DeAndre Yedlin Quotes

There's a lot of things I can get better at as an individual, knowing where defenders are, having a better awareness. Those are things I can work on.

Every good, successful player, especially an attacking player, has a well-developed sense of space and time.

For me football is more about making the right pass at the right time.

If I'm playing higher up the pitch, it's important I don't get carried away and start dropping too deep and I stay in my position.

Before I receive the ball I already know how that play is developing so I'm able to give rhythm to that play.

Not everything is seen that happens on the pitch - the teammate in a good position, where it might get dangerous, how a situation develops.

Every time I catch the ball, I'm seeing a lot of bodies. The key for me is not to force.

As long as you are set and in the right position, you give yourself the best opportunity. It's all about the crucial timing of a save, but it's also being in the right position at the right time.

I like to play with my back to the goal, but my colleagues have to tell me when I'm alone or how much room I have so I can choose to pass or to go straight for the goal.

You mostly defend with your head, always reacting to the movement of opponents and teammates. I had to become more aware of that, play with much more consideration, the way you drive a car: you always need to look left, right, and the rear mirror to see what's going on around you.

It is up to me to adapt and to continue to surprise with my positioning, the timing of my runs, the trajectories, when I call for the ball.

To be useful in defence, to win back the ball, you don't always have to go sliding into the tackle. It's also about your positioning; sometimes all you have to do is take a step back.

If I get my teammates going early, then my shots usually open up. Come off pick and roll and make the pocket pass on the first one. Then it's like OK, does the defender step up now? Then next time I may have the layup. So, just playing the game like that. Reading and reacting and not thinking too much.

You just have to be smart and know where you're at within the game and find the right time to be aggressive and take a shot. If it's not the right time, then move on to the next down.

I try to have a picture when I receive the ball and know where everyone is. That's one of the most important things for a midfielder.

It's not just about showing people what you can do on the ball in those wider positions, it's about gaining the full understanding of each position and what it takes to get that spot.

I would always treat my attacking game as the more natural part. With defence, you have to get yourself in positions to understand the game and understand situations and that might not be as natural a thing.

When you're a kid you just think about where you are going to be to put yourself in a position for the next scoring chance. But as you develop, you start to do things that may not catch the eye of the normal football watcher, the dropping back, the closing down.

Life teaches you that you need to make decisions in the right time - not too early, not too late.

Playing in midfield is a different ball game. You have to be on the half-turn all the time, have a different picture in your head of what is behind you and in front of you. Playing at right-back is different again.

I think it's a natural progression: a lot of centre-backs start wide when they're young and move inside.

I think as a central defender you grow as a player.

I know I can shoot when I want. I know I'm going to have the ball. It's about seeing what the team needs at that time.

In training when I'm receiving the ball I always know where I want to go. At the end of the day it's just soccer.

Oftentimes, the post safety will eye me up pre-snap a lot of times and know where I am.