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Dempsey and Donovan set to do battle (Who is your favorite?)

DonovanDempsey (ISI)

Clint Dempsey and Landon Donovan, the two best field players in American soccer, and two of the most popular players in American soccer history, are set to do battle today in the FA Cup (3pm, Fox Soccer Channel).

Today's Fulham-Everton clash serves as the perfect event to showcase the match-up of two players who have been U.S. national team partners for years, but who have been compared and contrasted by American soccer fans for just as long. That comparison has led to a sort of artificial rivalry among fans of the two American stars.

Here is my Fox Soccer column on the Dempsey-Donovan rivalry. While many American fans love both players and appreciate them both, there are several fans who have taken sides and picked one of the American stars over the other to be their favorite.

Picking a favorite between the two isn't easy, as shown by the answers given by past and present MLS players when asked to choose between Dempsey and Donovan by MLS Soccer.

Here is our question for SBI readers. Which player are you a bigger fan of? Is it Donovan, with all his career accomplishments for the national team, or is it Dempsey, with all success in Europe? Is it too tough to choose between them?

Cast your vote after the jump:

Which player did you vote for? Was it Dempsey or Donovan? Why did you pick the player you voted for?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Exactly the way I feel about it, and the internet for making access to the sport easy, what a revolution – a long way from “Soccer made in Germany” on PBS as the only footie you would see, maybe a world cup final hacked to an hour on Wild World of Sports, a month late. Cleveland Cobras, Baldwin Wallace College, circa 1977.

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  2. So True – With Dempsey it’s “how the hell did he do that – that was hot”, whereas with Donovan its clinical excellent precision, but never “WTF M F Clint”!!!!

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  3. After watching Donovan “Man-up” in 2010 and score 3 goals in the world cup, 20 goals in league play (MLS), and assist on 3 and score 2 on a short loan to Everton, how can ANYONE still call him Landycakes? Some people will always be haters.

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  4. CJ, EXACTLY!!

    From watching the LA Heat at West High in 1989 to a 2012 Friday noon match between 3 great American players, in the FA Cup, in HD!!! Wow!

    I never thought this would ever be a possibility while watching Bobby Bruch (good player) fight to score against California Emperors with 300 people in attendance (including the great David Vanole)

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  5. I like Dempsey because he makes me scream “Clint M*****F*****’ Dempsey!!!” at my TV.” Donovan never makes me scream “Clint M*****F*****’ Dempsey!! at my TV.

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  6. Landon Donovan has done brilliantly at Everton, but:
    1. He goes into an Everton squad which is very small, and run down by this point in the year with all the games during the holidays.

    2. He gets to put everything he has into the two months he is here, and most of the time is playing one game a week.

    He’s proven he has the talent to play in the Premier League, but he’ll never have to struggle to get back into the lineup for a new manager who didn’t bring him in, like Clint has several times.

    I’ll take Clint.

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  7. Hard to be a fan of someone playing so far away. I have seen Landon play 15 ? times now. Dempsey, zero.

    That being said, I am not one of the “I can only like one” guys or the “Landon didn’t go to Europe so I don’t like him now” guys.

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  8. Where’s the “Think this poll means absolutely nothing” option? I had to go with both, because you can’t compare apples to oranges.. Country before Club!

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  9. “It delights me to no end that we can have this debate…”

    Evolution is a great thing. I never thought I’d see this in my lifetime.

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  10. Dempsey is my favorite, simply becasue I’m a FFC fan till I die and he’s done so much for the club.

    That said…great article by Ives about Dempsey v Donovan on FoxSoccer.com

    Everybody naturally wants to compare them and choose sides. I say just enjoy them both for what they bring. In playing style and career paths they’re completely different. But the pride they give and bring to the U.S. National team and fans for what they have done, and will continue to do, has always made me love them both.

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  11. Dempsey just has this grit to his game, Donovan has more elegance. A prince and a pauper, maybe. I root for the pauper, but respect the prince.

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  12. Well said. Couldn’t agree more. Dempsey’s amazing season is no reason to dig on Donovan. They are both great players with different qualities, and we are much better when both are on the field together (see all games under Klinsi).

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  13. Nice article, now I’m really pumped for the big game. Like ’em both, want to see them both do well tonight, but might be leaning for an Everton victory in the hope that Donovan might be convinced to stay on in Europe instead of going back to Hollywood if Everton starts winning.

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  14. I only really really started following soccer about four years ago, and really until this last world cup I didn’t see Dempsey do much for the team while I saw Landon play a huge role in most goals. It always seemed to me that Clint was much more worried about club ball then the Nats.

    Now I’m prepared to say that was a bit unfair, but all in all I’m probably more Pro-Landon than Pro-Clint as Landon’s staying in the MLS and being the face of the league has had a positive impact on the sport here while Clint’s two appearances a year on ESPN really early on Saturday morning haven’t been noticed by anyone except a hardcore fan already.

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  15. Two different players taking different paths, but it’s always a fun debate. For a whole career so far, LD might have the edge, but Deuce is one of those rare players who keeps getting better with age. He seems to add something new each year, while LD has pretty much the same skill set he had 7 years ago with the exception of improved set piece play and better backtracking on D. Deuce, on the other hand, has greatly improved his touch overall, his first touch, his shot, his hold up game, his target play, his turns, his long range shooting, his physicality, his ability to run at defenders, his aerial game and his combination play. He used to be mainly a very creative player who had good speed, made good runs and had a knack for finishing, but lacked much in the way of refined, technical ability. He’s stepped up his technical game in all aspects whereas LD was always a very technical player, with great speed, good touch and excellent vision and that’s pretty much what he is today. He never really improved his physical game, his ability with his head, his long range shooting, or his ability to run at defenders. They are both very good players, but Deuce is improving at a much more rapid pace while LD is more stagnant and may start going downhill sooner because he relies on his speed much more than Deuce.

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  16. I think you really nailed it – Donovan is the engine of the US national team. I’ve been a Fulham supporter since McBride signed with them and appreciate Dempsey as much as anyone, but Donovan has been the driving force behind the national team for years.

    But they are different players with different styles and different things are expected of them. Donovan is a leader and the heart of the team, while Dempsey is the mad scientist who will occasionally give you something absolutely brilliant. Dempsey has also always played his best soccer for his club rather than his country, so that skews the comparison a bit. Still, I voted equal. I hate how some US fans take sides – enjoy them both!

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  17. The mlssoccer piece with Lalas was right. In “street fight soccer” I take Clint. In “Biggest Stage on Earth” I take Landon.

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  18. This Dempsey vs. Donovan meme is fatuous and has gotten way too much play lately. Just don’t get in what sense anyone really has to choose between them, nor is there any record of a real rivalry or animosity between them. Clearly the Nats need both of them on the field in any meaningful game, and they’re complementary rather than redundant on the pitch. Both have resumes with different highlights and arguable downsides, but both are players to be proud of. Dempsey very much deserves the moment in the sun he’s having, but why should a renewed round of Donovan criticism come as a result? Especially when the latter just won an MLS cup and is looking sharp in the EPL as well. Let’s try to be a little classy and refrain from the whole chinese bandwagon drill.

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  19. Great article Ives!

    “Whether they meant it to happen or not, Donovan and Dempsey have been cast as rivals – as polar opposites fight for the same crown” — sums it up perfectly..

    The different qualities and backgrounds adding up to an equal importance is great. What the US needs is for 2-3 more players of their caliber to step up and lock down the midfield. Then we could see the Donovan-Altidore-Dempsey forward combo that would unlock all of their USNT potential.

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  20. I respect the fact that Dempsey has gone overseas and made a name for himself as an American soccer player in the best league in the world. The American game has grown because of him.

    I respect the fact that Donovan has stayed stateside to grow the league here and help make a name for MLS. The American game has grown because of him.

    When I was kid growing up playing soccer there wasn’t much out there. There was the Major Indoor League, but no MLS. You had to get your info from magazines and the occasional USA game on tv – no internet, no Fox Soccer Channel.

    I can’t imagine what it must be like now.
    When I grew up you pretended you were Pele – cause that’s the only soccer player you had ever really heard of.
    Now you can be like Donovan or Dempsey – and be able to see them play, either on tv or in a city nearby.

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  21. Been a fan of Donovan’s since the ’02 World Cup, and a fan of Dempsey’s since his rookie year with the Revs. Think they’re both great players and equally important to the US’s success.

    Rooting for a 4-3 Everton win today. Hat-trick each for Donovan and Dempsey. Howard with the winner 😀

    Great FoxSoccer article Ives, think you captured why some prefer one over the other very well. That being said, I just don’t agree with those people. They’re both our best players and should each be supported.

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  22. Deuce all the way. I like his confidence, his skill, and his dogged determination.

    Landon is a bit soft to me. He hides from the game sometimes.

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  23. Although they are both attacking midfielders, they have very different styles. Donovan is frequently brilliant and he has done it in the World Cup, which should be good enough for anyone. I do think that maybe Donovan limits himself sometimes–why does he seem to score only in big games when the team needs a goal (second half against Slovenia, last minute of Algeria, MLS Cup). He should do this all of the time. But Donovan runs the USA attack. He is the engine.

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  24. I happen to think Dempsey is the more valuable and more technically proficient player (both USMNT and Fulham revolve around him now). Though there is no other American I’d rather have on the field in a World Cup than Donovan. He’s the ultimate clutch player.

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  25. When I started following USA soccer, 28 years ago, there were no conversations like this (maybe Wynalda v. Harkes at one point and I mean in skillz, not controversy).

    It delights me to no end that we can have this debate because I had catch semi-pro games at El Camino college in Torrance or stick a coat hanger in the back of my TV to catch the odd USA game broadcast on Spanish language TV just to see USA soccer at all back then.
    They are both great players. Totally different, but great players. I have both a Donovan and a Dempsey jersey and I wear them both with pride. I don’t see why we have to choose, but I think it is awesome that we have the opportunity to.

    PS. I choose Donovan slightly ahead of Dempsey still at this point, but the margin is ever so slim.

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  26. I support both when they play for the USA. I am not really a big fan of either but I have been a fan of Fulham since the days of McBride and Bocanegro playing there. So I will be cheering for Fulham today.

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  27. I voted equal, but find myself leaning towards Landon simply because of the undue criticism he gets about not playing in Europe regularly. He’s proven he can done it–to us, to himself. He wants to live in LA and have the lifestyle he wants, then he’s earned the right to do that. Give me a choice between living in LA and making a $1mil a year, or Liverpool for similar money, and I might choose LA. It’s our issue, not his.
    Otherwise, I love them both and shudder to think about what the Nats would look like without them.

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  28. i know it gets clicks, but come ives, why even compare the two? completely different roles with their teams and totally different players.

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