Tottenham may have found an unexpected advantage within their defensive ranks, as one centre-back proves his versatility.
Cristian Romero is regarded as one of the best defenders in world football by many of his peers, but the Argentine centre-back is not the only one with immense quality at the back for Spurs.
Defensive partner Micky van de Ven is equally a top centre-back and one of the most composed in the Premier League, and it is no surprise Tottenham already boast one of the strongest defensive records this season.
Keeping their defensive stalwarts fit will be Tottenham’s main priority, but van de Ven is adding another feather to his cap while on international break, showing versatility that could prove valuable for Thomas Frank later in the campaign.
Micky van de Ven earns solid ratings for Netherlands vs Finland
Van de Ven is primarily a centre-back for Tottenham, but with the Netherlands, he has been deployed as a left-back under Ronald Koeman.
He recently earned solid ratings from the Dutch media following a strong performance in the Netherlands’ 4-0 victory over Finland.
VoetbalPrimeur rated his display 6/10, noting how he played within himself but remained defensively sharp, writing: “Not a particularly impressive performance from Van de Ven, who abandoned his trademark rushes. Defensively, his speed rarely gets him into trouble. Fortunately, there’s no speed camera in the Johan Cruijff Arena.”
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Meanwhile, Football Oranje handed him a 6.5 and remarked: “Strong but unremarkable performance again from the left back, who was comfortable throughout.”
Van de Ven’s versatility could benefit Tottenham
Van de Ven is known for his immense pace, which often helps him recover quickly and deal with defensive threats.
However, his injury record could make it difficult for Tottenham to deploy him as an overlapping full-back who frequently joins the attack and defence, as that role could risk aggravating his hamstring issues.
Even so, van de Ven could provide a solution to Thomas Frank’s full-back depth concerns. Djed Spence and Destiny Udogie currently vie for the left-back spot, while Pedro Porro is unchallenged on the right.