Clint!!!

Discussion in 'USA Men: News & Analysis' started by superdave, May 18, 2004.

  1. firstshirt

    firstshirt Member+

    Bayern München
    United States
    Mar 1, 2000
    Ellington, CT / NK, RI
    Club:
    New England Revolution
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    injuries to Pierce and LLamosa moved Joseph to the back line, not dempsey. While Dempsey form is unreal noonan has been stinking up the place. Dempsey is just an impressive footballer, no if ands or buts about it.
     
  2. Red Card

    Red Card Member+

    Mar 3, 1999
    Club:
    New York Red Bulls
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    This is what is great about MLS. Guys that are not necessarily U-xx can bubble up to the top of the soda bottle. Wasn't that the case for the "original" Clint too?

    I would like to see Dempsey, Ching and Noonan on the nat roster. Another surprise who I think should be considered is Jeff Parke. These are tough players who know how to play.
     
  3. panicfc

    panicfc Member+

    Dec 22, 2000
    In my chair, typing
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I'm not sure about Noonan, something seems off with his game right now. Ching finds a way to score, and certainly deserves a shot for more than 30 minutes.
     
  4. stopper4

    stopper4 Member

    Jan 24, 2000
    Houston
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I would like to add size to that list. He's big enough to take the pounding in the center of midfield, unlike Reyna or JOB. Did you see him just shrug off Ross Paule after calmly taking the ball of his chest on his goal?
     
  5. GenXer

    GenXer New Member

    Sep 25, 2003
    in my head
    I'm a huge fan of Clint (see previous post at beginning of thread), but I don't think we should expect to see him taking over for Armas in the Nats lineup anytime soon. He really isn't the defensive disruptor and positionally sound def. center mid that Arena clearly likes at that position. I'm hoping he can learn such a role, but he's definitely not there yet (in my opinion).

    His ability to score goals makes me wonder where he might get his shot on the field for the nats: forward, attacking mid, outside mid, def. mid??? I still see him as more of a Reyna type player who can control midfield, direct the attack, and has much better attacking skills. When Dempsey plays midfield he rarely gets dispossessed, which is what i think is his greatest attribute. But, his recent scoring prowess is raising his value even more.

    I can't wait until it is him and Rico Clark, kickin' it Furman style in the central midfield for the Nats. Both of them are tenacious as heck, as well as, skillful.
     
  6. ChrisE

    ChrisE Member

    Jul 1, 2002
    Brooklyn
    Club:
    --other--
    Nat'l Team:
    American Samoa
    Let me put in a vote for left back.
     
  7. GenXer

    GenXer New Member

    Sep 25, 2003
    in my head
    Alright, so I drove almost two hours to watch Dempsey play in the Revs v. Rhinos match last night only to see him sit until the 60th minute. A little disappointed with that. Nonetheless, I wanted to post my observations for discussion.

    First of all, let me say that I'm already a big fan of Dempsey. He seems to be an unbelievable talent and he did little to dampen that view last night. He simply has amazing ball skills. I know that we should be suspect of displays during warm-ups, but Dempsey simply was doing things with the ball that I had never seen before. His first touch was immaculate and yet he was simply messing around for the majority of the time. He made Kamler's touches look like he was a youth player at his first camp.

    When Dempsey finally did make it onto the field, he made an incredible 60 yard run with the ball where he split and outpaced two defenders and then feathered a soft, well-weighted cross for Noonan who absolutely butchered it. In addition, Dempsey is rarely dispossesed. And in a game where the Revs coaches kept yelling at players for not being able to keep possession, Dempsey made it seem so easy.

    But let me also say that I think there's much room for improvement in Dempsey's game. First, he's a bit lackadaisical defensively. He's not really focused on defending with a purpose. He just kind of jogs back to try to get behind the ball, if he gets there. Second, with better preparation of his body and the ball, he could have delivered some longer, penetrating balls, but he seemed content to knock the ball wide or backwards.

    And finally, what interested me the most was watching Dempsey interact with his teammates. He seemed to be a bit of a loaner who didn't really interact much with his teammates. He seemed more interested in whining at Noonan and Twellman a couple of times when he didn't get a pass he thought he deserved, then trying to be positive and working out why they missed him. Also, after he missed his PK in the shootout, none of his teammates really tried to interact with him. And he shrugged off those who did. Considering his quick rise in stature, this picture seemed peculiar to me.

    Now, of course my observations are subjective and highly interpretive, but I wonder if this apparent attitude (the adjective that most came to my mind was 'petulant') will hurt his chances at making the Nats during this cycle. Others may dismiss this view, but I really believe that Arena looks for players who put the team first above all else and he won't risk disrupting what he's put together by bringing in any player who might think 'me first' (mind you I'm not saying this is Dempsey's attitude, I'm just thinking out a 'hypothetical'). It made me wonder if this is why Gaven got a look this past week (although it might also be that Gaven has a year more of professional experience).

    My 2 cents!
     
  8. panicfc

    panicfc Member+

    Dec 22, 2000
    In my chair, typing
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I was there last night, but I think Dempsey was right in his aggrevation with Twellman, AKA black hole. Dempsey gave him a perfect opportunity for a wall pass, made the run, and Twellman turned into the defenders and lost the ball. After this happened 3 or 4 times it was obvious Twellman was not on the same page. The one where Dempsey on wide right and Twellman had the ball heading to the box with three defenders and lost it again frustrated me.

    Noonan - blah. He annoyed me most of the game anyway. He looked bad last Wednesday and last night.

    The thing about the long passes is something I wondered if Nicol did not want that part of the game plan. The team had chances for something, or did they know that Twellman and Noonan were not going to win any ball played through to them.
     
  9. forza inter

    forza inter Member

    Apr 2, 2004
    Middletown, ct
    Club:
    FC Internazionale Milano
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    twellmen takes the ball and turns into defenders alot. its really irritating, esp as a revs fan. dempsey needs to be on the same page with "tnt," that should be rephrased tnt needs to get his head out of his ass and start passin the ball or at least get his head up. dempsey can really help this club out of the cellar but twellmen isnt helpin matters any. hey quick q for everyone: how long has twellmen has thet stupid bandage on his hand/wrist? anyone know why its there?



    forza inter
     
  10. Dr Jay

    Dr Jay BigSoccer Supporter

    Aug 7, 1999
    Newton, MA USA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States


    since high school


    superstition
     
  11. Attacking Minded

    Attacking Minded New Member

    Jun 22, 2002
    Great post and acute observations. I say this because, well I agree with most of what you've said. :)

    Smooth. Butter on the ball. Slick. Like a small stream flowing quickly over rocks.

    Rarely. His skills are so good he rarely needs to look down. When he does, when a defender closes him down, he is very good at making the right step. What makes him so special is that he can do one shimmy after another. It just flows. Like a stream . . . .you get the idea. Kids take notes, work on your stepovers more than anything else. Be so good you can do them in your sleep.

    But like the ying starts in the yang there is a problem here. He's arrogant on the ball. A real SOB who tends not to respect defenders. He's so good at beating people with style and a seeming lack of effort one has to wonder if he really knows how to put out 100% effort over the long haul. One has to wonder if he knows how to put out 100%, not make it then do it again.

    He likes to start the counter. He realy is a withdrawn forward and I doubt that he will put out 100% to be a DM for very long. He likes to play with the ball and score goals.

    This was my #1 complaint about his play in college. When he sees the defense has him beat on speed, when he knows that taking it too them won't be easy, he does knock the ball wide and back. He doesn’t like to get physical or stuck in.

    He was the same way in college. He wouldn’t spend too much time talking with the kids. I felt bad for them but he just didn’t seem to care much. He wasn't rude but neither would he wait around and sign every tee shirt.

    My word would be "aloof."

    Agree. As much as everyone here says Dempsey is a "surprise", he's not. He's been in the USSF national pool since he was in high school. The coaches know him. The players know him. More important than making the nats, he needs to be pushed every week. I hope he realized his junior year in college, that slacking off isn't all it's cracked up to be.

    Make that a nickel.
     
  12. panicfc

    panicfc Member+

    Dec 22, 2000
    In my chair, typing
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Having watched him play about a dozen times, the kid gets stuck in. What he seems to posses is Stretchman type legs, he just extends his stride and steals the pass, then lopes down field, starting the counter as you said.

    I think Gaven's look comes from playing well for more than 12 games, as he was a shining star last year as well.

    My 2 cents.
     
  13. superdave

    superdave Member+

    Jul 14, 1999
    VB, VA
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Panic, posted by me May 29.

    :D
     
  14. panicfc

    panicfc Member+

    Dec 22, 2000
    In my chair, typing
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Just wanted to rehash your excellent perceptions without looking back two months and finding the exact post ;)

    Good thing we both see the same thing.
     
  15. voros

    voros Member

    Jun 7, 2002
    Parts Unknown
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Dempsey has very quickly become one of my favorite players in the entire league. He put a move on Orlando Perez that was so good, Perez nearly got all air when reached out to try and commit the professional foul as he went by. He got the ball at the 56:58 mark in the July 14 game (in case you want to look it up on MLS' site) and then beat half the Fire defense before Perez just barely got enough of his jersey to haul him down.

    Worth the price of admission all by himself.
     
  16. silentbob

    silentbob Member

    Aug 17, 2003
    Maryland
    Club:
    DC United
    The American Frank Lampard, perhaps?
     
  17. superdave

    superdave Member+

    Jul 14, 1999
    VB, VA
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    One day, Frank will be known as the English Clint Dempsey. ;)
     
  18. babytiger2001

    babytiger2001 New Member

    Dec 29, 2000
    Melbourne
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
  19. kurgen99

    kurgen99 New Member

    Jun 30, 2004
    Los Angeles
    BAD LUCK. He's got a great goal on MLS.net too.
     
  20. superdave

    superdave Member+

    Jul 14, 1999
    VB, VA
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Actually, babyt, UP TO 6 weeks. Here's hoping.

    But I gotta say...what a tough mofo with the diving headers while having a broken jaw. A warrior!!
     
  21. babytiger2001

    babytiger2001 New Member

    Dec 29, 2000
    Melbourne
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Indeed, Dave... that takes guts. What cajones...

    And as for the "up to" part: Glass half full, or more, that's for sure.
     
  22. Bruce S

    Bruce S Member+

    Sep 10, 1999
    wow, that REALLY sucks.
     
  23. Scotty

    Scotty Member+

    Dec 15, 1999
    Toscana
    long-distance shooting

    What kind of a long-range shot does Dempsey have? Does he take many from outside the box?
     
  24. silentbob

    silentbob Member

    Aug 17, 2003
    Maryland
    Club:
    DC United
    It appears that MLS holds Clint in very high regard. When I was at the All-Star Game last weekend (won tix on the radio, no way I would've paid money to go), in between halves and games, there was a promotional video on the giant screen that showed clips of the league's up-and-coming stars and a graphic in the corner with their names (e.g., Adu, Gaven, Szetela). Clint was included too.
     
  25. spike182

    spike182 New Member

    Jul 18, 2004
    Nacogdoches, Texas
    Hope to see Clint back on the field soon. Maybe towards the end of this month or begining of next month.
     

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