Clint Dempsey's dream season with Fulham continued today as he notched his 17th goal of the Premier League season and 23rd in all competitions with an outstanding free kick.
The goal also marked the 50th Premier League goal in Dempsey's career, extending the American record he already held.
Here is Dempsey's goal:
Will he stay with Fulham?
G.O.A.T.
isnt that more then Chicharito last year? And the Mexicans were getting all hot and bothered about little pea….who’s just a poacher (he’s no vela).
Deserves to be playing at the next level
23 for 23…bestest deuce ever
Chicharito is no Vela? Vela isn’t that good…yet. Why does everyone knock Chicharito because he’s got speed and puts himself in good positions? I would love to have a forward like that for the US. Imagine putting someone like that next to Jozy? It would be like the Charlie and Jozy show again, except better.
I never thought Dempsey was that great at free kicks until this season. Maybe Dempsey should take a bigger chunk of the free kicks when Donovan and him actually play together. Donovan’s free kicks seem more about finesse and curve (see Donovan’s free kick in Honduras in 2010 World Cup Qualifying) and Dempsey’s free kicks seem to be about pure power.
Dempsey is a very good player. I hope he gets the opportunity to showcase his talents on a Champions League club at some point, he has worked really hard.
Cap Him!
Chicharito is a “fantastic” poacher of the goal, he performs his role quite well for ManU and Mexico. He was on course to have an even more productive year than last, unfortunately injuries and Welbeck seizing his time on the field limited his effect. As for Vela, he is talented, but Mexico has played decently with the strikers they’ve been playing with.
STUD.
How? Texas doesn’t play internationally.
Actually, Vela had a very good year with Sociedad.
I still think the most impressive “highlight” of the year is when Danny Murphy, a professional’s professional, gushed about what a worker Dempsey was.
If he wants to get paid more or have the prestige of playing on a ‘bigger club’ that’s fine, but the notion that him playing on a round of 16 Champions League team, especially one in a slightly weaker league is him playing on the ‘next level’ is silly. Say he goes to Schalke like people are mentioning, his opportunities to play good teams are just as likely to decrease as increase. The CL group stages are often chalk-full of mediocre teams, maybe 1 good one, and if Schalke loses in the Round of 16, thats what, 3 more good opponents than he would play in the EPL? Couple that with 1 fewer domestic cup competition to play good teams in, the fact he’s on a big team now and can’t play himself, and, as good as the Bundesliga is, less quality at the top than the EPL, and he probably comes out in the red in terms of competition. Moreover, he doesn’t have a system built for him anymore, things like this Free Kick probably don’t happen, and let’s say they pull a Schalke from last year-suddenly they’re in the Europa League, just like Fulham….and in the Bundesliga, or really even Italy or Spain minus Barca/Madrid, there’s enough parity where that’s a distinct possiblity.
I stand corrected. I thought he was still sitting on Arsenal’s bench.
Clint’s “I’ll pay you after” response was pretty good.
Obviously Schalke COULD do well in the CL, but my argument is if you’re playing in the best or second best league in the world, the week in and week out talent you’re playing is more important for player development than ‘playing at ‘the next level” for a handful of games. The chances he gets better competition WITH playing time are lower if he goes to say Schalke than the alternative of staying.
I’d be curious to know how his 50 goals stack up against other EPL players over the same time period. He’s been with Fulham what, 6 years now? Even though this has been a break out year for him, he’s been pretty consistent through out.
according to wikipedia he has 50 goals in 181 games, which is s decent strike rate but not great
for a midfielder, that is an absolutely amazing strike rate
I buy this argument. But wouldn’t you want him on Arsenal (and I’m not an Arsenal fan)? He could (should) start and would have the chance to make a run in the CL.
NOT GREAT? He plays midfield on a middle of the table team. Haters gonna hate.
It’s gotta be tough choice for dempsey. Stay at fulham and add to his legend. Move on and get the payout to set him for life. and ‘maybe’ prove himself on a bigger stage. Soccer success is so fickle, it could end any minute. Whatya do?
o but it could
He’s playing every minute for a top-half team in the best league in the world, and has been in Europe two of the past three seasons. I’m a biased Fulham fan, but I’d prefer that scenario to him having his playing time slashed just to join an Arsenal or Liverpool team that *might* qualify for the Champions League. I don’t know why American fans are so eager to see our guys join “big name” teams that aren’t necessarily the right fit for them. I’d rather see guys like Dempsey and Dolo be vital components in a team’s rise to the top than see them be just another role player for a higher-profile club.
I wouldn’t want that. Arsenal is by no means guaranteed a place in the Champions League. And if he move from Fulham to Arsenal, his domestic schedule suddenly loses a fixture against a team which should finish between 3-7 in a given season and gains a fixture against a team which should finish 7-11 in a given season.
How is losing playing time and a fixture against a top team for the *possibility* of playing in the Champions League a good idea?
He isn’t going to move to a Manchester club, Barca, Madrid, or any other club with a realistic shot at winning the CL. What’s the fascination people have with the idea of him moving to a marginally better team?
It was a joke in response to timeless fanboy calls for automatic cappings…
no, it really isnt amazing
also he does play forward at times
his strike rate per game is about the same as Frank Lampard, who has done it more consistently over a far greater time. And I dont think anybody would call Lampard amazing. And Lampards stats are a little better than Clints
He must have been working on them a lot; he rarely used to take them before and when he did they were very average.
Hahaha. Very well said, sir.
LOL Texas Pride!
take the money n run
You are forgetting, dempsey will choose where to go after he knows who made the champions league this year and who didn’t.
It’s a no brainer — he’ll go to a bigger club that plays champions league. He has nothing left to prove at Fulham. He may fight for playing time at a bigger club, but I have no doubt he will meet the challenge and gain a starting role on a top 3-4 team in any top league.
Clint will go….
hmmm all texas team?
Clint Dempsey, Stuart Holden, Brek Shea, Omar Gonzalez, Zak Whitbread, Jose Francisco Torres, Omar Salgado, Lee Nguyen, Kenny Cooper, Jared Jeffrey…..not bad i suppose, just missing a Goalkeeper
I would take team California over team Texas boca negra, donovan, cherundolo, maurice edu, corona, kljestan, gomez, romando, luis gil, pelosi! Feilhaber, Heath pierce
Dempsey to City!
No ones hating. 50 goals in 181 is very solid, especially for a midfielder, but those numbers aren’t setting anything on fire.
50 league goals in 181 matches is EXCEPTIONAL for a player who plays midfield, winger, and striker for a former relegation team turned mid table finisher.
Clint has shown he has the talent to make it at a CL club. Maybe he would only start 50% of the matches but he would compete for more. Never count Deuce out
1) He plays for Chelsea. Everyone hates Chelsea
2) He sucks when he plays for England.
other than that everyone knows Lampard is one of the best midfielders in the world for the past decade. one of the top 20.
Easiest decision may be to stay at Fulham
Second easiest decision would be transfer to Arsenal or Liverpool. He would only start 50% of the 50 matches they have each season but he could fight for more.
Or he could join a CL team in Italy like Lazio/Udinese or Schalke/Dortmund in Germany or Valencia/Malaga in Spain
I see Clint going to whichever team gets 3rd place this year. It will be either Arsenal or Spurs, and both are London teams who could use Clint, and have looked at him. He wouldn’t have to move his family, which is a big consideration for Clint, but would get a chance to play both Champions League and have a better chance of a deep cup run in the FA or Carling Cup.
He won’t go to Liverpool; they’re lower in the table than Fulham.
(As a Fulham fan, I just loved posting that
)
Among active midfielders in the epl as far as number of games it took them to get 50 goals he is like the second or third or fourth fastest to 50
Ye have little ambition.
You guys have absolutely no idea what a good strike rate is for an attacking midfielder. 50 in 181 is off-the-charts good.
Fabregas was 35 in 212
Gerrard (more of a box to box) … was 89 in 401.
Lampard was 126 in 374 and he was a designated PK taker.
Kaka at Mila … 70 in 193.
Demps is right up there with the best striker rates for midfielders. It’s that simple.
Team New Jersey would destroy all. NJ and Cali produced the best and most USMNT players.
It will be these four options: Tottenham, Arsenal, Schalke, or stay at Fulham.
“Ye” are very naive. Just take a look at the countless high quality players who wallow on big name club benches or at the very least split time. For Clint, “splitting time” would be just as bad as being benched. Many Americans jump to other “better” clubs (many that can’t be considered even a “Big club”) only to sit and not improve their game.
I MIGHT agree with you, if Fulahm were trendng down, but they are on the rise with good coach and higher quality players than the have had in the past who complimetn Dempsey well.
If Clint receives a great offer from a Champions League club ON the continent, who look to play him immediaely and can give him alot of minutes, he should Go. But if not, Fulham will give him a raise upon re-signing and will likely make Europa next year. Changing clubs is more often than not, a bad move from what I have witnessed.
Clint’s “rise” in recent years only came after he began seeing consistent minutes.
Dude worst argument ever, most people do think lampard is amazing, or if you dont like that word, “world class” for sure. If you said an american midfielder has an epl strike rate similar to lampard you are complimenting him not dissing him. That suggests hes world class.
Also i dont think people hate chelsea as much as they used to, particularly in england, wher man u and liverpool are perhaps disliked just as much, especially with the emergence of man city.
When are they going to do the texas vs california game!?! That would be so entertaining. Maybe also florida vs nj…
I hope he stays at Fulham. I like knowing that everytime Fulham plays a match Dempsey will be a key component. He would just be another cog at a huge club like a City or Arsenal. I always thought he’d do great at Liverpool, but they’re not a perennial top 4 club anymore.
If he does move, I want him to move to another league. Either Germany, France, or Italy.
Yeah, I’m not entirely sure what ld is talking about. Lampard is one of the Chelsea all-time greats. And I hate Lampard and Chelsea.
I hope he stays at Fulham. Never underrate the importance of being in a good situation.
Gomez? Hercules Gomez? Does he count as Californian? Isn’t he from Las Vegas, NV?
If he does count–We’ll take him!
Being an Arsenal Fan, I would love to see him in a gunner’s uniform. But with Podolski coming in, where does that put him for playing time? Does he fill the “void” that Nasri left as a possession type dribbler over on the left side? I just worry about his PT here.