During the New York Red Bulls’ recent 2-1 loss to Chicago Fire, Gerhard Struber made the curious decision in the 19th minute to pull Cristian Cásseres, insert Andrew Gutman, and push John Tolkin to the midfield. The latter shift should not come as a surprise, although there were quite a few online posts labeling this move as yet another player being deployed out of position. For a brief period in his young career, the prevailing notion was that the now-19-year-old projected more central-lying than on the back line.
Against Chicago, Tolkin was quite good in the midfield, perhaps the Red Bulls’ best or at least most active player.