When the Seattle Sounders and LA Galaxy begin their Western Conference Final series Sunday night at StubHub Center, there will be a ton of stars littered across the pitch. 

Although most of the high-profile names reside in the attacking end of the pitch for both sides, one key figure will be looking to stop the dangerous LA attack. 

Seattle right-back DeAndre Yedlin has experienced a meteoric rise to stardom triggered by his electric display for the United States at the 2014 World Cup. The 21-year-old captivated potential suitors with his recovery speed and abilities moving forward. Before the summer transfer window closed, Yedlin inked a deal with English Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur. 

Since signing up to play for Spurs in the summer, Yedlin has seen a bit of a drop-off in form. He hasn't played as bad as the likes of Matt Besler since returning from Brazil. But there is plenty of room for improvement ahead of the two crucial games with the Galaxy. 

Yedlin has been employed in more of a defensive role lately. Throughout the home-and-home series with the Galaxy to end the regular season, and during the Western Conference semifinal series with FC Dallas, he was occupied by his defensive responsibilities. 

Defending was Yedlin's weak spot, as the Galaxy let us all know in their 3-0 win at CenturyLink Field on July 28. Since being exposed by Bruce Arena's side, Yedlin has improved on his marking abilities. 

However, his improvement on the defensive side of the ball has hampered his progression moving forward at times. To be fair to Yedlin, he does not have to surge forward all the time due to the strong wing play of Lamar Neagle and Marco Pappa. 

Against the Galaxy, the contributions made by Neagle and Pappa could be limited due to the terrific full-backs LA has in Robbie Rogers and A.J. DeLaGarza. Rogers shifted to left-back in the middle of the season and has turned himself into one of the best defenders in the league. DeLaGarza normally lines up at center-back, but he had a ton of success on the right in the 5-0 blowout of Real Salt Lake. 

With the two LA full-backs ready to shut down the Seattle wingers, Yedlin must be prepared to bomb forward more to create some panic in the LA defense. If he does that with success, the Sounders could take a commanding lead back home for the second leg. 

If Yedlin does find the right time to attack on the right wing, he must do so while protecting the ball at his feet. He is still susceptible to committing a bad turnover or two, a trait that was brought back into the spotlight against Colombia on Friday. 

For the second half of that game, Yedlin was moved up on the right flank to provide the United States' attack with more of a threat moving forward. His speed was an issue for the Colombian defense on a few occasions, but he negated his impact with careless giveaways which led to dangerous counters. 

Just like Colombia, the Galaxy will take advantage of the defensive lapses by the defender. Robbie Keane and Landon Donovan only need one pass to start a terrific attacking move. Add in the influence of Marcelo Sarvas and Juninho in the middle of the park and you have a Galaxy team ready to pounce in an instant. 

If the Seattle right-back is allowed to surge forward in attack and does commit a turnover, he will have to turn on the jets in order to get back on defense. Unlike Friday's international match, Yedlin will not have a sturdy defender to rely on to stop an incoming move if he turns the ball over. 

Yedlin may be helped a bit by the presence of the experienced Brad Evans in front of him if he gives the ball away. But if the Galaxy attackers get past Evans, there will be no one there to stop them unless Yedlin recovers well with his speed. 

There are very few weaknesses in Sigi Schmid's side, but the open space on the wing when Yedlin moves forward is one of them. How Yedlin contains the counter after sprinting back could determine the outcome of the match. 

The 21-year-old will also be under some scrutiny after turning in an average performance Friday for the United States. Every move he makes leading up to his eventual permanent switch to Tottenham will be dissected. If he wants to succeed in Europe in the coming years, Yedlin will need to prove he can deliver a well-rounded performance in a big game Sunday.

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90. 

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