Tottenham: Graham Roberts wowed what he saw ‘superb’ Micky van de Ven do v Crystal Palace
Tottenham supporters will wonder where they might be in the Premier League had Micky van de Ven not been forced to spend such a lengthy time on the treatment table this season.
Ange Postecoglou’s side returned to winning ways with a 3-1 victory over Crystal Palace at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday 2 March.
Spurs supporters were left frustrated for large parts of the afternoon as their side dominated possession but struggled to break down a stubborn Palace rearguard.
Despite having just 21 per cent of the ball and registering only one shot on target, it was the visitors who took the lead against the run of play.
Eberechi Eze’s wonderful second-half free-kick put Palace ahead and justified why Spurs are interested in signing the 25-year-old despite the £30 million-plus they will be required to pay in personal terms, as exclusively revealed by Tottenham News.
However, just as they have done on five occasions in the Premier League this season, Tottenham came from behind, scoring three goals in the final 13 minutes of normal time to win the match and keep themselves within touching distance of Aston Villa and the Premier League’s top four.
Palace looked to play on the break and sent multiple long balls forward throughout the afternoon, but the Eagles couldn’t find a way around van de Ven’s pace, the Dutch defender consistently getting the better of Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta.
The 22-year-old went down clutching his ankle in the opening exchanges and while a collective breath would have been drawn inside the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, it was quickly released as the centre-back returned to the field and put in a top defensive display.
Ex-Spurs player Graham Roberts was full of praise for the former Wolfsburg man after the final whistle, writing via his official X account (2 March), “And well done Micky (van de Ven) you were superb.”
Micky van de Ven continues to prove he was a bargain at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
In a day and age where fees for footballers are through the roof, with some of the astronomical figures paid simply ridiculous, van de Ven’s pricetag is looking more and more like a bargain with each passing game.
Tottenham paid an initial fee of £34.5million to bring the defender from Germany to the Premier League in a deal which includes £8.5million in potential add-ons (Sky Sports News, 8 August 2023).
Even if Spurs are required to pay all of those add-ons, which they most likely will be based on van de Ven’s performances, they will still feel as if they robbed Wolfsburg, especially considering the speedy defender is still only 22.
Roberts’ assessment of the Spurs man’s “superb” display against Palace was an understatement, if anything.
Van de Ven had very little defensive work to do but was more or less flawless in everything that he did.
As per Sofascore, he made one clearance and three tackles, while he also won eight of his nine ground duels. He saw plenty of the ball as Spurs dominated possession, making 113 touches and only giving it away on seven occasions.
His ability with the ball at his feet continues to shine through as he completed 94 per cent of his passes and played two accurate long balls forward from the three which he attempted, while also completing 100 per cent of his dribbles.
After being forced to spend a couple of months on the sidelines as a result of the hamstring injury he picked up in the 4-1 defeat against Chelsea on Monday 6 November, van de Ven looks to be making up for lost time.
He has picked up where he left off and continues to prove why he is the perfect defender for Postecoglou.
As per fbref, he sits in the top one per cent of his positional peers in England’s top flight this season for his pass completion rate (95.2 per cent per 90) and the number of passes he has blocked (0.06 per 90).
In addition, he ranks in the top eight per cent for the number of successful take-ons he has made (0.61 per 90) and the top 11 per cent for the number of tackles he has made in the attacking third (0.18 per 90).
If van de Ven continues in this form, he might help Spurs make a return to the UEFA Champions League, and had he been fit all season, who knows where the North London side might have ended up.
In other Tottenham news, one 69 per cent Spurs player proved Postecoglou right after an “awful” moment against Crystal Palace.
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