Dempsey's versatility gives Bradley personnel options up top at Gold Cup

photo by John Dorton/ISIphotos.com

By FRANCO PANIZO

When the U.S. men's national team opens its Gold Cup camp later this week, Clint Dempsey will be gearing up to play in his third regional tournament. This one, however, is likely to be a bit different from the ones he took part of in 2005 and 2007.

Coming off a career season with Fulham in which he played all but one league game and scored 12 goals while adding three assists, Dempsey is likely to see more time at forward than he has in the past. His goal total at Fulham combined with?the U.S. team's lack of scoring from its other forwards are reasons why U.S. head coach Bob Bradley took Dempsey and his versatility into consideration when selecting which forwards he'd bring to the Gold Cup.

"Whenever we?re looking at a roster and thinking about forwards it?s a matter of saying, where does Clint fit in all this," said Bradley via a telephone conference on Monday. "(The coaching staff) talked about his 12 goals, the fact that he?s shown the ability to get into goal scoring positions and finishing chances in different ways, all those things are important."

Dempsey is no stranger to playing forward for the United States, having chipped in at the position in recent years. His most memorable performances at the position may have come during the 2009 Confederations Cup, where he scored three goals and was awarded with the Bronze Ball award.

With goal-scoring instincts that few on the U.S. team can match, Dempsey might even receive a start or two at forward in the Gold Cup.?That is especially true if newcomers Juan Agudelo and Chris Wondolowski prove to not be ready for the moment, or if Jozy Altidore continues to struggle to find the back of the net.

"Whether you play him in the midfield or as a striker, and really whether he?s playing underneath as a striker or where Fulham has used him at times up higher, he works hard," said Bradley of Dempsey, who was originally (and mistakenly) listed as a forward when U.S. Soccer released the Gold Cup roster. "He puts himself in good positions. He?s got an ability to make a chance for himself out of nothing. He?s got an instinct and an aggressiveness to get into spots and score goals and I think that continues to show."

Bradley could opt for his usual routine of starting Dempsey in the midfield in a 4-4-2 formation and shifting him to forward depending upon a game's situation.?But with a bevy of talented midfielders called in, and with forwards with an average age of 22.3 years, it seems more likely than not that Bradley will look at Dempsey to contribute as a forward at some point this summer.

"Again, as far as versatility then you?re looking at what are your different options, if indeed you choose to play Clint up front, and what does that add in the midfield, and what kind of players come into play," Bradley said. "Those are definitely the kind of things we try to lay out in the whole thing.?

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/SoccerByIves/~3/nE3FfLJQmIk/dempsey-likely-to-continue-to-chip-in-at-forward-during-gold-cup.html

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