Premiership Player Profile – Clint Dempsey

Its back to the Premiership player profiles, as I and fellow blogger 5stars will bring you a profile every Monday and Wednesday until we run out of ideas. Today’s player is Fulham’s American star Clint Dempsey…

The Premier League isn’t even halfway through yet, and already Clint Dempsey is on course for his most successful season in the Premier League. Dempsey has cemented a place as a fans favourite at Craven Cottage, as many youngsters have been seen with his name on the back of there shirts this season. The winger/striker is having a brilliant first half to the season, he has scored five Premier League goals so far this season, and surely he will beat his best goalscoring record for Fulham which came in the 2008-2009 campaign, where he was able to score seven times.

Dempsey has established himself as a goalscoring predator this season. Dempsey hasn’t scored a single goal outside of the eighteen yard box in the Premier League in 09/10. The American’s first goal of the season actually came in the Europa League, where he scored in the 3-1 win against Amkar Perm, Dempsey then failed to score for Fulham in eight games however in the last two months Dempsey has shone to form. Clint Dempsey has also shown fans that he can score headers, on the 25th of October this season he eventually found the net again, as he scored a well directed header in the 2-2 draw against Man City. A week later Dempsey was able to score again as Fulham heaped misery on a struggling Liverpool as Roy Hodgson’s men won the game 3-1 at Craven Cottage.

This month Dempsey has shown why he is one of the better players in the Fulham team. His passing, his skill and his finishing have all been outstanding. His next goal came against Wigan as he found the net from the penalty spot in the 1-1 at the DW Stadium, recently Clint Dempsey has been able to extended his goalscoring tally in all competitions to six, both of Dempsey’s goals against Blackburn were quality finishes as the Cottagers ran out 3-0 winners.

In some games this season Clint Dempsey has been used as a Striker by Fulham manager Roy Hodgson. That was the position where he was able to score the two goals against Blackburn, also only this weekend it seemed that Dempsey was leading the attacking line with Erik Nevland, against Bolton Wanderers in the 1-1 draw at Craven Cottage. As I have mentioned above Clint Dempsey has everything in his locker, his heading ability is very good as a header from him against Bolton was cleared off the line. Clint Dempsey also reminds me of Mikel Arteta for Everton as he uses his skill to gain his team free kicks. I can guarantee that Clint Dempsey will be involved in the Fulham set up for many years to come; the American international signed a contract extension in August as he can remain at the club until the year 2013.

As the World Cup approaches and the United States has qualified for the event in South Africa, the 26 year old will most likely be chosen in Bob Bradley’s squad, and Dempsey will most likely be an inaugural figure in the USA line up. In the middle of this year the United States were able to make the final of the Confederations Cup, and in the latter stages of the tournament Clint Dempsey was able to become one of the stars for the USA national team, as he scored three goals in three games. His first was one of three goals in the final group match, as the United States defeated Egypt with ease. Most notably Clint Dempsey bagged a goal against Spain as the United States shocked the Euro 2008 champions 2-0; his final goal of the tournament was against Brazil in the final however Dempsey was on the losing side as the Samba boys defeated USA 3-2.

Overall Clint Dempsey has been a real hit with both Fulham and the United States this year, as the winger/striker is hoping to have his most successful season with the Cottagers.

  

Wednesday Premiership Profile – John Carew(will be written by 5stars)