The Deuce Cut Loose?

Article by e-Spurs Writer Matt Tumminia (USA)

Has Clint Dempsey really done anything wrong at Spurs?

One of the last signings of last summer was an interesting one. Clint Dempsey, who was long rumoured to join the scum of Mercyside, took a U-turn and ended up at Tottenham for very little. Not too bad considering he scored 23 goals last term for our neighbours down the Thames, but many fans were left wondering “Why would we sign this type of player? Yes, he did score a good deal of goals and can play a lot of positions, but shouldn’t we be looking for more skillful players who can really add something different to our game?” In that sense, I agree but I do think he does add something that no one in the squad offers, well, besides the Welsh Jesus, and that is clutch goals. Who scored the winner at Old Trafford and the equaliser in the dying seconds back at the Lane against United? Deuce did. Winner at Southampton? Why, yes he did. Deuce started the turnaround win vs. City with a close range tap in, scored and set-up the winner at the inbreeding capital of the world, Stoke, and kept us alive in Basel with a brace before we succumbed to the dreaded penalty shootout curse. I think it would be wrong to say that his one season at Spurs could be called a “failure”, but we should take a closer look at what the American really brings to the table.

As a fellow American, I do have a soft spot for anyone who wears the U.S. jersey and will support them, regardless of affiliation. Players like Michael Bradley at Roma, Jozy Altidore at AZ and Jermaine Jones at Schalke 04 have been on my radar as they have become integral parts of their squads. The same must be said about Deuce. At Fulham, he was “the man” while at Spurs, he is simply “another man”, which is not a bad thing, but it is different. Our squad is not built for him to pop up wherever and play. Maybe during the reign of a so-called “messiah”, he could do that but Andre’s tactics are much more complex, which requires a much longer adaptation period. In fact, the majority of our players had trouble working in AVB’s system as they have never encountered a coach who has such detailed instructions about what the players should be doing. Much more intricate than just moving into space or switching flanks, this system has many layers which require much concentration and time to learn the nuances to make the system and the players playing in the system flourish. Deuce did a good job understanding the system and was able to play 4 different attacking positions with different levels of success. No, he is not a great lead striker but he does a good job playing as the number 10 or as a winger cutting inside, especially on the left. Plus, you cannot hate on the guy for scoring big goals when needed.

Getting back to what he offers us, in a word, grit. He is a tough dude who knows where the goal is. Capable of the sublime in an instant, his presence in the team gives us one more outlet for scoring. There have been numerous occasions where I would be watching the USMNT play and after a scoreless first half, which has happened quite often, I would be left wondering where some offence would come from. Of course, out of nothing, Deuce scores a cracker and then we end up getting the win. He has the ability to will the team forward, grab the game by the scruff of the neck and get them over the finish line, to use many terrible clichés. Not blessed with breakaway speed, he has a quick first step which he uses to create a bit of space to unleash powerful, accurate shots from distance or push the play out wide when this represents the better option. He is not a greedy player but understands that sometimes a long range shot is the best option. Like me, he has a high level of intelligence (even though he is from Texas) and is able to fathom the complexity of AVB’s system which would cause many footballers of average smarts to resort to Mr. Redknapp’s “just f*ckin run around” like chickens without their heads.

If anyone has any arguments against the points that I have made, I will simply end the piece with this:

Be afraid, be very afraid.

Thanks for reading. COYS!!!

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