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Spotlight on DeAndre Yedlin

DeAndreYedlinUSMNT

By IVES GALARCEP

It isn’t always easy to follow up an impressive rookie season in Major League Soccer. We have seen that be the case for several first-year standouts in recent years. DeAndre Yedlin has no intention of taking a step back though, he has only grown hungrier to succeed after a season that started with him being considered a low-profile rookie, and ended with him being called in to the U.S. Men’s National Team.

In my latest Goal.com feature, I take a look at Yedlin’s quest to improve on his rookie campaign, a quest that started off on the right foot with a strong showing in Seattle’s season opening victory against Sporting Kansas City.

Still only 20, Yedlin has grown up quickly after a year spent as a regular starter for a top team. His exciting style of play, combining speed, flash and quality getting forward, has fans in Seattle and throughout the country excited about his potential and has already caught the eye of Jurgen Klinsmann.

Give the feature a read and let us know what you think about Yedlin’s potential. See him as a future national team starter? Think he can improve on his rookie season? Do you love the crazy haircuts, or think he should keep things simple?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Good for him.

    Just remember kid, Dani Alves is the exception, not the rule. Learn… like anything about top flight defensive positioning or you’re going nowhere.

    Reply
  2. Is this who we’re overhyping next? Cool.
    I hope MLS can hang on to him and not let him go to Barcelona or Real Madrid.

    Reply
  3. As much as I want to see DeAndre Yedlin succeed and believe he has the ability to do so, I personally rate Shane O’Neill much more highly than Yedlin. O’Neill is a more accomplished player for his age, I feel, while Yedlin still needs to work out the issues that come with him being so young. He has shown well recently in 1v1 situations and didn’t get caught out of position much in Seattle’s first game back. His final ball is still very raw for the most part and he decision making when he attacks is not always the best. Luckily, those are things that will come with time. O’Neill, however, is an intelligent player who knows whom to play when. If he ends up playing at right back this season as is projected, it will be interesting to see which of them comes along more quickly. But for me, O’Neill should have been the one earning his first cap for the senior team in January as I’d say he’s the more ready to compete at that level.

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    • I agree with most of you points and just want to add that the job of a defender is to defend first and foremost. The attacking part develops later and comes with the team you play on. The USMNT allows back to overlap a lot While Seattle and most MLS teams not as much thats why he looks rust at it. If he moved to the premier league for example that part of his game will grow exponentially. Just look at Cameron his first season he mastered the defensive aspect of an RB now this season he’s mastering the all round game.

      Reply
      • JayAre,

        You are missing some great soccer by not watching MLS.
        Yedlin pushes forward constantly…and will more even this year with Marshall there.
        Cameron didn’t play RB in Houston and he didn’t overlap much as at the centerback position.

    • James,

      Nice comment, but who has more upside, in your opinion ? I don’t think it is even close.

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      • I would actually say that Shane has more upside, difficult is that is to believe. I think he will wind up a midfield mainstay for the national team in the future. I’d also love to see Yedlin become a star for the Stars and Stripes, though. Lord knows we need it (and much more than another central midfielder)

  4. Some folks wanted to down play him because they get worked up about the Seattle fans (for reasons I cannot even begin to understand). Of course he had some rookie moments, but this guy is good. He is the best fullback prospect since Dolo. He will crack that Nats lineup at some point, and he will stay there a long time.

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    • and then other folks just wanted fans to pump the brakes a little because, seriously, we’ve got the usmnt’s defensive-liability fullback role covered for now.

      i agree that he’s one to watch, though.

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    • My thoughts as to why people get worked up about Sounders fans (coming from one):
      1. There are so damn many of us that of course there are going to be a decent percentage of them that are ignorant, arrogant, pretentious etc.
      2. A higher than average percentage of Seattle fans are very tech. savvy and occupy one too many MLSsoccer.com comment threads. General online presence is high
      3. We’re an easy target being a “top-ish team”, take that as you will
      4. Jealousy?

      Reply
      • You have it wrong, not completely, but anytime US based soccer succeeds, guys will whine, rip on it and be upset.

        That is especially true for Seattle attendance ( the created soccer comments galore ), and skillful guys like Yedlin.

        He has a long way to go, but there was zero doubt, God willing, from the first time he played for the Sounders, that he gets there,

      • He’s 20 years old and play I’m MLS. It’s nice and all but there’s MLS success and then there’s real success.

      • @Audrel

        MLS has been exporting quality players for some time. Don’t forget that the MLS produced Donovan, Dempsey, and Bradley. That was when the quality is no where near what it has become. MSL success is real success you arrogant Pric*.

      • “Those non-MLS guys showed us REAL success against Ukraine.”

        7 of the 15 USMNT players who played in Cyprus were MLS products.

  5. The sky’s the limit for Yedlin. My fellow Sounders fans should enjoy watching him while it lasts. I see even ravier greener pastures in his future.

    Reply

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