Transfer Rumors: Picking an Everton Starting XI to Include Clint Dempsey

Rumor has it that Everton plan to go in for Fulham’s star attacker Clint Dempsey over the summer. Why the Toffees want him is obvious; how they plan to nab him is less so. 

After posting perhaps the greatest season of Premiership football ever by an American, it’s understandable that the 29-year-old from Nacogdoches, Texas is attracting other suitors like Everton. The problem is that Everton aren’t the only ones interested. 

Arsenal, Tottenham and Manchester United (among others) have expressed interest in Dempsey, and for good reason. Not only is he a proven goal scorer with 16 league goals, Dempsey’s nationality would bring substantial new support from Americans looking for an English club to cheer on. Any doubt in that revenue potential? 

With Dempsey as lucrative as he’s ever been, it will be tough for the Toffees to stay in a bidding process expected to exceed £10 million. It’s not in Everton’s best interest to blow their already strained finances on one quality player, especially when key men like Steven Pienaar, Royston Drenthe and Sylvain Distin have their contracts expire this June.  

I can only envision that Dempsey would sign for Everton in the most bizarre (and wonderful) of alternate universes. Not only would the Texan be signing for less in probably his only window for a big money move, but he’d also be turning down Champions League football for a team that finished only a few spots above the club he just left. 

The only thing Everton has to offer Dempsey that the bigger clubs can’t is a proven track record of loving Americans. Tim Howard and Marcus Hahnemann would be familiar faces, and there’s always chance Landon Donovan could make a permanent move once his days in Los Angeles are done.

Be honest. If you were in Dempsey’s shoes, given the choice of more money and Champions League play versus less money and being a part of America’s Team, would you pick Everton?

But that choice is for you hard-bitten realists out there. I’ve already imagined Clint in Everton Blue, and I can’t bring myself to erase that pretty picture. Here’s the Everton side I’d predict to surround him...

Tim Howard, GK

Clint Dempsey's fellow countryman isn't leaving Everton's goal anytime soon.

Tim Howard has been solid between the posts ever since he came to Merseyside, and his contract doesn't expire until 2016. His profile as an American in England is second only to Dempsey, which gives Everton much needed attention overseas. 

From a goalkeeping standpoint, there are only a handful of Premiership keepers you can argue that are head and shoulders above Howard (Pepe Reina, Petr Cech, Joe Hart, maybe Brad Friedel). Having that kind of ability in goal can be the difference between mid-table finishes and maybe contending for Europe. 

As long as Everton can afford to keep Howard, he should remain their number one.  

Leighton Baines, LB

An easy choice at left back, Leighton Baines should always be on the Everton team sheet as long as they can afford to keep him.

The 27-year-old was almost wooed away last summer by Liverpool, but if he gets selected and he plays well for Roy Hodgson’s Euro 2012 squad, you can bet those transfer rumors will be back on. Personally, I favor him over Ashley Cole on the left, even though Baines’ last international appearance saw him being burned by Arjen Robben for a game-winning goal.

Everton are better when Baines presses up the field in attack, and David Moyes would be well served to try and keep him for next season.

Sylvain Distin, CB

It was hard to watch Sylvain Distin commit the dreadful back pass which doomed Everton against Liverpool in the FA Cup Semifinals, as the Frenchman has been excellent in defense this season (when healthy).

Distin will be out of contract this summer, and might have an idea about testing the transfer waters to see what’s out there. That being said, I doubt he’ll get a better opportunity than the one he currently has at Everton. 

A workhorse in defense, Distin provides the size and physicality the Toffees need to handle larger strikers. He’s got decent footwork, marks well and can contest in the air. Given a choice of Everton’s bench, Distin would be my first choice as a central defender. 

Phil Jagielka, CB

Phil Jagielka hasn’t been himself since going down with a knee injury during the winter months, but I select him here for the player he was and the player he might be again. 

Before picking up his injury, Jags was an integral part of Everton’s defense, pairing as well with Distin for club as he did Joleon Lescott for country against Spain. He had quickness, effective tackling, dependable marking and respectable decision-making. David Moyes relied on him heavily to head a stern defense, and Jagielka rarely failed. 

Since coming back however, the Englishman hasn’t been able to find his form. Missed assignments, getting caught on the wrong foot, not clearing well, these are all things we’ve seen from Jagielka in recent appearances. Most recently against Stoke, Everton clung to a 1-0 lead well into the second half until Cameron Jerome undressed Jags up the middle to score the equalizer.

If Jagielka can find his form again—and what better place to do so than at the Euros—I see him retaining the starting job for Everton. If not, he might find himself playing second fiddle to Johnny Heitinga.

Tony Hibbert, RB

An aging right back, Tony Hibbert might have another year or two of quality football in him before falling out of the first team. 

At 31-years-old, the plodding Hibbert proved against Manchester United that there’s still a bit of quality left in him. Everton’s first two goals were a product of two picture-perfect Hibbert crosses from the right, probably stunning Evertonians as much as they did United fans. 

Seamus Coleman will still get time on the pitch, and is a decent option if David Moyes wants more pace on the right, but Hibbert’s simple reliability earns him another year at right back.

Marouane Fellaini, CDM

While I enjoy watching Marouane Fellaini give defenses fits up front, with Clint Dempsey in the side I see him moving back to holding midfielder. 

Fellaini’s size and work-rate make him a prototypical ball-winner in midfield, and his distribution would be welcome in a Dempsey-fueled attack. He’s trouble for defenders off set pieces in the box, and is the sort of positive, industrious player that epitomizes Everton’s workmanlike philosophy. 

Arguably Everton’s most valuable player, Fellaini simply must be in the starting XI wherever David Moyes can plug him in. 

Johnny Heitinga, CDM

Due to his versatility in defense, ‘Mad Dog’ Johnny Heitinga has a few avenues open to him, all of which lead to a starting role. 

If Phil Jagielka can’t get it done as a center back, Heitinga is my choice to pair with Sylvain Distin. Since I believe that won’t be the case, the Dutchman gets the start as a defensive midfielder in front of the back four.

It’s a toss-up between him and Darron Gibson at the point. Both have shown promise at this position, but given Heitinga’s seniority at Everton, I can see David Moyes giving him the nod over the former Manchester United man. That, and the fact that Heitinga is the better defender of the two while Gibson is better suited in a more attacking role. 

Steven Pienaar, LM

One of David Moyes’ top priorities this summer should be the re-signing of Steven 'God Is Good' Pienaar from Tottenham. Everton have been at their most deadly with Pienaar slashing through the final third, and have been noticeably toothless without him.

The South African should welcome the move given the anonymous role he was assigned at Spurs. Pienaar would leave a club that doesn’t need him for a club that actively does, and a fan base that recognizes his worth. 

All it takes to understand Pienaar’s contribution to the side is a single viewing of Everton’s woeful 2-1 loss to Liverpool in the FA Cup Semifinals, a fixture in which Pienaar couldn’t play in due to being cup-tied with Spurs. Lacking from the Toffee’s attack was any sort of consistent invention or pace, something it’s hard to fathom would have happened if Pienaar were on the pitch.

A permanent move to Everton would be a win-win for both Pienaar and Tottenham. Spurs could use the extra cash for bidding on high-profile targets, and Pienaar needs first team football. I expect to see him in an Everton kit next year. 

Clint Dempsey, CAM

If David Moyes continues to play his 4-2-3-1 formation upon acquiring Clint Dempsey (this article is written on the assumption that he will at first), the American’s likely home would be in center hole behind the striker. From there, Dempsey could strong influence the buildup play and provide an expert finishing touch. 

However, it remains to be seen if he can function as well outside the attacking based system Martin Jol currently utilizes at Fulham. As a Cottager, Dempsey is allowed more freedom up front, sometimes taking a lone striker’s role or pairing with another a la 4-4-2. He seems to be everywhere in Fulham’s attack because often times he is everywhere. 

I can see Moyes tweaking the formation to accommodate Dempsey’s skills, as clearly it has paid off for Fulham. Still, a spot as a center attacking mid isn’t too far away from what the Texan is asked to do already, so he shouldn’t have too much trouble transitioning between systems.

Leon Osman, RM

Leon Osman has been a stellar player for Everton over his career, but lately the 30-year-old has been a little off. Passes aren’t weighted correctly, possession is surrendered too easily and shots are rare and off target.

Still, David Moyes has enough confidence in him to continue starting him over Royston Drenthe, and Osman has shown in years past he’s equal to it. What he lacks in explosiveness and flair he makes up for in work rate, and that give him the edge over Drenthe.

Osman could pair well with Clint Dempsey if he can get his final balls under control. Often times they’ve been the difference between a clear shot on goal for Everton or a safe clearance by the opposition. 

Nikica Jelavic, ST

In former Glasgow Rangers striker Nikica Jelavic, Everton finally found the constant striker it so desperately needed earlier this year. Louis Saha, Apostolos Vellios, Denis Stracqualursi and even Tim Cahill never quite fit the bill, but Jelavic has done so magnificently. 

Scoring 10 goals in 11 Everton appearances across all competitions speaks to Jelavic’s undeniable value at Goodison Park. With the Croatian’s introduction, the Toffees went from a team that struggled to score a goal to a team that can bag four with ease. 

Jelavic works for his touches, and often turns them into positive play. There isn’t anyone on the roster that can match his goal scoring ability, at least until Clint Dempsey dons the blue.

Those two would make a dynamic duo up front, but alas, it might be only a pipe dream.