scored by the likes of VDV in previous seasons.

    He used to open up space because he would swap playing deep and playing higher up the pitch and it would pull that defenders or that midfielder shielding the back line, he saw a lot more time on the ball.

    Bale could have had a monster season in 2011-12 if he got as many touches and freedom to move around like he did in 12/13. With VDV though he demanded the ball and Modric carried the ball from deep, both cut down his touches significantly. Also, Adebayor was an actual footballer back then.

    The type of player Soldado is Bale wouldn't have as good of a season in 2013/14 but the team would be better for it. That's if he stays, which I'm 50/50 on right now based on AVB's comments.
     
  25. freisland

    freisland Member+

    Jan 31, 2001
    I think you misunderestimate the aid Clint gave to Bale's marauding, but we will never know. Bale's free role across the top evolved over the season. I would argue in part because Clint knows how to open space for that kind of player. vdV, schooled as a more traditional Ajax/Dutch SS naturally takes that space at the top of the key (to mix my sports metaphors) and hangs there. Clint is more likely to hang on the outside corners of the 18, then cross near post or sneak far post, working off runs rather than moving to them.

    Anyway, different strokes for different Stokes... I mean. AVB will have a chance to field "his" team, Spurs fans will get a chance to watch an "expensive" team and we'll all see how it plays out.

    Clint will be in a position where he truly will be expected to impose himself on the game. That remains to be seen. I don't think he is that kind of player week-in, week-out. I thank he's a better "#2" playing a smidge under the radar, but we shall see.
     

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