- Micky van de Ven’s pace for a defender is reminiscent of Des Walker at Vorst
- The Dutchman has been setting the standard since joining Tottenham this summer
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Speed is precious for a central defender. Micky van de Ven has it in abundance and that is the key for Tottenham and their high line.
It is a system that demands his qualities and offers him plenty of opportunities to turn, chase and conquer.
Ange Postecoglou is steadfast in his desire to push players onto the pitch. It never changes. They need Van de Ven’s speed to deal with counter-attacks and you can hear the crescendo of noise in the Tottenham stadium as Van de Ven uses his pace to come to the rescue. He’s already a popular guy.
It is no coincidence that Tottenham’s winning percentage plummets when he is not in the team.
In addition to being a World Cup winner with Cristian Romero, he was the one who set the standard in his debut season. As a young player I was also known for my pace. But I knew there was no point in becoming famous so quickly if I didn’t use it properly.
Micky van de Ven has quickly become a fan favorite at Spurs since joining the club
The Dutchman uses his lightning pace excellently in Ange Postecoglou’s defense
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When you come up against fast attackers, as Van de Ven will against Newcastle today, especially Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon, it’s the change of pace that can unlock you.
Because he’s often the first to the ball when opponents play him into the channel, I haven’t seen him exposed that often in one-on-ones, where the attacker rushes at you, stops and then bursts out of the blocks. Let’s see how he handles that today.
There are a number of points on which Van de Ven can improve. I feel like he could command more through crosses where Tottenham collectively aren’t the best at defending set pieces.
He also has to be alert if the goalkeeper spills a shot. Against Forest last week, their goal came when he failed to close Neco Williams as quickly as he could have, allowing the unmarked Anthony Elanga to hold the pass before assisting Chris Wood.
It’s all about him learning. He’s only 22, soon to be 23, and his performance reminds me of a former defender the Forest fans loved who sang: ‘You’ll never beat Des Walker.’ Through fine-tuning, Van de Ven has the potential to become a defender that attackers want to avoid.
Last season, Tottenham finished eighth and Newcastle fourth. Today Tottenham are fourth and Newcastle eighth. Spurs need to win to maintain their momentum, but Eddie Howe’s side will be desperate to win to keep their chances of some form of European football alive.