How DeAndre Yedlin Will Help Tottenham Hotspur Immediately

DeAndre Yedlin has already made an immediate impact of sorts at Tottenham Hotspur. His arrival from Seattle Sounders prompted the departure of fellow right-back Kyle Naughton to Swansea City.

With the position's first-choice man Kyle Walker also fit again, not to mention Vlad Chiriches showing he could provide decent cover there, Yedlin's signing (initially confirmed last summer) meant Naughton's chances of playing with any frequency had diminished further.

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So far as the USA international's personal progress at his new club is concerned, he is likely a little way off from featuring in the first team. Yet, without meaning to put pressure on the 21-year-old import from Major League Soccer, he could still help Tottenham this season.

"The first thing is to arrive, to adapt as much as possible in the group and in the new culture and different football," said Yedlin's new head coach Mauricio Pochettino in his December 23 press conference. The versatile player's first training session in England only came on January 7, barely a month after the conclusion of a long season with Seattle and U.S. men's national team (time with the latter included three appearances at the World Cup).

In a recent interview with the Tottenham & Wood Green Journal's Ben Pearce, Yedlin's fellow American, goalkeeper Brad Friedel, expanded on the need to allow his compatriot to acclimatise.

"There’s a massive difference between the two leagues," Friedel said. "The MLS is getting better and better, but the Premier League is different than any other league in the world in one main area, and that is the pace of play.

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"Any players, it doesn’t matter who you are—and you’ve seen some world-class players coming and going from the Premier League—it takes them time to get their eye in.

Friedel's latter point was proven at Spurs over the last couple of years. Imports such as Nacer Chadli and Erik Lamela took time settle in a new country and a different league.

After his first appearance in a Spurs shirt—an hour in the Under 21 side's 3-1 win over West Ham United—Yedlin described some of the mundane realities which also inform the whole process.

"There’s been a lot going on," he told Tottenham's official website. "I’m also looking for a place, getting a UK phone number, a car, not to mention driving on the other side of the road! It’s been a lot to take in but so far, so good."

Since then Yedlin has been on international duty, and will remain so until this weekend. Upon his return Spurs will be almost midway through a defining month in their season, when their potential success in the Capital One Cup, Europa League and Premier League will be decided or significantly influenced.

Barring injuries to both Walker and Chiriches (and maybe even Younes Kaboul, who has previously played right-back), it would be a surprise to see Yedlin thrown into the deep end. A London derby with West Ham or a European trip to Fiorentina could prove a useful experience for a debut, but an off-day in such a high-pressure game could set his progress back.

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Where Yedlin can contribute for now is by keeping his team-mates on his toes.

As referenced, Friedel was careful not to hype him up too much. He did, though, give a complimentary take on Yedlin's early training sessions, which suggests a player not overawed by the company he is now keeping. That he is prepared for the challenge ahead of him.

"That’s what he’s doing in training—and he looks good in training, he looks really sharp," the veteran shot-stopper revealed, again per the Herald. "So he’ll just have to work really hard and hopefully get his playing time in due course."

Long-term, Yedlin is expected to be Walker's main competition at right-back. The latter has had missteps since his return from injury but is gradually getting back to where he wants to be form and condition-wise.

The sight of Yedlin holding his own against the squad's talented attackers in training should serve as a deterrent against Walker getting complacent. Same too for Chiriches, still for now Pochettino's preferred second option defending the right flank. Any drop in form could feasibly be punished down the stretch.

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With Yedlin being rapid with and without the ball, the potential for Pochettino to draft him in as an offensive weapon should not be discounted by the likes of Lamela and Andros Townsend either. They have the initiative as regards those places for the time being, but they will know a dip in their performance levels could be capitalised on by a young man eager to impress.

The best part of four months of football lies ahead for Tottenham, during which time they will play least 18 games. Heading into spring Yedlin will be fresher than most.

His proper chance to impress might have to wait until next season. But as long as that remains unclear in his mind and those of his team-mates, his presence could serve as a motivational too for Pochettino to make use of.

Press conference quote obtained firsthand.

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