Thomas Frank has revealed what he told one Tottenham Hotspur star when he walked through the door in the summer, and the Spurs boss is delighted that the player has responded in the right manner.
Despite having nine first-team players out injured, Tottenham emerged with a comfortable away win from Everton, scoring three goals and managing yet another clean sheet.
That means that Spurs now have the best away record across the Premier League and are the only team to have not lost on the road.
Spurs also boast of the joint second-best defensive record across the division, having conceded just seven goals across nine outings so far.
Thomas Frank makes an admission about Micky van de Ven’s improvement at Tottenham
The Lilywhites not only have Micky van de Ven to thank for helping them keep a clean sheet, but he was also the hero at the other end of the pitch, heading home from two corner-kicks.
That means that the Dutchman has already scored five goals this season, and Frank has now revealed what he told the 24-year-old before the start of the campaign.
When asked about Van de Ven’s contribution in front of the goal, Frank said (via the club’s official website): “First and foremost, I think he’s really growing and taking some big steps. I’m very pleased with him overall. I think he’s taking more leadership. I think he’s defending better and better, not only using his pace but also in more clever positions. I’m very happy with that.
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“And then I said, actually at the beginning of the season, I said, it’s okay you score with your left foot and your right foot, but you need to score more goals with your head.
“We have worked with it and that’s a big praise to Micky, but especially to Andreas and the way he, how can you say, attack the ball, also get in there where it hurts, I think is key. Now, yeah, hopefully it will continue.”
Spurs have shown they have more defensive depth than many thought
Several pundits have said that Tottenham may struggle defensively if they do not keep Van de Ven and Romero fit throughout the season.
However, Kevin Danso has delivered three excellent performances in the absence of Romero and has shown that he is reliable whenever called upon.