Playing Style
Dempsey is a versatile right footed withdrawn forward, normally playing on the left or right for Fulham and the United States, at times shooting from long distances and even scoring at club level from said long range shots. However, he has also proven to be more of a threat the closer to goal he gets. His goals against Egypt and Spain in the Confederations Cup came almost immediately after being moved to forward by a substitution from Bob Bradley.
Known for his toughness and resilience, Dempsey played two games for New England Revolution with a broken jaw in 2004 before the team trainer diagnosed it, and upon his return, he played through the pain of a sprained ankle. Despite usually playing in wide positions, he frequently scores close-range goals and has scored repeatedly with diving headers in crowded situations.
His tenacity in midfield combined with his audacious close control dribbling skills frequently results in opponents fouling him, and Dempsey has gained a reputation for fierce play. This has on several occasions lapsed into violent conduct. He was suspended by the New England Revolution for two weeks in March 2006 for a fist fight with teammate Joe Franchino during a practice game and was twice suspended by MLS during the 2006 season for violent conduct against opponents, including an elbow that broke the jaw of national teammate Jimmy Conrad. In a similar incident with Fulham in 2007, Dempsey accidentally broke the cheekbone of Chelsea defender John Terry in an aerial challenge but was not penalized. A further similar incident, in December 2011, took place in a match against Manchester United, with Dempsey accidentally elbowing opponent Phil Jones in the side of the head and causing a suspected broken cheekbone. Again no action was taken by the referee.
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