MARTIN KEOWN: Micky van de Ven reminds me of a young Des Walker… the Dutchman is already an integral part of Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham
- Micky van de Ven’s pace for a defender is reminiscent of Des Walker at Forest
- The Dutchman has been setting the standard since joining Tottenham this summer
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Pace is valuable for a central defender. Micky van de Ven has this in abundance and it is key for Tottenham and their top line.
It is a system that demands his qualities and offers him many opportunities to turn, hunt and conquer.
Ange Postecoglou is unwavering in his desire to get players on the pitch. It never changes. They need Van de Ven’s speed to deal with counter-attacks and you can hear a crescendo of noise in the Tottenham stadium every time Van de Ven uses his pace to come to the rescue. He’s already a popular boy.
It’s no coincidence that Tottenham’s winning percentage drops when he’s not in the team.
Alongside World Cup winner Cristian Romero, he was the one who set the standard in his debut season. As a young player, I was also noted for my pace. But I knew there was no point in being known as fast if I didn’t use it the right way.
Micky van de Ven has quickly become a Spurs fan favorite since joining the club.
The Dutchman uses his blistering pace to good effect in Ange Postecoglou’s defense
When you’re facing fast forwards, like Van de Ven against Newcastle today, including Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon, it’s the change of pace that can unlock you.
Since he often gets to the ball first when his opponents play him in the channel, I haven’t seen him exposed too often in one-on-one situations, where the attacker charges at you, stops, then comes out of the blocks. Let’s see how he does today.
There are some areas where Van de Ven can improve. I think he could be more authoritarian on crosses, with Tottenham collectively not being the best at defending on set pieces.
He must also be vigilant every time the goalkeeper misses a shot. Against Forest last week, their goal came when he didn’t close down Neco Williams as quickly as he could have, allowing the untracked Anthony Elanga to latch on to the pass before help Chris Wood.
It all depends on his learning. He’s only 22, almost 23, and his sweep reminds me of an old defender who Forest fans loved, singing: “You’ll never beat Des Walker.” By 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 desperately need to win to maintain their chances of securing some form of European football.
