The Association Football Thread

#1,276
#1,276
Oh yes, the Dempsey one. They never went back and showed the contact. It looked like a PK from the behind angle they were showing.
 
#1,277
#1,277
volball625 said:
Is there a bigger douche on our team than Dempsey? He's unbelievably selfish and is glorified because of some gift goals in some of our biggest games.
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Gift goals? Lol. Dempsey is the most creative and best player on the field at all times.
 
#1,278
#1,278
volfanjo said:
Gift goals? Lol. Dempsey is the most creative and best player on the field at all times.
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Yeah. Gift goals.

Dempsey is certainly one of our better players. His "creativity" leads nowhere the majority of the time and he is unbelievably selfish. We need to stop playing him
In the midfield and pair him with Altidore or Agudelo. Dempsey is just simply not a provider at all. Too selfish minded for that kind of position.

I'd seriously argue that Bradley is our best player and the most influential player on our team.
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#1,281
#1,281
He's a quality player on a team desperate for them, but he wouldn't be starting on any teams in Western Europe or any major ones in South America.
 
#1,282
#1,282
volball625 said:
Dempsey is certainly one of our better players. His "creativity" leads nowhere the majority of the time and he is unbelievably selfish. We need to stop playing him
In the midfield and pair him with Altidore or Agudelo. Dempsey is just simply not a provider at all. Too selfish minded for that kind of position.
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He certainly wastes a lot of opportunities trying to shoot from distance.

I'd seriously argue that Bradley is our best player and the most influential player on our team.
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At this point, it would be hard to argue.
 
#1,283
#1,283
His goal against Canada last week was no gift. He helps create opportunities for his teammates and plays physical soccer that no one else plays. Dude is a solid, American player.

And he should be the model for American soccer going forward.
 
#1,284
#1,284
IPorange said:
He's a quality player on a team desperate for them, but he wouldn't be starting on any teams in Western Europe or any major ones in South America.
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But what American would outside of maybe Howard?

(Dempsey does play for Fullham -- one of the lesser teams mind you -- but he is their work horse and main scoring threat).
 
#1,285
#1,285
One more thing.

All the announcers could talk about last night was how good the Americans were at "set pieces". But what about having a guy who can blow past defenders, not pass it to anyone, and drill it in the net?

I get it. Dempsey is no Messi... but the whole idea of soccer as a team sport is really not the way you win on the big stage. You allow players to do what they do best, be creative, take chances, and learn to be great. American soccer tries to drill that out of their athletes unfortunately.

I like that Dempsey came from a non-traditional soccer background and scrapped his way to the top. That idea is the way forward.
 
#1,286
#1,286
I have always had a problem with Dempsey.. He is extremely selfish and you can tell just because he gets the opportunity to star in the EPL he thinks he is superior to everyone else.. Michael Bradley is a better play than Dempsey but is probably one of the most underrated players in the world.

Dempsey does have gift goals and I have also seen his miss a ton of completely wide open opportunities countless times. He makes stuff happen because he stalks the box and rarely comes back and plays solid d. He is your Dirk Kuyt good. Someone that can score but their ability will never really blow your mind, and when they do score you feel like it was lucky..

I will add that I am glad, however, that he is an American because we do not really have anything else going for us (and it doesn't look like the future is going to be to bright either).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H487HYjP2CI&feature=related

all skill. hahah
 
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#1,287
#1,287
Here's plenty of non "gift goals".

YouTube - ‪Clint Dempsey American Talent‬‏

People make a lot of England's goalie missing the ball, but you have to make a strike on goal to even give yourself a chance. I don't know why you criticize someone for that. So many goals in soccer are scored on second chances and deflections anyway. Do gift goals not count in regulation soccer?

I agree that Bradley is a key piece of the team, though, and earned his spot.
 
#1,288
#1,288
volfanjo said:
One more thing.

All the announcers could talk about last night was how good the Americans were at "set pieces". But what about having a guy who can blow past defenders, not pass it to anyone, and drill it in the net?

I get it. Dempsey is no Messi... but the whole idea of soccer as a team sport is really not the way you win on the big stage. You allow players to do what they do best, be creative, take chances, and learn to be great. American soccer tries to drill that out of their athletes unfortunately.

I like that Dempsey came from a non-traditional soccer background and scrapped his way to the top. That idea is the way forward.
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Seriously? Soccer isn't that much about a team sport. Is this post serious? Have you seen who has won the past three Champions Leagues? Or the World Cup and Euro in 2008?

There's a reason Ronaldo hasnt won crap since joining Real Madrid.
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#1,289
#1,289
TylerD said:
I have always had a problem with Dempsey.. He is extremely selfish and you can tell just because he gets the opportunity to star in the EPL he thinks he is superior to everyone else.. Michael Bradley is a better play than Dempsey but is probably one of the most underrated players in the world.

Dempsey does have gift goals and I have also seen his miss a ton of completely wide open opportunities countless times. He makes stuff happen because he stalks the box and rarely comes back and plays solid d. He is your Dirk Kuyt good. Someone that can score but their ability will never really blow your mind, and when they do score you feel like it was lucky..

I will add that I am glad, however, that he is an American because we do not really have anything else going for us (and it doesn't look like the future is going to be to bright either).

YouTube - ‪World Cup - Clint Dempsey's Goal (June 12 2010)‬‏

all skill. hahah
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Couldn't agree more. I have always said that the guy thinks he's hot **** because he plays in the EPL.
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#1,290
#1,290
volfanjo said:
Here's plenty of non "gift goals".

YouTube - ‪Clint Dempsey American Talent‬‏

People make a lot of England's goalie missing the ball, but you have to make a strike on goal to even give yourself a chance. I don't know why you criticize someone for that. So many goals in soccer are scored on second chances and deflections anyway. Do gift goals not count in regulation soccer?

I agree that Bradley is a key piece of the team, though, and earned his spot.
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I'm not criticizing him for scoring the goal. That shot does show exactly what I mean about him. He is simply not good enough to make a shot from that distance but he simply does it despite that. And he does it every game. Just watch how many times he decides to shoot when he is no position to, or when he has teammates making runs in the attacking third. The guy is not a provider. That's why he needs to leave the midfield.

I'm referring to his gift goals that have had the biggest impact for us. The Robert Green howler. The Sergio Ramos trying to look upfield for an open pass inside his own six.
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#1,291
#1,291
volball625 said:
Seriously? Soccer isn't that much about a team sport. Is this post serious? Have you seen who has won the past three Champions Leagues? Or the World Cup and Euro in 2008?

There's a reason Ronaldo hasnt won crap since joining Real Madrid.
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Yes I have. I was in Europe in 2008 for the Euro Cup. Spain has great individual players at each position that are creative, physical and highly skilled.

Obviously soccer is a "team" sport. What I am getting at is the USA overemphasizes that point in the youth setting so much that it kills guys like Dempsey for being selfish, when you need some of that.

I have no problem with you not liking Dempsey... I just think he is the least of our problems.
 
#1,292
#1,292
When we are overpassing to the extent that arsenal does I might agree with you... However, the USA players have no problem putting it on goal whether or not they should. Cherundolo shot it from 35+ the other night.

And as far as problems to worry about.. Dempsey isn't anything I am worrying about. He is a douche and I know that but whatever. Like Vollball said he just doesn't need to play in the midfield (where the point is to be unselfish and observant). My biggest problem that I worry about is that we just aren't good enough.. Period. I don't even think we are in the same league as Mexico anymore, let alone south America and Europe.
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#1,294
#1,294
Don't understand how you can watch teams who are excelling with their unselfish play and passing ability and say it isn't so much of a team sport.
 
#1,296
#1,296
Godfatha said:
Don't understand how you can watch teams who are excelling with their unselfish play and passing ability and say it isn't so much of a team sport.
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Obviously the team matters. You need good backers, midfielders and a good attack. (And a great goalie). But you need great goal scorers too. Why hasn't the US ever produced such a player?
 
#1,297
#1,297
volfanjo said:
Obviously the team matters. You need good backers, midfielders and a good attack. (And a great goalie). But you need great goal scorers too. Why hasn't the US ever produced such a player?
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Not sure. It's frustrating to say the least. Could take the easy route and say that all of our best athletes are playing football and basketball.
 
#1,298
#1,298
volfanjo said:
Obviously soccer is a "team" sport. What I am getting at is the USA overemphasizes that point in the youth setting so much that it kills guys like Dempsey for being selfish, when you need some of that.
Click to expand...

volfanjo said:
Obviously the team matters. You need good backers, midfielders and a good attack. (And a great goalie). But you need great goal scorers too. Why hasn't the US ever produced such a player?
Click to expand...


In my opinion, the problem with youth soccer is that there is more emphasis focused on winning rather than producing great players. The problem with that is that system favors the fast kids much more than the technically skilled players, because when you're young, the best teams are the one with the defenders that can kick the ball really far and the forwards that can just outrun everybody. That's why we have had such a problem finding that great striker we've needed, and it's why we've had to play guys with horrific touch on the ball throughout the years.
 
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#1,299
#1,299
Godfatha said:
Not sure. It's frustrating to say the least. Could take the easy route and say that all of our best athletes are playing football and basketball.
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No. I used to buy into that, but then I watched the last World Cup and realized that our 30+ year old defenders were outrunning England's forwards and midfielders. We have athleticism. We don't have the guys that have guys that do a great job finishing. For example, Robbie Findley may be able to outrun a racehorse. However, the racehorse probably has better touch on the ball in front of goal.

I think Dempsey actually can do all right with finishing, but only when he's an attacker and not when he's trying to score from 30 yards out.
 
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#1,300
#1,300
tvolsfan said:
No. I used to buy into that, but then I watched the last World Cup and realized that our 30+ year old defenders were outrunning England's forwards and midfielders. We have athleticism. We don't have the guys that have guys that do a great job finishing. For example, Robbie Findley may be able to outrun a racehorse. However, the racehorse probably has better touch on the ball in front of goal.

I think Dempsey actually can do all right with finishing, but only when he's an attacker and not when he's trying to score from 30 yards out.
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I agree. We've got the athletes, just not the skill.
 
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