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Dempsey scores two vs. Chelsea on good day for Americans in England

Clint Dempsey 8 (AP) 

If there was any doubt before, Clint Dempsey provided the clearest evidence to date that he is truly back to his best.

The U.S. national team star scored two goals, including an 89th minute equalizer to help Fulham register a 2-2 tie vs. Chelsea on Sunday.

Dempsey's brace was the highlight of a pretty good day for Americans in England.

Tim Howard recorded a shutout in Everton's 3-0 win vs. Sunderland and perhaps the most promising story of the day was Jonathan Spector returning to action. The U.S. defender only played a minute on Sunday, but it was his first action of the season after battling shoulder and hip injuries. Spector's appearance is a promising sign for his chances of sticking around West Ham United beyond the January transfer window.

In the League Championship, only Jay DeMerit saw action, starting and playing 90 minutes in Watford's 0-0 tie vs. Queens Park Rangers. Eddie Johnson dressed but did not play in Cardiff City's 1-0 win vs. Plymouth Argyle. The Reading tandem of Marcus Hahnemann and Bobby Convey did not dress, with Hahnemann still nursing an injury. Frank Simek was also sidelined by injury, with a hamstring injury keeping him out of Sheffield Wednesday's 2-0 loss to Coventry City.

What did you think of Dempsey's amazing performance? Are you starting to feel better about the U.S. national team's attack now that Dempsey is looking like the 'Deuce' of old? Think Spector will work his way back into the mix for national team playing time quickly?

I will update this with the League Championship performances, but for now feel free to hare your thoughts on Dempsey and the Americans in England below.

Comments

  1. wow, he now is co-leading scorer for Fulham, despite spending a lot of time on the bench and playing as a winger. He just does not get the respect that he deserves. On that team, I think only Bullard and Simon Davies have his skill on the ball. Their front-runners, Zamora and Andy Johnson, are second or third rate at best. Deuce shoudl be an automatic in their team.

    I don’t know how many minutes he has logged for each goal. He could easily have more this season, after he came close so many times in recent games. Shame he never got to play much with McBride, who was far better than any forwards they have now.

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  2. 1. I thought Clint was consistently strong and in the middle of action all over the field.

    2. How do you get Fulham games on the computer?

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  3. Hartman – For the first goal: It looked to me like he was twisting open a bottle (a beer one would assume) and drinking in celebration.

    Voodoo – Can’t give him due credit, huh? Agreed that someone lost their man, but can we not give him credit for losing said man? For following the play and getting the space to collect? Besides, there was still lots to do from where Clint was. He was on the line with his back to goal and first had to control the ball from the air, and in less than a second, raise his foot to push the ball backwards to the goal. As I said earlier, anyone would have forgiven him for simply putting a pass back into the mix, but instead he cooly slotted home a go-ahead goal.

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  4. Almost hit my head on the ceiling in my basement after the second.

    Nothing better than watching an American single-handedly put Liverpool two additional points clear of the blues…

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  5. Damn guys, can a brother get a break during the holiday? I was originally writing “Dempsey’s brace..” as the headline but changed my mind and forgot to change the beginning.

    Joamiq and Ag Nigrin, you’re lucky you’re SBI captains so I know you dudes are just messing with me, otherwise I might actually be mad. LOL

    Posted by: Ives | December 28, 2008 at 03:08 PM

    Sorry Ives, but the headline should have been “Dempsey drops a Deuce on Chelsea”.

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  6. He scores with his left, he scores with his right! That boy Clint Dempsey makes Drogba look Sh!te

    Posted by: adam | December 29, 2008 at 02:33 AM

    But Ivory Coast with Drogba will makes usa and dempsey look sh!te in the world cup

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  7. >>>mourinho thinks dempsey is better than ronaldo

    >>>Posted by: Eric R | December 28, 2008 at 11:35 AM

    And, of course, Eric never returns to answer questions about his post early in the thread.

    What in the world was he on about?

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  8. someone mentioned watching Fulham on the internet. Where can you?

    Nice reading all the reactions, having not seen the game, you helped me “live it.” (a little sentimental holiday spirit, there!)

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  9. Voodoo –
    Clint still had to a) be in the right place at the right time; and b) put the ball past the 11 players who were doing everything they could to prevent him from doing so. So Dempsey’s goal was not pretty, and yeah, he took advantage of poor defending. He could have been hanging about the corner of the 18 waiting for a deflection, but he wasn’t. Props to him for sussing out the meatless, moist, and soft spot in the Chelsea defense. It was also an unexpected use of the outside of his right foot instead of trying to turn with his left or pass back. That’s how to score in a goalline scrum – use whatever you can, as quickly as possible, to put the ball on goal. No style points were awarded – just a goal. I’ll take the goal any thanks very much.

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  10. I hate to pee on everybody’s coco puffs, but that first Dempsey goal was more an indictment of shameful defending on Chelsea’s part than a tribute to Clint’s talent.

    It was a meatless, moist, and exceptionally SOFT goal.

    His second goal was respectable.

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  11. I figure Donovan will do great as a super-sub. Should play well as a striker alongside either Klose or Toni. His speed and size can be used to his advantage in the Bundesliga. If he can get multiple assists or just 6goals in his first season, then i’d say he’s a success.

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  12. Howard posting back to back shutouts. Boca having a fantastic season at Rennes. Dempsey is settling into becoming a true legend for Fulham. Gooch is having a superstar season for Liege and set to leave for Marseille or PSG. Kljestan is heading to Europe. Altidore is fantastic as a super-sub at Villareal. Cherundolo is having another decent season. Bradley is on a possible relegation team but he’s putting himself forward.

    Only problems are Adu and Pearce and Donovan.

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  13. Howard

    Pearce(Spector) Gooch Boca Cherundolo

    Bradley Kljestan

    Dempsey Adu(Beasley)

    Donovan(Cooper) Altidore

    Bradley needs this lineup during the next round of qualifying. I know it will net success.

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  14. Dempsey scored 6 out of 18games in the 1st half of last season as a striker and 4 this 1st half as a sub then starter. I expect him to double his goals for the next half.

    He’s scoring more than Andy Johnson. Has he scored 3 or 4 goals? Surely not worth £11 million. Looks like Dempsey to save the day.

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  15. Dempsey scored 2 great goals against 1 of the best clubs in the world. That is way impressive especially for an American.

    On every soccer site today the cover story has been Gerrard scoring 2 for Liverpool bashing of Newcastle and Dempsey’s 2 to dent Chelsea’s title ambition. Truly amazing.

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  16. A Rickey.

    I wouldn’t mind Dempsey as a forward next to Jozy. Dempsey can play as an attacking midfielder too (he did it for New England) and then Donovan can play as the forward next to Jozy. It just seems like Dempsey seems more at ease at the center of the attack. I geuss we’ll see come qualifier time.

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  17. Lampard was “Man of the Match”. WTF?

    Dan, I could have sworn I heard a Dempsey song after his bicycle attempt in the last game. That’s sweet. Any chance of sharing those lyrics?

    I hope Deuce is talking to Mr. Adu about fighting for his spot.

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  18. Dempsey was amazing today. To score twice out of so few chances (2!) – such intuition to be where he was, such clinical finishing where being clinical is hard. A true soccer hero for the day!

    One aspect of his game I truly enjoyed today were his tackles and passing. He was a midfield workhorse and made Chelsea’s life difficult… then he shows up for a couple great goals on those rare instances the ball was in front of the Chelsea goal… fantastic!

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