Fulham

Few could believe the start that Fulham made to the 2012/13 English Premier League season—winning their first match in such a dominant fashion, before pushing Manchester United at Old Trafford the entire match in their second..

The Cottagers looked strong in attack; their defense looked solid and they were touted as genuine contenders in the Premier League this season—perhaps even a surprise candidate for a top-four position this season.

They hadn't set the world on fire during the summer transfer window, but—to be honest, that was quite okay. I mean, it was their name that was close to the top of the English Premier League table after all. They were already proving themselves this season.

Then, in the final few days of the transfer window with deadline looming, Fulham sold Moussa Dembele to Tottenham Hotspur. They had sold him for £15 million—making nearly £10 million on him in profit—but they had just parted ways with the heart and soul of their midfield.

They had just let go of—arguably—their best attacking asset this season; a decision that was then compounded by the sale of Clint Dempsey. 

After dropping Dembele to Spurs only a day or so earlier, the Cottagers sold the American star, who was rumored throughout summer to be leaving Craven Cottage. They again sold him to Tottenham, who picked up the attacking midfielder for £6 million.

Fulham had just parted ways with Dembele and Dempsey in the one transfer window, and whilst they now had £20 million in the bank, they had lost their two best players. They would have to find new alternatives and options going forward, which like everything, would take time.

If you'd seen their performance against West Ham, you'd completely understand. Taking nothing away from the Hammers, but Fulham were simply horrendous. 

They lacked creativity going forward, they couldn't hit the final pass (or the final few passes) and they simply didn't appear to be the same side that had swept past their first two opponents with relative ease.

Fulham were turning the ball over with ease—leading to goals and attacking opportunities at the other end of the pitch, but couldn't muster the same pressure and opportunities when they themselves ventured forward. Their second half was an improvement, but their midfield and attack simply didn't offer the same going forward as it had done previously in the year.

Had the Cottagers made a transfer mistake?

Was Martin Jol wrong in selling Moussa Dembele and Clint Dempsey over the summer transfer window? Or was it in the best interests of the club?

So far, you'd have to suggest the former of those two statements.

Selling Dembele was a mistake.

I'm okay with the move to get rid of Dempsey—I think the club had braced for a move from Liverpool all summer long and might have even come to accept the fact that they would be without the American for the 2012/13 English Premier League season.

But to lose Dembele as well as Dempsey is a move that Fulham could well regret throughout the season, and a decision that they may want to take back at several points during the year.

The Belgian was the heart and soul of their midfield—the player that gave them their go forward and the man that allowed players like Dempsey to thrive and excel.

Berbatov is an excellent signing, and a player that could excel at the Craven Cottage, but without Dembele behind him to generate the attack, he is rendered useless. He will not be as effective as he should be this season; Fulham will not be as effective this season.

Heck, I could be wrong, and the match against West Ham might just have been a minor blip on a strong and successful season.

I seriously hope so.

Fulham promised so much in the opening two games of the English Premier League, and they looked like a genuine threat to the top teams this year. They looked strong in attack, dominant in midfield, and I genuinely hope that the decision to sell Dembele didn't undo all that hard work and potential.

Because for now, that's exactly what it looks like.

Should Fulham have sold Moussa Dembele this summer?

Comment below or hit me up on Twitter:  Follow @dantalintyre

In the race to sign Manchester United striker Dimitar Berbatov, Fulham have won first prize.

Sky Sports reported the news on Twitter early Friday morning:

Dimitar Berbatov has completed a switch from Man Utd to Fulham, penning a two-year contract. tinyurl.com/9lnex5h #skydeadlineday

— Sky Sports (@SkySports) August 31, 2012

Considered a target for major European sides like Juventus (Serie A), Fiorentina (Serie A) and Premier League top clubs like Arsenal and Tottenham, the 31-year-old Bulgarian was persuaded by none other than former manger—and now current manager—Martin Jol. 

"I'm delighted to have signed for Fulham and I look forward to playing under Martin Jol once again," Berbatov told reporters on Fulham's official site this morning. 

He added, "As soon as I was aware of Fulham's interest my decision to join was an easy one to make."

"I'm impressed with the set up here and the people have made me feel welcome. There is a close and personal feel around the club and I can't wait to get started."

The signing, of course, represents a major coup by Southwest London club.  Not only has Fulham captured one of the more prized transfers of the summer market—a player that, again, was sought after by much larger, richer teams—but they've managed to mitigate the potential risk of losing star player Clint Dempsey. 

Additionally, they've also signed a great player. 

Berbatov scored 56 goals in 149 appearances for Manchester United.  It's deceivingly overwhelming goal return, unless you look at the numbers closer.  In 2010-11, the Bulgarian finished tied for first as the EPL's top scorer with Manchester City's Carlos Tevez. 

A tall, lanky but exceptionally smooth customer, Berbatov won admirers for his ballerina-like ability in the air and knack for scoring exceptional goals. The highlight of his career was a jaw-dropping performance on November 27, 2010 against Blackburn, where he netted five goals in a 7-1 victory against the Rovers. 

Unfortunately, his perceived lack of effort frustrated some fans as well as Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson, who sat Berbatov for the majority of last season.  At Fulham, the player now has a chance for redemption, and few would doubt he has the quality to do so. 

Likely to be partnered with the terrific newcomer Mladen Petric or the Bryan Ruis—or, perhaps, in a three-man forward tandem—Berbatov is in the perfect situation to succeed once against the Premier League.  

What a job by Fulham. 

American footballer Clint Dempsey has been trying to maneuver his way out of Fulham all through this transfer window period, and with the window closing Aug. 31, talks have picked up regarding the team's star player.

Dempsey has been linked to the likes of Liverpool and Sunderland as of late with both names recently resurfacing in a final dash attempt to grab Dempsey from Fulham. Let's bring you up on the latest news regarding the American and a possible transfer within the English Premier League.

The Daily Mail reported as recently as Aug. 28 that Sunderland had opened talks with Dempsey, who are willing to give the 29-year-old eight million euros.

Liverpool has made the latest push for Dempsey, unloading Andy Carroll to West Ham on a season-long loan effective Aug. 30.

While no official word has been released from the player or Liverpool about pursuing Dempsey once again, Emmet Kennedy of Cork's 96FM is reporting that the boys from Anfield are prepared to bid. The reporter recently tweeted:

#LFC to bid £7m for Clint Dempsey after Andy Carrolls loan move to West Ham is completed. Reports of a bid for #AFC's Theo Walcott too.

— Emmet Kennedy (@Emmet_Kennedy) August 30, 2012

While he did not lean either way in terms of which club could land the American, Goal.com chief correspondent Wayne Veysey recently tweeted:

Looks like Clint Dempsey will be granted his wish.

— Wayne Veysey (@wayneveysey) August 30, 2012

Dempsey scored 23 goals in 46 total contests for Fulham last season, but has stood his ground regarding his refusal to play for the club he has played for since 2007.

Neither Sunderland or Liverpool have made any official comment regarding the player as of late, but by the end of Aug. 31 it seems likely that Dempsey will find himself playing against Fulham rather than playing for them.

It doesn't even matter where Clint Dempsey lands at this point. Whether a transfer is secured to Arsenal, Liverpool, Sunderland, West Ham United or another squad, or he remains with Fulham, he'll be better off when he can put the entire debacle behind him.

What started off as a summer with so much promise for Dempsey quickly turned into a recurring nightmare. His desire to leave Craven Cottage after the best season of his career didn't work out like he hoped, and the entire situation has gotten progressively worse.

Sunderland has been making the biggest push for him in recent days, according to The Daily Mail. The report states the club has begun talking with the American striker about personal terms, but no deal has been reached so far.

The Black Cats wouldn't exactly fit in Dempsey's wish to join one of the Premier League's top squads after finishing 13th last season—four spots behind Fulham—but the Texas native really can't afford to get picky with just days until the window closes.

Dempsey would be a nice addition to any of the aforementioned teams after tallying 23 goals in 46 games for Fulham last season and a total of 36 over the past two seasons. Yet, you couldn't blame clubs about thinking twice about him after the entire transfer ordeal.

That's why Dempsey should be hoping for a resolution before the deadline. Not only has he been forced to miss games because of the lack of progress in talks, but his image has taken a serious hit, making him seem like a diva, even though that wasn't the case beforehand.

Dempsey was always viewed as a hard-working player who got the most out of his ability. It's hard to blame him for dreaming big after a season like he enjoyed last season, but he probably wasn't expecting all the events that would follow, leading him to his current spot.

The 29-year-old forward has remained quiet throughout most of the process, posting a simple message on Twitter saying that "the truth will come out soon."

Hopefully, whatever happens over the next few days allows him to get back on the pitch and out of the negative spotlight. Although he brought the attention on himself, it's time for everybody to move on and get back to business. In his case, that means scoring goals.

If nothing else, he learned a lesson many players have over the years: The transfer window isn't always as exciting as it might seem from the outside.

What initially started as a feel-good moment for Clint Dempsey has ended up growing long in the tooth, and it is time the Dempsey saga ends.

Before the season even began, the rumblings that Dempsey was on his way out were out there, and there was a positive reaction from most. It was nice to see a U.S. player perform so well on one of soccer's biggest stages. Now he could have a shot with a bigger club, or so we thought.

As reported by the Guardian, Dempsey has been fined for refusing to play for Fulham.

It is time this whole debacle ends, with the result being Dempsey landing on another club's roster.

After his rocky start to the season, it will be tough for Dempsey to return to Fulham, and he does not want to. He has made that clear.

Fulham manager Martin Jol said, “Clint told everyone he was going to Liverpool before he came back so we really thought there was quite a firm interest in him.”

If only that interest had turned to an actual transfer then we would not have been a witness to this mess.

Dempsey needs to find a new club for a fresh start. Returning to Fulham will do him no good. He has maxed out his potential with the squad, and this mess has only turned the fans against Dempsey.

He needs to find a new club to continue being the excellent player that he is. If Dempsey were to stay at Fulham, he would become stagnant. That is not what anyone wants. Especially not U.S. soccer fans, who have witnessed how the Premier League has made Dempsey a much better player for the national team.

His talents should be welcomed by many different clubs. Knowing that he wants out, they should make a push to acquire his skills. Dempsey has highlighted Liverpool for quite some time, and this should have been a done deal by now.

The feet-dragging must stop. No one benefits from this being dragged out. Not Dempsey, not the management, and certainly not the fans.

These hold-outs benefit no one.

If Liverpool is the place for Dempsey, then let's expedite the process and get him in red. If another team is interested, then let them step up to the plate now and make Dempsey their key acquisition. The sooner they add him to their roster the sooner he can contribute on the pitch. And isn't that what matters most?

Whatever the solution is, one can hope it is just around the corner. Fans want to see his talents on the pitch in a competitive atmosphere. Fans do not want contractual drama.

And with the Spurs picking up Moussa Dembele from Fulham (h/t ESPN), it is even less likely that Dempsey will want to return to the club. It should be a matter of execution at this point. Accept a bid for Dempsey and move forward.

Dempsey must find a new club soon. The faster it happens the sooner everyone can move on.

Fulham have filed a complaint with the English Premier League regarding Liverpool's attempt to acquire star forward Clint Dempsey.

Sky Sports reported the news Thursday morning via Twitter:

Fulham have made an official complaint to the Premier League about Liverpool's pursuit of Clint Dempsey. #FFC #LFC

— Sky Sports (@SkySports) August 23, 2012

With Dempsey distracted and wanting to play elsewhere, it's no surprise that Fulham have filed a complaint in an attempt to punish a rival club they feel is harming them by stealing their star's focus.

The 29-year-old American has played for Fulham since 2007, scoring 50 goals for the club in 184 EPL appearances.

Dempsey reportedly expressed a desire to be moved this preseason, which resulted in him being pulled from the lineup for Fulham's Premier League opener against Norwich, which Fulham won 5-0 despite Dempsey's status.

According to The BBC, Fulham have decided to keep Dempsey out of the lineup against Manchester United as well this Saturday.

Here is what Fulham head coach Martin Jol had to say about the current situation regarding Clint Dempsey at last week's press conference via Fulham's official website:

Clint feels he needs a move and that move was probably Liverpool, but Liverpool bought new players and no Clint, so we have ended up with a situation with Clint here at Fulham, but he is not committed to the club.

Clearly both Fulham and Dempsey are struggling to find a solution to the drama, and perhaps filing a complaint will provide some answers. 

Still, this standoff seems very serious, and unlikely to end anytime soon based on the fact that Liverpool have already made their key additions this summer, and Dempsey wasn't one of them.

Follow Bleacher Report Featured Columnist Patrick Clarke on Twitter For More English Premier League Reaction and Analysis.

Clint Dempsey's days with Fulham FC may be coming to an end. 

Fulham manager Martin Jol has confirmed Dempsey's desire to transfer from the team. According to the club's Twitter page, Dempsey will not be on Saturday's matchday squad.

Martin Jol confirms Clint Dempsey wishes to leave the Club

— Fulham Football Club (@FulhamFC) August 17, 2012

Martin Jol confirms Clint Dempsey will not be in tomorrow's matchday squad

— Fulham Football Club (@FulhamFC) August 17, 2012

UPDATE: Friday, August 17 at 12:50 p.m. ET by Patrick Clarke

According to a Friday report from The Press Association, Dempsey has refused to play for Fulham as he awaits a transfer, and has now been fined for it. 

The amount for which Dempsey has been fined by the club is unknown at this time. According to The Press Association, Dempsey fancies a move to Liverpool this summer.

Unfortunately for Dempsey, Liverpool have no interest in signing him, according to The Liverpool Echo on Friday. These development will surely make for an awkward next few days for Dempsey and Fulham.

-- End of Update --

Dempsey has been a member of the squad since the 2006-07 season and has not played for any other Premier League teams. Dempsey was one of Fulham's top players last season as he scored 23 goals in 46 appearances for the club.

Dempsey's desire to leave the club comes as no surprise—the midfielder didn't join the team in their recent trip to Switzerland for a training camp in an attempt to hasten a move away from the club (h/t Goal.com).

Grumblings that Dempsey would be leaving Fulham have been going on for months now, but it appears the recent statements by Jol and the fact that he won't be on Saturday's matchday squad point to a transfer coming very soon for the American.

It isn't clear where Dempsey is headed at this point, but Liverpool have been linked to the 29-year-old throughout the summer. If he does join Liverpool, it would give the veteran an opportunity to play for one of the elite Premier League teams and give him a great chance at winning silverware in the latter years of his career.

Bleacher Report will have all the latest as news of Dempsey's transfer comes in, but it would appear that Dempsey will be granted his wish to leave the team after six years with the club.  

UPDATE: Friday August 17 at 3:35 p.m. ET by Alex Ballentine

In light of the report by The Press Association, Dempsey has gone public on the situation.

Dempsey has taken to Twitter to sound off on the situation as he tweeted from his personal account that "There are two sides to the story" and that "The truth will come out". 

There are two sides to the story.

— Clint Dempsey (@clint_dempsey) August 17, 2012

The truth will come out soon.

— Clint Dempsey (@clint_dempsey) August 17, 2012

Details have yet to come out, but clearly there is drama behind the scenes that is propelling Dempsey's move from Fulham.

At the tail end of last season, rumors began to swirl that American striker, Clint Dempsey, could be moving on from Fulham for greener pastures.

It did not take long for possible suitors to emerge.  Dempsey’s pursuers were some of the most well known clubs in the world.  Arsenal, Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea, Tottenham, Roma, and Everton were all believed to be interested in acquiring the services of the prolific American goal scorer.

However, as summer began, there seemed to be only one team remaining in the “Dempsey transfer destination” discussion: Liverpool.

After scoring only 47 goals and posting a mere plus seven goal difference during the 2011-2012 English Premier League season, Liverpool realized the high-priced, Newcastle loan, Andy Carroll, was not a good fit.

Carroll’s time with the Reds has been as smooth as a mountain pass.  After paying a record fee of £35 million for the striker, the Scousers would have to wait until a March 6, 2011 fixture against Manchester United to see their new addition in action.

Unfortunately, the Kop faithful are still waiting for Andy Carroll to show up. 

Prior to transferring to Liverpool at the January 31, 2011 deadline, Carroll had bagged 11 goals in 19 appearances for Newcastle United.  However, he was not able to maintain that goal-scoring pace the rest of the season with the Reds, nor since.  In his Liverpool career, Carroll has netted only 6 goals in 42 matches of BPL action.

Coincidentally, just about the time the transfer rumors of Carroll being out at Anfield began to expound, so did rumblings of Clint Dempsey moving to Liverpool.

Only days ago, it was all but certain Andy Carroll was out at Anfield—especially since Liverpool agreed to a transfer fee with West Ham United—and a Clint Dempsey move to Merseyside was a mere technicality resting only on a transfer fee agreement.

“Buuut wait,” as a cheesy TV pitchman would say.

Andy Carroll has rebuked West Ham’s offer, and intends to stay at Anfield to earn his spot on the Liverpool squad. 

Yet, there are reports he would accept a move back to the Magpies—but unless Newcastle ups the financial terms of their offer, Liverpool’s stance will remain the same.  Carroll also wants a chance to play in European competition this season, which Newcastle can offer.

But what if Liverpool and Carroll cannot agree with any team on transfer terms?  Where does that leave Dempsey?

One would have to believe Dempsey’s time at Craven Cottage will shortly come to an end.  Especially with the controversy surrounding his non-accompaniment of Fulham to their training session in Switzerland, a return to Fulham seems shaky.

ESPN Soccernet reports Dempsey was left off the training trip so he can work on his fitness with the youth team.  However, Goal.com reports Dempsey pulled himself out of the trip in order to force a move to Liverpool.

Really, looking at the reasons given, which seems more plausible: Fitness or wanting a move?

Dempsey has spent a shade over five seasons at Fulham and became the club’s top Premiership goal scorer.  But with not having been on a UEFA Champion’s League or BPL contending squad—or any other domestic hardware-contending squad for that matter—it is reasonable for the 29-year-old striker to want a move to a club that can offer him that.

Nevertheless, whichever report you decide to believe about why Dempsey remained back in England while Fulham held training sessions in Switzerland, it is only logical to believe he will be leaving West London before the August 31 transfer window closes.

Yet, as much the favorite Liverpool looks to be in procuring Dempsey, if things stay as they are, they could be out the running unless the Andy Carroll situation is cleared up.

The Reds already have Luis Suarez, and added Fabio Borini through a transfer with Roma at forward.  Would they dare take on another striker with Andy Carroll being adamant about staying at Anfield, turning him into another Alberto Aquilani?

If not, where does that leave Dempsey?  Would Roma, an early rumored destination, surface as the leaders to land Clint to replace the loss of Borini to Liverpool, and unite him with fellow American, Michael Bradley?

One thing is for certain, wherever he ends up you’d be hard pressed to believe a return to Craven Cottage is in the cards.

Clint Dempsey is really, really desperate to leave Fulham and join Liverpool.

So desperate, in fact, that he was reportedly willing to stay behind while his team took off for training camp in Switzerland in the hopes of forcing club management into giving him his way.

According to Goal.com's Wayne Veysey, Dempsey opted not to travel with the team from London to training camp in Switzerland on Monday and stayed behind in order to practice on his team's home turf. The hope, according to Veysey, is that the club will understand how serious he is about leaving Fulham with one year left on his current contract in order to join Liverpool.

Fulham is in Switzerland to prepare for a friendly against Nice, but per Veysey's report, Dempsey made it clear as early as last Friday that he didn't plan to be a part of the preseason festivities.

Rumors have been circulating for weeks that Dempsey was interested in a move from Fulham, but according to Fox Sports, club manager Martin Jol hasn't been all that interested in letting his talented forward get away. The manager told the website:

"I don't want to talk about that [speculation]. I love Clint, he scored a lot of goals and I want to keep him."

And what's not to love? Dempsey tallied 23 goals for Fulham last season, and if the club loses him, it will struggle to replace his offense.

The thought of losing an offensive spark like Dempsey isn't a happy one for a team that finished just behind Liverpool in the 2011-12 Premier League standings—and much farther behind Manchester City, Manchester United and Arsenal.

Alternately, for Liverpool, Dempsey would be a huge pickup, and according to Goal.com's report, manager Brendan Rodgers has expressed an interest in acquiring him.

As much eagerness as Dempsey has shown toward the idea of joining Liverpool, he's shown the opposite toward the idea of staying with Fulham, which offered him a three-year deal with an option for a fourth year, according to Goal.com. Needless to say, Dempsey rejected it.

And so it would seem, the two sides are at an impasse. Fulham wants Dempsey to stick around, and Dempsey's heart—and head—are somewhere else. He has one year left on his deal with the club and seems intent on jetting off for Liverpool.

According to Goal.com, Dempsey wants to win. He's 29, and he sees this as one of his final chances to be a part of a club that's going to give him that opportunity.

Unfortunately, that leaves Fulham in a bad situation. Obviously, Jol and the club don't want to lose Dempsey's offense, but with a limited amount of impactful years left, the player has to think about himself. And what he's thinking is that winning is what's important right now.  

At a certain point, Fulham needs to recognize that letting Dempsey walk will be easier than keeping him around, knowing that he's so unhappy it could compromise his impact in the final year of his deal.

Dempsey isn't going to find a championship with Fulham—not this year, and probably not ever. Fulham is better off cutting its losses and recognizing that now.