Quote Originally Posted by WMR View Post
Is Dempsey the most accomplished/respected Nat in EPL and/or European history?
Pretty much. He's by far the top field player. After him it's either Dolo or Earnie Stewart. You could also argue for Brian McBride or Roy Wegerle, though Wegerle didn't join the USMNT until the downside of his career. Howard and Friedel are having fairly awesome careers in the net, but keepers are an entirely different animal.

Quote Originally Posted by bucksfan2
As for Dempsey I think what separates him from the better plays in the league is the better players are much better finishers. Dempsey has several chances to put the ball in the net but didn't do so. They were plays that a guy like RVP scores on. Just my novice opinion.
Dempsey's not an out-and-out striker. He scores goals, but his job is to grease the wheels of the overall attack. He hits you from different angles, finds soft spots, plays a good final ball, makes the pass that sets up the final ball. Players like Dempsey actually make more happen than most nominal goalscorers. Dempsey's an important attacking player on a very good Spurs team. He is one of the better players in the league, not elite, but awfully good.

And even great finishers miss most of their chances. RVP's been on a tear for a year-plus, but prior to that he was prone to disappearing on the field and missing sitters. Scoring is tough.