Clint Dempsey- Fulham

Longlivekeano

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I think we should go for him in the summer. Class player. Can play through the middle, through the wings and support striker. At age 29, I think he has a few more years of top class football in him. Nice runs into the box, clever footwork, strong header of the ball, never gets injured, strong stamina. His contract is running out = good value for money.

A valuable option to add to our squad numbers if Berbatov, Owen, leaves.
 
No.

Whilst I don't disagree with a lot of what you've said we should surely be looking at players of a higher calibre than Clint Dempsey.
 
Even as a complete Yank Spazzo.....no. Not even close to United quality and too old to boot.
 
I wouldn't be surprised to see him leave Fulham for a better team. I would be very surprised if that better team turned out to be us.
 
Minkaro said:
I wouldn't be surprised to see him leave Fulham for a better team. I would be very surprised if that better team turned out to be us.
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Can't see him finding a better side in this country at least.
 
Could see Liverpool getting him, seems the kind of rash signing they would make.
 
The thing is, he's like an extreme version of Lampard. Tailor a role for him, let him do what he pleases, and he'll get you goals.

Ask him to play as a conventional winger or a CM, and he'll not deliver. Doesn't have an overall game suited to those roles as such, but a very good finisher, times his runs to perfection, two good feet and a bit of an eye for a through ball.

If we're going to sign a player of that ilk we should be looking at the Hazard's, not the Dempsey's of this world.
 
marjen said:
The thing is, he's like an extreme version of Lampard. Tailor a role for him, let him do what he pleases, and he'll get you goals.

Ask him to play as a conventional winger or a CM, and he'll not deliver. Doesn't have an overall game suited to those roles as such, but a very good finisher, times his runs to perfection, two good feet and a bit of an eye for a through ball.

If we're going to sign a player of that ilk we should be looking at the Hazard's, not the Dempsey's of this world.
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Oh don't get me wrong i'm not saying we make Dempsey our No1 target and don't look at 'bigger' players. But in terms of adding to a squad he could be useful, very useful infact.
 
jgraham said:
Oh don't get me wrong i'm not saying we make Dempsey our No1 target and don't look at 'bigger' players. But in terms of adding to a squad he could be useful, very useful infact.
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We've got enough goalscorers and creative talents in the side. I'd prioritize full backs and midfielders, that's where we're stretched.
 
He's experienced, scores a ton of goals, and has proven himself in this league. Wouldn't be a bad piece of business if we bought him.
 
No. He's found his level and fair do's he's been excellent for them.

Performing at that level for us is a completely different kettle of fish.

Everton might be a better fit. Maybe Liverpool if he's willing to take a step down.
 
He's basically the 'new' Tim Cahill. His manager has found his ideal role in the team and he's thriving, put him in a new team and you'll soon see he lacks the required qualities in other parts of his game.
 
Devilton said:
No. He's found his level and fair do's he's been excellent for them.

Performing at that level for us is a completely different kettle of fish.
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You think being surrounded by better players would make him less, not more effective ?
 
Raoul said:
You think being surrounded by better players would make him less, not more effective ?
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I think asking him to break down teams consistantly, in a fixed role in a 4-4-2, would showcase his limitations rather than his abilities.

As I said, the role he plays for Fulham is tailor-made for him.
 
marjen said:
I think asking him to break down teams consistantly, in a fixed role in a 4-4-2, would showcase his limitations rather than his abilities.

As I said, the role he plays for Fulham is tailor-made for him.
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I can buy the view that he's a bit old at 29, but not that he wouldn't successful if he came to OT.
 
Raoul said:
I can buy the view that he's a bit old at 29, but not that he wouldn't successful if he came to OT.
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Okay. Thought experiment time.

Where do you play Clint Dempsey when he arrives at OT next season then?

Ahead of Rooney? Nani? Valencia? Young? Carrick or any other CM? Welbeck/Hernandez?

Do you move Rooney up top to accomodate him, taking him away from his best position? Do you bench Nani, Valencia or Young, or most consistant providers and creators?

Or do you change around our entire formation to accomodate him?

I think it would be a pretty piss poor idea. And I think for him to be successfull, we would need to free him of his defensive duties(like Fulham does and gets punished for whenever he plays wide against decent sides) and play him in a free-roaming role as an AM/second striker.. Which we've got about five much better alternatives for anyway.
 
He could be a squad player though couldn't he? We need an extra attacker in the squad as we're going to lose berba and someone who can play behind welbeck or Hernandez, rather than as an out an out striker might be a decent idea. He's proven in the league. Don't think anyone would say he would be starting on a regular basis. He's not my first choice but he'd be a decent player to bring in.
 
marjen said:
Okay. Thought experiment time.

Where do you play Clint Dempsey when he arrives at OT next season then?

Ahead of Rooney? Nani? Valencia? Young? Carrick or any other CM? Welbeck/Hernandez?

Do you move Rooney up top to accomodate him, taking him away from his best position? Do you bench Nani, Valencia or Young, or most consistant providers and creators?

Or do you change around our entire formation to accomodate him?

I think it would be a pretty piss poor idea. And I think for him to be successfull, we would need to free him of his defensive duties(like Fulham does and gets punished for whenever he plays wide against decent sides) and play him in a free-roaming role as an AM/second striker.. Which we've got about five much better alternatives for anyway.
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Who said he would be a starter ? He would be a player who would add some needed squad depth to a side that are about to lose a shit load of experience in the next 12 months or so in Giggs, Scholes, and possibly Park and Fletcher. We need at least one experienced league player who is punching well above his weight at his current club to help offset the experience deficit.
 
Raoul said:
You think being surrounded by better players would make him less, not more effective ?
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That's not always the case as Berbatov clearly illustrates. Dempsey currently plays in a system suited to his game. That won't happen at United. He also plays in the same role as Rooney and he's not good enough to replace Wayne or cause us to change the system.

If Dempsey was playing in the same vein 4 years ago I could easily have seen us going for him to be honest.
 
Raoul said:
Who said he would be a starter ? He would be a player who would add some needed squad depth to a side that are about to lose a shit load of experience in the next 12 months or so in Giggs, Scholes, and possibly Park and Fletcher. We need at least one experienced league player who is punching well above his weight at his current club to help offset the experience deficit.
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I'd do this:

Get in at least one central midfielder. This will relegate one of Cleverley/Anderson/Scholes(if he continues) to the bench, for now at least, until they prove themselves as a better player, and create competition.

Bringing players in deliberately for cover has always struck me as strange. Unless it's intended to create competition/strengthen the first XI, why bring anyone in? Bringing in a clearly inferior player to provide numbers is strange in this day and age with the squad limit etc. It's why I was slightly perplexed by the signing of Young, adding another player who takes up similar positions to the squad will just end up.. bloating our squad.

As I said, if we need another option in that role, why not go for a better player, if we acknowledge he's no Nani/Valencia/Rooney?
 
marjen said:
The thing is, he's like an extreme version of Lampard. Tailor a role for him, let him do what he pleases, and he'll get you goals.

Ask him to play as a conventional winger or a CM, and he'll not deliver. Doesn't have an overall game suited to those roles as such, but a very good finisher, times his runs to perfection, two good feet and a bit of an eye for a through ball.
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Spot on, cracking player but we don't have a role available for him.
 
marjen said:
I'd do this: As I said, if we need another option in that role, why not go for a better player, if we acknowledge he's no Nani/Valencia/Rooney?
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There aren't many (if any) better players available in our valuation range. There aren't any better wingers and you're not going to find another Rooney.

Dempsey wouldn't be an ideal fit either given his age. I just don't buy the arguments about why we should't buy him, when there are a few good ones why it may make sense).
 
He is the kind of player that Liverpool sign and make shit.

Not for us.
 
Decent player, not top level. Would be best for him to stay at Fulham.

Do not think he could make the grade at Spurs.
 
Sean_RedDevil said:
Perfect player for Tottenham.

I don't think he has Manchester United quality.
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He plays a very similar role to Van Der Vaart but is technically inferior, although more productive. He'll also cost around £10m if they want him and they have other needs to address. He'd end up similar to Pienaar if he moved.
 
I think he will end up going to another country as he wants to play in the Champions League and he won't find a team in England. As people have already stated he just wouldn't be that great of a fit for United, but I would not mind if he was signed.
 
I agree with all the "his role in the team at Fulham is too big an ask to do at United" stuff, but not the "not the quality of player we should be after" stuff. It's almost as if every player we've signed has been a Ballon D'or contender or youtube prodigy. When was the last time we signed anyone like that? Our signings in the last 2 years have been very much of that level. And without the 22 goals to boot.

But 29, and the role he plays are decent reasons to rule him out.

I do really like him though. I'd let him take me out for a fish supper.
 
Would be a great signing for Arsenal imo. Would be an awesome foil for RVP, the two of them could alternate being the furthest forward and would bring a new dimension to that team.
 
Beachryan said:
Would be a great signing for Arsenal imo. Would be an awesome foil for RVP, the two of them could alternate being the furthest forward and would bring a new dimension to that team.
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I've been saying that for a year. Dempsey would balance Arsenal's attack wonderfully. They need physicality in the last third and someone whose an efficient scorer. RVP shouldn't be relied on.
 
Theon said:
Could see Liverpool getting him, seems the kind of rash signing they would make.
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Yea. He will be at his same level as well over there. Maybe a good replacement for Kuyt if he does leave. He will be a better option than Carroll, and even Bellamy, at the very least.

He's 29. The club's current transfer policy will make sure we wont even get near him.
 
He's certainly a better player than Park, and would fill the same role in the squad as Park does if United were to buy him. He wouldn't leave Fulham to be a squad player, though. He thrives on feeling important and needed and frankly he deserves more than playing every couple of weeks.
 
Come on, we've bought teams from Middle table, lower table standards. That does not make them poor quality. Refer to D.Yorke (A.Villa), A. Valencia (Wigan), Henning Berg (Blackburn) and we've tried for 30 + year old like Teddy and Di Canio (tried).

I am not saying he should start all games a la Rooney, Evra, De Gea. Rather a sqaud player who can play 25-30 games a seaon and do a decent job for us.

----------------------------Welbeck / Chicarito---------------------

--------------------------------------C. Dempsey-------------------


---A. Young--------Cleverly------ Anderson--------------Park J S---

Our squad forward line-up
 
i actually think he'd be quite a sage buy. we're losing berbatov and probably owen as well, and that leaves us with roo + chicharito + welbeck as the only options up front. i don't think kiko's impressed enough to come back strongly, so another true goalscorer, especially one who can do a job in a variety of positions, would be a welcome addition.

god forbid rooney gets a knock or worse, who can do that job? having a player who can (on his best day) approximate what rooney delivers wouldn't be such a bad problem, and i think his age actually benefits us as he's done the week-in, week-out bit and is now probably mostly interested in snatching a medal or two before calling time on his career.
 
gaffs said:
I wouldnt write Adam off either.
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At Liverpool I would. He's a fulcrum player and that setup is designed for Stevie G and Suarez. There's no way he's really ever going to be viable at Liverpool.

He also has a 'just over half a season' engine too.
 
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