By: COLIN REESE
Given the question marks about the ability of the United States Men’s National Team’s outside backs, DeAndre Yedlin (Seattle Sounders), Chris Klute (Colorado Rapids), and Greg Garza (Tijuana) have become legit outside back options for the United States.
The United States had other outside backs in contention, but they are retired or injured. Steve Cherundolo has retired, and both Eric Lichaj and Timothy Chandler are seriously injured just a few months before the 2014 World Cup.
DeAndre Yedlin and Chris Klute had outstanding 2013 seasons in MLS, and Greg Garza has been a known talent at left back for several years. Yedlin, Garza, and Klute are two-way outside backs, and Yedlin vastly improved his defending ability, which is an area where Klute was always solid.
Although Garza gained a lot of attention for two recent CONCACAF Champions League games against the LA Galaxy, Garza isn’t a left back who just deserves to be on the USMNT roster because of two games. In the two games against the Galaxy, Garza’s abilities were on display to more Americans than had watched him in the past.