Dempsey as Penalty Kick Taker

I don't think a "switch" was made.

JK mentioned that it is/way up to the players to select the PK taker, and apparently JK is confident with either Donovan or Dempsey (or perhaps even someone else as well) from the spot.

And in this instance (after Donovan had made a long/hard sprint and suffered a fairly hard tackle -- and the reality that Donovan might rather score his 50th landmark goal from open play), I was fine with Dempsey taking the kick.

(of course, I'm sure a lot of people would have felt differently had he not buried it.)

The next PK for the USMNT could be taken by anyone, I would assume. Although Donovan and Dempsey each seem like possible leading candidates.

 

dempsey does it with some swagger.

donovan is a like a prayer.

 

i trust demspey more, he's got that attitude,

donovan is fine too, it's like both will make it, but dempsey got an attitude

 

I bet Donovan's penalty conversion rate for the USMNT is damn good.

I have no idea why anybody would have a problem with either of them taking the PKs.

 

Dempsey had PK's saved against Chelsea and Swansea in recent memory. I trust Donovan as he has converted many for the US, including in the World Cup.

Edit: Although I do agree with Dempsey taking it the other night after Donovan's hard run & foul.

 

If you've seen every pk he's taken in his Fulham career, I can assure you that you're not particularly excited to see him take the ball and put it on the spot.

 

I will admit that Donovan's lengthy pre-kick ritual and the perception in the past that he was somehow underachieving used to make me less than confident. Ever since he converted against Buffon at CC in 2009 and then capped off his excellent WC10 converting against Ghana, I believe in Landon. I love Clint, but the Chelsea miss does tend to linger in one's mind.

 

I feel bad for Demps, as the other goal leaders in the EPL all have their goal-scoring stats padded by PKs, which may be why Clint is taking more of them now. That said, Donovan is rock solid and should always be the first choice penalty takes for the US.

 

Yeah Landon is just plain better at penalties and has nailed a few pressure packed ones for the USA. The equalizer against Mexico in the Gold Cup in 2007, the Ghana nail biter in South Africa (I couldn't watch), the one in Chicago against Honduras in the hex when we had gone down early (off a bad Dempsey turnover), the crowd was in full voice against us at home, and WCQ truly seemed in the balance...

Until he misses a big one or retires, he's the guy if he's on the field.

 

This is just silly. Dempsey has missed (or declined to take) some very important penalties in his career.

 

i wouldn't read anything more into this other than that donovan made a hard run (and foul)

now... if it's guatemala, i would expect he will be all over it

 

If Donovan really deferred to Dempsey to help get Clint jump-started, as JK and the article seemed to imply, it wouldn't be the first time. Landon did that at the end of April with the Galaxy in its tie with FC Dallas, letting Robbie Keane have the PK (which he promptly missed). With it happening twice in a short period for both club and country, you have to wonder if Donovan is actually losing some confidence in his own PK taking ability rather than trying to rebuild the confidence of others.

 

Donovan did beef his MLS Cup Final 2009 attempt vs RSL, but aside from that I can't remember any significant PKs that's he flubbed.

I prefer the placement over power approach and I think Donovan embodies the former while Dempsey the latter.

 

From what I've heard he let him take it because Keane was doing poorly. Keane went on to miss the whole goal.

I'm quite certain Donovan has plenty of confidence in his own abilities. Stop with the conspiracy theories.

 

Dempsey took it because Donovan was recovering from a hard foul. Nothing more or less.

 

Gee, I remember the last time Dempsey 'could' have taken a penalty for the US, it was Jozy Altidore who took it.

This Dempsey 'swagger' is such a load of shit.

 

It's not a strong point in his game. Every one I've seen goes in the same spot, to the keeper's right.

 

I don't remember when this was?

Re: the OP, Clint's my guy, and I love him, but he's not a good PK option. Every shot is down the middle, slightly to the keeper's right.

 

Slovenia in November.

 

Ahhhhhhh yeah.

Clint already had one at that point, right? Maybe it was sort of a "spread it around" thing?

Whatever, though. In the end, this is a non-thing. Donovan should be the primary PK taker barring circumstances (a hard tackle, not being in the game, missing a leg). I don't know that I'd really want Clint in a list of 5 in a shootout with his less-than-stellar record for Fulham.

And that's coming from a big Dempsey fan.

 

Altidore is a decent PK taker. I beleive as soon as Johnson drew the pk he went straight to Dempsey and said 'I'm taking it'.

In the last game I just thought that Donovan just took a hard foul and wanted Dempsey to take it due to that. There is some stat out there about players who draw the pk who try to take it but then have a high miss probability.

 

Has Donovan ever missed a PK with a USA shirt on his back?

 

Donovan is the #1 PK taker by miles. Sometimes after a hard foul, long run, etc., it is wise to let someone else take it.