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Tottenham Hotspur’s Micky van de Ven has now opened up on his goal target for the season after hitting six so far.

Tottenham Hotspur’s Micky van de Ven has developed a new habit under Thomas Frank, and that is his ability to find the back of the net.

The Spurs boss revealed earlier this season that he wants Micky van de Ven to score more goals, particularly from set pieces, and in recent weeks, that has been on show.

Van de Ven scored twice from corners against Everton in the Premier League, but in the Champions League tie against Copenhagen, the Dutchman took it up a notch, scoring a wonderful solo goal as he beat his man from defence to attack before finishing smartly.

Micky van de Ven opens up on Tottenham goal target

That goal has now taken Van de Ven’s tally to six for the season, the most of any Tottenham player, and he has now opened up on his target.

Speaking to football.london, Van de Ven, who played as a striker when he was a youngster, reflected on his unexpected scoring run.

The Dutchman, who had not scored in his previous campaign, was asked if he was now targeting 20 goals like a forward would.

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“No, six goals is a lot already to be honest!” said the Dutchman. “I do not know where it is going to end, but hopefully I can score more goals this season.”

He went on to describe his solo goal against Copenhagen, explaining the thought process behind it.

“Today I got the ball in my own box, I saw the gap opening every time in front of me when I started dribbling.

“At one point I thought some players were around me and I came through and I saw the way was open to the goal so I was like ‘ok I keep going now I need to finish this’,” he said. “At that point, I was saying ‘I need to score this one’. Luckily, it happened.

“The one against Everton with the assist, there were some defenders in front of me. When I was past these defenders [this time], the route was all the way open. Then I was like ‘now I need to go myself’.”

Thomas Frank delighted with Van de Ven’s progress at Spurs

Frank is best pleased with the Dutchman following his recent strike, despite their little altercation in the game against Chelsea, where Van de Ven looked to have snubbed him.

The Dane was quick to compare his pacy centre-back to Lionel Messi following his incredible solo run, which shows just how impressive it was.

Van de Ven has often had fitness issues since arriving at Tottenham, but he has been a near-ever-present so far this season. With such an emphasis on set-pieces in the Premier League this season, there is no reason why the centre-back can’t add more goals to his tally and even aim for double figures.

Micky van de Ven has now addressed the controversial snubbing of Spurs boss Thomas Frank that followed Tottenham Hotspur’s defeat to Chelsea.

Tottenham Hotspur suffered yet another disappointing defeat at the hands of their London rivals, Chelsea, last weekend, leaving them with one win in their last 18 games against the Blues.

It was a result that left everyone associated with Tottenham frustrated, from the fans in the stands to the players on the pitch. The mood around the camp was understandably tense, and emotions spilt over at full-time.

In the aftermath of the match, defenders Micky van de Ven and Djed Spence appeared to snub Tottenham boss Thomas Frank as they headed straight for the tunnel without acknowledging him, a moment that quickly went viral across social media and drew mixed reactions from Spurs supporters.

Micky van de Ven breaks silence on Thomas Frank snub at Tottenham

Speaking to football.london, Micky van de Ven has now addressed the controversial incident that followed Tottenham’s defeat to Chelsea, making it clear that the reaction to the footage was blown out of proportion by the media.

“Of course, it is the past, so I do not want to make it bigger than it is. Djed and I walked off, we were just frustrated after the game, and everything got really exploded by the media; it was nothing big, to be honest. Everyone thinks it was the gaffer; there was nothing to do with the gaffer.

“We were just frustrated after the game because of a bad performance from myself as well. We want to play well, and I did not play well in my opinion, so I was just frustrated, and I just wanted to go quickly inside. As I said, it got exploded by the media out of nowhere.”

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Frank moves on as Van de Ven delivers on the pitch

Thomas Frank later confirmed that both players had spoken to him privately about the incident, revealing that the matter was quickly resolved behind closed doors and that he would always stand by his players when emotions run high.

All seems to have been forgotten, as Frank once again named Van de Ven in his starting XI for Tottenham’s Champions League tie against Copenhagen.

The Dutchman repaid his manager’s faith by scoring Tottenham’s third goal of the night with a powerful solo effort that took his tally to six for the season, making him Spurs’ top scorer so far.

Xavi Simons has now revealed exactly what he told Micky van de Ven in the Tottenham dressing room after the Dutchman’s incredible solo goal.

The feel-good factor is back in N17 following Tottenham Hotspur’s recent Champions League victory over Danish champions Copenhagen.

Spurs produced one of their most complete performances of the campaign, running out 4-0 winners under the lights at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

That result has lifted Thomas Frank’s side into the automatic qualification spots, a much-needed boost given that they face defending champions Paris Saint-Germain next in the group phase.

The tie had everything – four goals, a red card, and one stunning solo effort from Micky van de Ven that had the entire stadium on its feet.

Now, Xavi Simons has revealed exactly what he told his Dutch teammate after that remarkable goal.

Xavi Simons reveals conversation with Micky van de Ven before Tottenham goal

Speaking to the official Tottenham Hotspur channel, Xavi Simons lifted the lid on what was said in the dressing room after Van de Ven’s memorable run and finish.

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The midfielder jokingly admitted that he would have been fuming if Van de Ven had ignored his run and also missed the shot.

He said: “Honestly, in the dressing room I told him I would kill you if I was [the guy making a run to his right when Van de Ven chose to shoot]… But if he’s to miss this one, I’d kill him definitely. But yeah, obviously everyone knows how fast this guy is.

“He doesn’t look that fast, but on the pitch when you’re next to him, he’s just crazy. Happy for him that he had his goal and the three points.”

Simons on life in the Premier League

Xavi Simons also spoke about his experiences since arriving in England, reflecting on the demands of the Premier League and how it compares to other competitions he has played in.

The 22-year-old has had to adapt quickly to the physicality and pace of English football, but he remains determined to keep improving.

He added, “With no disrespect to other leagues, obviously Premier League is Premier League, but the leagues I’ve played, the teammates I’ve played with, are high quality.

“And what I said, I have played as well with the national team in the international way, and I know what you have to do at this level to bring this.

“Obviously, you want to perform always, but in life, not everything goes how you want always. But I always keep working hard to try to give my 100% and help the team.”

Tottenham Hotspur fans had plenty to celebrate on Tuesday night as Xavi Simons scooped his first Man of the Match award in a Spurs shirt.

Tuesday night was a really positive one for Tottenham Hotspur, who put four goals past Copenhagen at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

It was Spurs’ best attacking display of the season, as it marked the most goals they have scored in a single match so far.

It is no surprise, however, that when Tottenham played front-foot football, one of the stars of the match was Xavi Simons, who deservedly received the player of the match award.

Tottenham fans praise Xavi Simons after Copenhagen win

Simons was impressive against Copenhagen, grabbing an assist for Brennan Johnson’s strike while also creating a handful of big chances.

His performance against the Danish side was arguably his best since joining Tottenham, and fans were quick to share their delight online.

Taking to social media platform X, one fan said: “Much deserved!!! Should’ve had 4 assists, tactical sub with the red and fresh to cook United this weekend.”

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Another commented: “I did think it would have been for Micky, but Xavi was immense today! Unfortunately, his game had to end early, but it seems he may have finally found his feet and confidence. Looking forward to seeing how he continues.”

One supporter opined: “Well deserved. Just should not have been the one to make way on the hour – not the way to build confidence when having one of his best games 🤦🤷.”

Another stated: “Went from being written off by a load of stupid fans to being MOTM two days later. What a player.”

The praise kept coming, with a fan adding: “Man played 60 mins and still got man of the match… he was a goat tonight.”

A final supporter remarked: “I said in another post that VDV should have got POTM, but Xavi was also impressive and will only get better! Great result and performance last night! Very happy! COYS Bring on the Manure next! Another VDV solo run goal.”

Xavi Simons finds form as Spurs look ahead

Xavi Simons is no doubt a player with immense potential, but since his move to Tottenham, his quality has often been difficult to see.

Tuesday’s encounter, however, offered a glimpse of what he can truly bring to the side, as Spurs fans finally witnessed the quality of their £51 million signing, who looked to dictate play from the middle while constantly breaking the lines with progressive passes.

He was heavily criticised for his display against Chelsea at the weekend, where he was subbed off despite having only come on after seven minutes in the first half.

His response to that performance was emphatic, as he delivered one of his best games yet in a Spurs shirt.

Tottenham Hotspur recorded a 4-0 victory against Copenhagen, and it continues a pattern of European results when Spurs play at home.

Spirits were low around Tottenham Hotspur after a diabolical display during the 1-0 defeat to Chelsea. It was yet another defeat at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, causing Spurs supporters to reminisce about the old White Hart Lane.

Indeed, Tottenham have the fourth-worst home record in the Premier League this season, gathering a measly four points from five matches. In contrast, there is no better team away from home than Spurs in the English top flight.

However, it is a different story for Thomas Frank’s team in Europe. Tottenham have failed to win their two matches on the road, but have successfully defeated Villarreal and Copenhagen at home.

Tottenham keep winning at home in Europe

This pattern of home victories outside of domestic football is nothing new for Spurs, who have a surprisingly good record on their own turf.

According to StatMuse, Tottenham have won 17 of their past 22 matches in Europe, keeping 12 clean sheets in the process. Their goal difference across these fixtures is plus 47, which means they win each match by 2.14 goals on average.

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While this statistic is impressive, it includes results from the Europa League and even goes as far back as when Spurs were playing in the Conference League four years ago.

Spurs must bring this winning form into the Premier League

Plenty has been said about the often underwhelming atmosphere at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, but professional footballers on bumper salaries should be able to show up and perform regardless of this.

Tottenham’s home record in England is truly abysmal, and it needs to change quickly if the North London club are to aim for a top-five finish.

The sooner this is done, the better, because in-form Manchester United will be the next team to visit the home of Spurs.

Tottenham Hotspur fans will love what Thomas Frank said about Micky van de Ven after the centre-back’s brilliant solo goal against Copenhagen.

Once every few years, a player scores an unbelievably audacious goal that becomes a ‘I was there’ moment for supporters.

The sensational solo goal by Heung-min Son against Burnley, which won the Puskas Award in 2020, was one such moment, and Van de Ven produced something very similar against Copenhagen.

The centre-back picked up the ball at the edge of his own box and ran past almost the entire Copenhagen team before calmly slotting the ball into the back of the net.

Thomas Frank jokes Micky van de Ven can continue ignoring him after Tottenham goal

This goal from the Dutchman came just a few days after a controversial incident, which saw Van de Ven and Djed Spence snub Thomas Frank after Tottenham’s loss to Chelsea.

Speaking after his side’s win 4-0 over Copenhagen, the Spurs boss joked that the 24-year-old can continue to ignore him when he is unhappy if it means he is going to produce special moments like the one on Tuesday.

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When asked if Van de Ven’s goal was the best he had ever seen from a defender, Frank said (via Football.London): “I definitely need to think a little bit about that. But it seems like we had Lionel Messi turned into Micky van de Ven, roaring down from his own goal all the way to the other end and scored a fantastic goal.

“I think he’s our top scorer in all competitions, so he can keep going. He can keep walking past me if he’s angry after a game!”

Van de Ven and Djed Spence have apologised to Frank

Speaking ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League clash, Frank revealed that Spence and Van de Ven apologised to him unprompted following the snub.

The Tottenham boss praised the pair and suggested that their decision to apologise shows that they care about the team and the club.

However, it is fair to say that what Van de Ven produced against Copenhagen is the best kind of apology that the Dane could have asked for.

Tottenham Hotspur have found their spark again in Europe, but one moment from Micky van de Ven stole the headlines, leaving rival fans stunned across social media.

Tottenham Hotspur returned to winning ways in their midweek Champions League tie against Copenhagen.

Four goals and a clean sheet are impressive for Thomas Frank’s side, who have been under growing pressure following a spell of inconsistent results this season.

However, the pick of the bunch came from Micky van de Ven, whose solo wonder strike saw the Dutchman glide past almost the entire Copenhagen team.

Starting deep in his own half, the defender powered through the midfield, brushing aside challenges before coolly slotting beyond the Danish goalkeeper.

It was a goal that mirrored Heung-min Son’s Puskas-winning strike a few years back against Burnley, when the Korean winger weaved through several Burnley players from his own half before finishing with class.

Rival fans react to Micky van de Ven goal for Tottenham

Rival fans have now given their reaction to Van de Ven’s effort, with many left stunned by the defender’s attacking instincts.

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Taking to X, several supporters shared their thoughts. One fan exclaimed: “Is that Gareth Bale?” while another asked: “A centre-back dribbling and moving at that pace – is he capable of playing further up the pitch?”

Another fan added: “Sometimes I feel like this dude could be a winger, his attacking play is incredible.” One more stated: “Why do Spurs always get defenders that turn into super strikers? Gareth Bale vibes.”

A final user compared him to one of football’s greats, writing: “Bro turned into Messi for a moment.”

Van de Ven’s goal adds to his growing influence for Spurs

It might be too early, but that strike is already a serious contender for the Puskas Award this year.

Micky van de Ven has always been known for his electric pace, but this season, he appears to have elevated his game to another level.

The centre-back has now added goals to his repertoire, netting six times in all competitions for Spurs, making him the club’s highest scorer this season.

His ability to surge from deep and finish so convincingly is rare for a defender, and it gives Tottenham an unpredictable edge going forward.

If Spurs can keep him fit, he could well prove to be a genuine difference maker in both boxes, as his mix of athleticism and composure continues to shine under Frank’s system.

After Tottenham’s thumping win over Copenhagen in the Champions League, Thomas Frank has reacted to Jamie Carragher’s criticism of his side.

Ahead of yesterday’s clash, Frank was under immense pressure, and based on the meltdown on social media, one would not have guessed that Tottenham were sitting fifth in the Premier League table and were unbeaten in the Champions League.

The Tottenham boss acknowledged that his side’s performance against Chelsea was not good enough, admitting it was one of the poorest attacking displays he has presided over across his managerial career.

However, Frank rallied against suggestions that he was a defensive coach and insisted that the Spurs would score goals when they click, and that is exactly what happened against Copenhagen.

Jamie Carragher slated Tottenham and Joao Palhinha in particular on Monday Night Football last week, with his comments including:

“A big problem for Thomas Frank and other managers who make that jump from a smaller team in the Premier League to one of the big boys, especially when they are seen as a pragmatic coach, is actually bringing the football to these teams.

“You might look at that result and think there’s not a lot wrong, but when you watch the game at the weekend, that was like watching a League Two team against a Premier League team in the FA Cup.

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“When you look at the stats, there was a huge contrast with the ball, and that is the biggest challenge for any coach making that jump from one of the teams in the bottom half of the Premier League to one of the big boys.”

Thomas Frank takes aim at Jamie Carragher after Tottenham criticism

When Carragher’s comments about Tottenham after their loss to Chelsea were put to the 52-year-old, he remarked that it is far easier for pundits to criticise from the outside.

Frank insisted that the important thing was for his side to bounce back from Saturday’s performance, praising the response of his players against Copenhagen.

When the Spurs boss was told that Carragher had said Tottenham lacked courage, confidence and ability against Chelsea, he responded (via Football.London): “Yeah, I didn’t see his comments. So not too much to say to that. The pundits are pundits. They need to say something about the games. I’ve been a pundit myself sometimes. Put it this way, I know it’s easier to be that than stand down there.

“I saw a good performance today, which I’m happy with. We talk a lot about bounce-back mentality, because in life and football, there will be setbacks. Every team will experience that. And it’s how we react to that to come out after a bad game or a bad spell and come back to it. That’s part of a good team. I’m very happy with the response the players came up with today.”

Frank explains why Spurs deserve credit for thumping Copenhagen

Some will feel that Tottenham only beat a relatively minnow, and point to the fact that Spurs were massive favourites against Copenhagen anyway.

However, Frank insisted that the Danish side are a well-organised outfit and confidently asserted that not many sides in the Champions League will beat them as comprehensively as his team did.

The 52-year-old added: “I think we controlled the game from minute one to the end, more or less. There was, of course, a little bit about the red card and making the side that should not be a problem.

“And then we won a very good win in the Champions League. And it’s never easy. I know Copenhagen hadn’t had a good start, but I just know they are, in general, very difficult to play against. And I’m pretty sure we’ll not see them lose 4-0 again in the Champions League.”

There was a lot of quality on display as Tottenham Hotspur obliterated Copenhagen, despite being reduced to 10 men.

Tottenham Hotspur returned to winning ways in the Champions League, comfortably brushing aside the champions of Denmark. It was a strong all-round performance, with Spurs looking dangerous in attack and easily maintaining a clean sheet.

Here are the three winners and losers from Tottenham’s emphatic 4-0 victory over Copenhagen.

Xavi Simons ran the show for Tottenham

No player created more big chances than Xavi Simons on Tuesday night. The 22-year-old was a threat from very early on until he was taken off after 60 minutes.

Simons’ standout moment was his assist for Brennan Johnson’s goal. He played a stunning ball over the top, which caused the Copenhagen goalkeeper to leave his area and attempt to make a challenge, allowing the Welshman to score into an empty net.

It was the midfield’s best showing since moving to Tottenham, and he was unlucky to be subbed off as early into the game as he was.

Micky van de Ven scores yet again

Spurs supporters have already been left stunned by the goalscoring ability of Luka Vuskovic, the Tottenham defender on loan at Hamburg.

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However, it seems the club already had a centre-back capable of scoring goals for fun in Micky van de Ven, who already has a mindblowing six goals in all competitions this season.

The Dutchman’s latest is likely the best goal he will ever score, as he took the ball through most of Copenhagen’s team and finished the move with a well-placed strike.

van de Ven’s run began on the edge of his penalty box, yet he was able to dribble the length of the pitch without needing any support. It is about time pundits begin recognising him for what he is – one of the best defenders in Europe.

Destiny Udogie played well for Tottenham

Life has not been easy for Destiny Udogie, who seems to pick up an injury every time he gets into some good form.

Worse still, it has been revealed that the Italian was allegedly threatened at gunpoint by a football agent last month.

Despite this, he returned to the starting lineup and had a solid game for Tottenham, winning all his ground duels and playing plenty of balls into the final third. Right now, it feels like Udogie has the edge over Djed Spence at left-back when he is fully fit.

Now, let’s take a look at the three losers from Tottenham 4-0 Copenhagen…

Brennan Johnson is suspended after his red card

Brennan Johnson scored his fourth goal of the season against Copenhagen, showing he is a bigger threat than Mohammed Kudus in front of goal.

However, the Welshman was sent off for a completely unnecessary challenge. Although there is room for debate about whether it was worthy of a red card, he did leave the ground with his studs raised.

Tottenham looked a much better side after this incident and doubled their lead, which is not great for a player who is often criticised for his lack of contributions across a 90-minute match.

As a result of his red card, Johnson is now suspended. This will allow Wilson Odobert to build on his performance against Copenhagen, as he also made the scoresheet. The France U21 international appears to be above Johnson in the pecking order at the moment, and the sending off will only strengthen his standing in the Tottenham first-team squad.

Richarlison failed to hit the target

Randal Kolo Muani looked incompetent in front of goal in the first half, but he warmed into the game and earned himself an assist.

Richarlison only played around 20 minutes, but this was enough time to miss two big chances, including a penalty which had been won by Dane Scarlett.

The Brazilian did strike the woodwork twice, but this is not good enough if he wants to reclaim his place as a regular name in the starting lineup. Winning one of six ground duels is also a bit concerning.

Jamie Carragher was wrong to criticise Joao Palhinha

Jamie Carragher slammed Joao Palhinha for being unable to break lines with his passes following Tottenham’s 1-0 defeat to Chelsea.

The Liverpool legend was highly disrespectful in his comments, claiming there is a reason no Premier League club wanted to sign Palhinha and why he was not starting at Bayern.

Fast forward a day, and the Portuguese midfielder came off the bench and scored his fourth goal of the season for Tottenham. If he played for Liverpool, Carragher would probably be raving about how great he is.

Xavi Simons has been off the pace at Tottenham Hotspur, but he delivered his best performance to date in a Spurs shirt on Tuesday night.

Tottenham Hotspur are back in business with a convincing victory in the Champions League, after two frustrating draws away from home in the competition.

Xavi Simons was one of many Spurs players to impress against Copenhagen and he recorded a superb assist for the opening goal.

Unfortunately the midfielder was substituted on the hour mark to make way for Joao Palhinha, in a tactical switch after Brennan Johnson was sent off.

Xavi Simons created lots of Tottenham chances against Copenhagen

Despite Simons’ exit half an hour before the referee blew his final whistle, the 22-year-old impressed with his ability to create chances.

Squawka revealed that no player has created more big chances in a single Champions League game than Simons, who provided three significant opportunities for his teammates to score.

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The Dutchman made 20 passes into the final third and created four chances on top of the three big chances he crafted.

Simons contributed in defence too, winning three of his five duels and making two tackles during the match.

Simons must build on this performance for Spurs

There has already been a Simons performance which looked like the turning point for the ex-RB Leipzig star. That of course was the 2-1 victory over Leeds United, when he looked very much at home in the attacking midfield role.

However, Simons’ displays since have generally been quite poor and he was subbed off against Chelsea last weekend, despite not even starting the game.

If Simons is to make a success of himself at Tottenham, he needs to build up a consistent run of performances.