So, this is part two of my player rating series where, seen in the title, I will be covering the right backs. At the start of the season this was definitely one of the positions that was under the microscope. In my opinion, possibly still the case…
DeAndre Yedlin
This season for Yedlin has been a rough one, hasn't it? On and off the field. He has had injury setbacks, transfer links to Crystal Palace on deadline day as well as being in and out of the Newcastle side this season. I have always rated Yedlin but always had the question over his end product. His crossing has always been below par. I even joked when we played Oxford away that car insurance companies do not cover against poor crosses so be careful. In all seriousness, it is something he does need to work on. He gets into the right places and has the pace to beat a player. However the more I watch him this season, the more I question the defensive side too. He has also struggled at RWB this year as well. I do not think he has been great this season, to be honest, he played fantastically against Bournemouth in a match in which he scored but nothing else really springs to mind. Best moment: Bournemouth performance, Yedlin at his very best. Rating: 4/10 Javier Manquillo This is for sure the biggest surprise in the whole series in my opinion. In the summer last year he would have been one of the first out of the door for me.
However he has really turned it around this season. He has turned doubters into believers and I include myself in that having played 15 games with an assist. It has never been a doubt that going forward, he has got it the magic but, on the defensive side, he has improved. I think RB is a position we need to address in the summer but Manquillo would be a part of my plans going into next season, for sure! Best moment: performance vs Man City in November, dealt with Sterling really well that day. Rating: 8/10 Emil Krafth So, how has the new signing from Amiens got on in his time at Newcastle? For me, he has been poor. The three starts he has played, he has ended up being torn open each time. Against Spurs (away), we kept a clean sheet with him in the team but Son Heung-Min had his life that day. Against Liverpool, he got exposed and the Norwich performance was the footballing equivalent of catching chlamydia. It has been a while since he made the starting XI. He has even struggled to make the team in the cup competitions. At times when Manquillo has not been fit, Krafth has not been called upon. This is clear to me that Bruce does not rate the Swedish international at all. Either a loan move or give a chance again next season? Could be another Manquillo so I think he could earn that second chance. That being said though… Rating: 1/10 Best moment: Spurs away? That picture where he face-planted against Norwich? I don't quite know. In the next part, I'll be going through our Centre backs. Quite a few to get through. But I hope you're enjoying the series so far……