THERE is no Bobby any more, but at least there's still good old Clint.
Dempsey scored on 69 minutes to erase some of the inevitable gloom surrounding the transfer deadline day departure of Bobby Zamora to QPR, but it was not quite enough to give Martin Jol's men all three points.
The Whites were caught flat-footed at the back eight minutes from time when sub Somen Tchoyi outstripped Brede Hangeland to reach a neat flick from James Morrison, and his smart low finish was unerring.
Dempsey's rich vein of form continued when he instinctively darted into the area to turn on a pass from Bryan Ruiz and rolled the ball beyond Ben Foster – Steve Sidwell having taken control of a loose ball by guiding a header to Ruiz on the edge of the area.
That was the Texan's 16 th goal of an increasingly prolific season, but Fulham were far from their best and certainly nowhere near as vibrant as they had been in their two previous Premier League matches at Craven Cottage against Arsenal and Newcastle.
The loss of Zamora will take a little getting used to for players and fans alike and the striker was clearly in the minds of most home fans at the outset. When Marc-Antoine Fortune skied a shot over the bar during the first half, the Hammersmith End chanted 'Are you Bobby in disguise?'
Fulham seem to have got in the habit of waiting for the second half to start locating the target – when they invariably attack their favourite end of the ground. Perhaps they were banking on the Hammersmith End factor again.
They bossed possession in the first half, but did not trouble Foster nearly enough.
By contrast, Roy Hodgson's men counter-attacked with purpose, with Simon Cox fashioning an opening for Peter Odemwingie that the Nigerian contrived to scoop over the bar in ugly fashion from eight yards.
Odemwingie, linked to the Whites during the transfer window, also created danger with a cut-back for Fortune, who had David Stockdale scrambling after an awkward low shot.
The Whites applied good pressure and forced corners, but only had the ball in the net once, and that was illegally – Dempsey offside when he tucked home a Danny Murphy pass.
Fulham came closer with a low shot from Dempsey just before the break and from a half chance when Ruiz got to a Murphy cross just ahead of Foster, but could not quite direct a header where it needed to go.
It tended to sum up a generally insipid contest that drew a few boos from disgruntled home fans at the end. This has not been their happiest week.
Line-up:Stockdale; Kelly, Senderos, Hangeland, Riise; Duff, Murphy, Sidwell, Davies; Ruiz, Dempsey. Subs not used: Etheridge, Baird, Kasami, Grcov, Hughes, Frei, Trotta.
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