that one play against Jamaica where he cut back against a pair of defenders, and sliced the D with a great throughball is what I want to see more often. It's no accident that in that play there wasn't a trick to be found. He used his brain, and the space being offered, along with his good touch and vision to make that play. he can do that kind if thing more consistently than I have no qualms at all for him starting in the world cup. He's got the strength on the ball and the touch to be a weapon out there. But he doesn't have the mental quickenss or the passing accuracy just yet IMO.
You know what, though? You all are talking about dempsey's tricks not being effective? The guy has a knack for the goal, too. I remember months ago when people were talking about how poor his touch was, but how he seemed to demand to be on the field because he was the type of the player that always seemed to find a goal (see England friendly). Well, now he has improved his touch and his confidence is absolutely insane and he is still finding the back of the net (poland). Yes, he is an amazingly talented dribbler, but he is also effective.
I actually agree with Mapp. I have been raving about him all over these boards, and I think you cannot talk about dribblers in the US without talking about Mapp. Dempsey has skills on the ball...but Mapp makes it look effortless. My order of best and inventive dribblers in the US: 1. Deuce (soul puts him over the top) 2. Mapp (whitey a close second) 3. LD 4. DMB 5. O'brien (when he is on...he is up there)
The Clint highlight illustrates when the tricks are most effective -- on the wing, in relatively stationary situations. Clint plays like a classic winger, as opposed to most of our outside players. Mapp, too, of course. The issue is the end product, as our English friends would say. Clint's still working on that. As is Mapp. This weekend saw the bad Mapp. Great at killing people off the dribble, but the final idea and execution wasn't there. Justin had very little to do with any of the Fire's scoring threats, although much to do with the match's entertainment value. Key to both of their play -- and to that of the classic winger style -- is the east-west movement. Gotta be able to cut and move quickly to each side. I'd take Dempsey to the Cup and not Mapp because Clint has a nose for scoring goals, and because he's fitter and plays harder. I think those elements along with his footwork put him on the roster, despite the concerns about the final ball.
I know you've expanded on your first post so I just want to say that when I first read this, my thought was "You. Smoke. Crack." Dempsey is an insanely good dribbler. Those other guys are all team players. They have the talent but not the killer instinct that it takes to drive someone to Dempsy’s level. Dempsey on the other hand loves to embarrass defenders. Not just look cool but eviscerate them. If it’s in front of an audience, so much the better. IF he goes to the WC and IF he gets to play, Dempsey will want to find the toughest, nastiest international defender, receive the ball and just make the guy look like an idiot. Goals, trophies, coach’s attaboy’s won’t mean a thing compared to the inner hunger to beat someone at that level and on that stage. Okay, enough of the rah, rah. Dempsey’s best moves are on 50/50 balls. He seems to have this sixth sense for where the ball is when he can’t see it. I guess he catches a glimpse out of the corner of his eye or something but he just seems to know where the ball is and how and where to touch it so the defender can’t reach it.
Saying clint dempsey is a better dribbler than beasely, donovan, and convey is like saying Hot Sauce (And1 street baller) is a better dribbler than Allen Iverson. At every single level of soccer, defenders are very infrequently beat by fancy footwork. It's always slight body feints and quick accelerations. Perhaps a player can make the body feint and the quick acceleration while doing something fancy with his feet, but don't let them fool you into thinking that the stepovers are the important part.
Soccer is a team sports, not a Nike commercial. Some folks (and I am not saying you did) on this thread made it sound like Landon and co. are a bunch of no-talent running machines who have no creativity. Funny. They don't do a lot of fansy tricks not because they can't dribble or be inventive. They are good because, like Nutmeg said, they know how and when to keep things simple and fundamental, they know how to play at various speed, they know how to combine with their teammates, and they know how to make things happen - by being smart. Running machines don't do these things. Good players do. I've liked Dempsey since people started "pimping" him in his first year. But I won't make him into something he's not - a Ronaldinho.
you wouldn't happen to know how to reach Eddie Johnson's inner voice would you? mind leaving a voice mail for him to pass on to Eddie? We talk about dribbling and beating guys 1v1 well EJ has the speed in the soft touch to be good at this. But he's pretty much the opposite
Dempsey's game would be a lot more valuable to us if we had an excellent free kick taker or more dominating aerial attackers than just McBride. The guy flat out draws fouls (remember Poland?), often in dangerous places, but we don't necessarily have the personnel to take advantage. He would be perfect in the Copa Libertadores, because he'd get 90% of the calls and it seems everybody in S. America actually learns how to take free kicks. He'll still get more calls at the international level than he does in hackfest MLS.
There is a huge difference between beating a defender when you are on the run versus from a standstill. Both are valuable skills of course.
Dempsey is the best on the wing. Mapp is the best in tight spaces. Donovan is pretty poor by comparison but he will take off into an open space once in a while. Beasley reached his pinnacle in that Milan game but hasn't been the same since and actually been reluctant to dribble, according to the PSV followers. He certainly didn't stand out against Poland. Bobby dribbles almost on guts alone ... but he's got tons of them.
Somewhat off topic, but I really wish that MLS would perform a cranial rectal removal surgery and instead of occassionally putting out a "best goals" video featuring everybody, do a few player-centric videos where instead of just focusing on goals, show the best and most skilled MLS players with a whole bunch of highlights cribbed from their careers. (You could get a few soccer philes to watch all of their games over a month period and have them pick out stuff). You really could put together quite an impressive video collage for guys like Dempsey, Mapp, Adu, Donovan and maybe a few others. It would be entertaining and something you might be able to give to kids to show what's possible with a soccer ball at your feet. There is a valid point to be made that in our unique position in the soccer world, the entertainment factor for a player can be relatively more important than the player's overall effectiveness. It's a sport and league looking for converts, and being entertaining to watch is a big factor in accomplishing that. Clint Dempsey is one of the most entertaining American players to watch I've ever seen. That he's also productive is almost a bonus to me.
I'm sorry, but any discussion of US Mens "dribblers" without mention of Rolfe is going to be lacking.
Yeah, absolutely, that's the best part of Boca's game. Gooch is a monster as well, and if Pope isn't skying his headers over the bar, he's dangerous. As for free kick takers, Lewis is very good, Donovan and Dolo aren't bad, Convey seems up and down.
I definitely agree. In the Japan game, he also drew quite a few fouls in dangerous spots, and I remember thinking "if only we had someone who could put a free kick on net"...
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=163512774526342672&q=soccer Ok, people. We have some footage of LD's fancy footwork.
i have to agree...and he usually is able to beat multiple defenders, at once or one after the other, something most players arent capable of. dribbling and beating one guy is one thing, but beating an entire defense is a whole other skill level. also...to talk about watching dribblers and think that defenders dont fall for the stepovers or tricks is somewhat inaccurate...the fancy footwork is bait, gets the defender to want to break his legs, and the quick accleration or touch on the ball is the move to get away from impending danger...all part of the move...
Rolfe has the fastest and most effective moves while dribbling. But he is not going to Germany. You won't have to scrounge around video archives too long to find good dribbling moves of Rolfe. But, oh, I forgot. Rolfe isn't going to Germany.