(Editorial) – In recent pre-season matches for his club, Tottenham Hotspurs, DeAndre Yedlin has been playing left back. His normal position is right back, and occasionally right winger, so this is a brand new position for him. Even though he is a novice at right back, in the games so far, he has been playing fairly well.
DeAndre Yedlin’s Position Change: A Left Back?
New Position Effect on the USMNT
Currently, Yedlin is the starting right back for the United States Mens National Team. But, the US has had a lot of issues finding a left back for the long term. Recently, Greg Garza, Fabian Johnson, Edgar Castillo, Timmy Chandler, and DaMarcus Beasley have all played left back. Fabian Johnson was the starting left back for the Copa America. Johnsons’s best position is left winger, but head coach Jurgen Klinsmann felt their back up left back was worse than their back up wingers, so Johnson ended up at left back.
If Yedlin could switch to left back, that would allow Johnson to be a winger, but then a hole would exist at right back.
One option to fill the hole at right back would be Keegan Rosenberry. The Philadelphia Union rookie has been brilliant this season and may win MLS Rookie of the Year. He has never appeared for the United States at any level, but is in line for a January call up this winter. If he can translate his skills to the international level, this could help shift Yedlin to left back.
Another option for right back is Eric Lichaj. The Nottingham Forest man can play both left and right back, but mostly plays right back. Lichaj has occasionally featured for the USMNT with 11 senior team caps. Most recently he featured against Puerto Rico in the USMNT Copa America tune up, where he played well.
These players would certainly be an upgrade over some of the players that would play left back if Yedlin was at right back, with Johnson in the midfield.
New Position Effect with Tottenham
Last season Yedlin has a successful season on loan with Sunderland learning from Sam Allerdyce. A move seemed all but guaranteed until the Black Cats manager was named English National Team head coach. His replacement at Sunderland was David Moyes. While at Everton, Moyes loved his attacking fullbacks: Seamus Coleman and Leighton Baines. Moyes has said he is interested in having Yedlin but he hasn’t signed yet.
Now it seems possible Yedlin will have to move elsewhere. At Tottenham he is the third choice right back. The starters at right and left back are Danny Rose and Kyle Walker, who are pretty cemented as starters. However, their backups aren’t as cemented in their positions, especially at left back.
Just because he would be a backup, doesn’t mean he wouldn’t play. The backups still managed to appear about 40 times across all competitions. With Tottenham in the Champions League next year, there should be plenty of appearances to go around. If Yedlin cannot find first team football elsewhere, staying at Tottenham would not be as harmful to his career as if he had stayed last year.
