I actually am against it now. I was on the fence, but then I thought about his performance in relation to skill around him. On the national team, he isn't the star, and fades into the background, with little work ethic. At Fulham, he is the big name and feels he has to carry the team. At LFC, he'd be a little fish in a big pond, meaning he wouldn't have to work as hard. So, please no.
You know what, Muppetfinder General is by far my favourite poster on here. You don't get much interaction with him but he don't half rip people apart when he does comment... PS - no offence intended MITO
Clint Dempsey.... If you can get him for less than £10m you have an OK player at a good price. I can't think of any decent american players so I guess this is the best they have ever produced! lol Remember Coby Jones???? I wouldn't want him at Newcastle though, nothing against the lad but I dont think he is good enough to get into our team.
Is he better than Andy Carroll...NO!!! Will he add to the team/squad..NO!!! Keep Carroll, get shot of the frankly ****e Downing.
We are a team that needs improving right? For me the litmus test for signings like this is to look at the player, then look at our squad. Is he better than what we already have? If yes, he will improve your team. If no, he will drag you down. And if he's just average, does an ok job, and puts in an average shift, then he isn't a step forwards or backwards. Was Torres better than what we had? Definitely. He bettered our team. Was Reina better than Dudek? Yes, he bettered our team. Were Poulsen, Jovanovic, and Cole better than what we had? No. They dragged us down, we had a poor season. Last season we signed players who were sideways steps. They weren't better than what we already had, and some were worse. We slipped in the league. Sure Downing was "going to add assists" but since he wasn't an improvement to the squads quality at all he didn't. Is Dempsey better than what we have? No. Is he worse? Not too much. Signing a player to do a job is a sign of a midtable club. It's the work of someone who doesn't want to get worse. That's not us, we aren't avoiding relegation, we aren't trying to stay midtable. The only additions we should sign are ones that add QUALITY to a team. Not goals, or assists. Dempsey's numbers will only mean that the scoring will become more even amongst our average midfield. A leader in a small pond is not a leader in a big one. Sure he will add a goal here, or a goal there. But he doesn't bring class to the team, which is the only logical and reasonable step to take. We need class, not shift workers. We attracted Suarez, Enrique, Borini. Thats class, not Downing. Not Dempsey, Adam or Cole.
Landon Donavon came to the premier league, played with Everton for a month (or two,) and had their fans chanting "America, America, sign the lad..." He looked quite impressive, too. Think Donavon is better, same with Howard. Two up-and-comers are Brek Shae, and Freddy Adu (who has kind of been recovering from being thrown in the deep end too soon.)
I feel as if you guys are forgetting you finished ahead of Fulham only goal difference. 17 goals for a midfielder is pretty damn good if you ask me. Dempsey scores goals from all over the place, he's strong in the air has a knack for being in the right place and has a good a shot. He wouldn't be a signing for the future, but a signing for the now. Personally I hope he stays at Fulham, but more so because I'd have to dislike him if he played for Liverpool.
Also I agree about Donavon, I'm biased as I'm a Galaxy fan, but to me Donavon is just a more complete player than Dempsey. Donavon seemed to set up almost every goal Everton scored during his 2 month loan, and I'm not exaggerating. The only thing people can hold against Donavan is that he's been stuck in the MLS, but that's more down to the MLS making him stay, than him not wanting to go. IMO.
17 goals for a midfielder is pretty impressive but he has only done this in one season. For a 29 year old, I am hoping for a more consistent player who has scored 15+ over a number of seasons. But then again, he could be reaching a 'peak'?
Nah! He's lovely really a big softie, I imagine he lives with his mum and does a lot of charity work. Don't tell him I said this though, ok.
Lucas was **** when we got him...and he is still ****...never scores any goals...rubbish (garbage to Bluff).
I think I remember who you are now, but Brian McBride? He was quality in the prem and one of our first players to be consistent in the league. You know we have top GK's ( Keller, Friedel, Howard, Hannaman,Guzan) are all in the league and some are at higher points than others but all have played. Back then we were still new and young, Coby Jones, Joe Max Moore, Eric Wynalda played second division in Germany, John harkes came and didn't do much. Least not forget Roy Wegerle formerly of QPR,Chelsea, and Coventry ( although he was South African born). Zingy on the drink or on the wind-up?
Unfortunately that is what happens when you take an AM and try to convert him to a DM, might take awhile that!
I think you should see some comments about a certain poster above and add 2+2 together and see what I done.
I know what you mean. I sometimes skim read posts, but I'll always read a little more carefully when I encounter MFG's posts. They are usually aggressive, occasionally a little negative, but always direct and to the point. Also, MFG makes very good points. He's like the not606 Christopher Hitchens. No more the Hitch-slap, but the Muppet-mauling. I enjoy a good Muppet-maul. But MITO does ask a question I'd like MFG to answer: should it occur, is Clint Dempsey a good, okay, or bad signing?
I know what you done, and thanks for brigning me along! Downing was **** for one season, he gets no more chances, why should we wait for a 27 year old to mature and reach his potential?
At the moment it is turning out to be like the goat in Jurassic Park, maybe if we get stormed in we will see something.
If this doesn't do it, I don't know what will..... Dalglish should have never come back, he was waayyyyy past it. I am glad FSG got rid of him after a year, no manager who gets to two cup finals deserves a second chance, legend that he might be.
