Micky van de Ven driving Tottenham’s pursuit of glory
Micky van de Ven has played an integral role in Tottenham Hotspur’s push to the traditional top four this season. He has become an important part of Ange Postecoglou’s side following his antics at the heart of the defence.
The Lilywhites signed the 22-year-old in a £34.5 million deal from Wolfsburg last summer. He has been an absolute Rolls-Royce with his physicality and speed in the defensive line for the Spurs. Partnering with Cristian Romero, the pair have looked top-notch in the ongoing campaign. Their presence has ensured Tottenham’s high line of defence work, and as for any breaches in the high line, the recovery speed of the Dutch international ensures it doesn’t do much damage.
He has had a few injury problems in his first season in England, having missed 12 games this season owing to hamstring problems. When injured, Tottenham felt his absence, which indicates his importance to the team.
Unveiling the secrets behind Tottenham’s defensive dynamo Micky van de Ven.
In a recent interview with The Guardian, Van de Ven was asked about his speed and the secret behind clocking such high average sprint speeds.
To add to the background of his speed, the former Wolfsburg defender clocked a 23.23mph sprint in Tottenham’s 3-2 home win over Brentford on January 31. This is the highest speed recorded by a Premier League player since such data started to be collected.
To put it into context, when Usain Bolt set the 100-meter world record in 2009, his average speed was 23.35mph.
Speaking to The Guardian, he credited his genetics, insisting that he would outsprint everyone when he was younger and used to be an attacker. You could see his high frame and moving at such speed despite that frame; it has to be a gift. Van de Ven says:
“It’s genetics. When I was younger, I was an attacker and I would outsprint everyone. Then there was a period where I had a dip. My height was going up fast and I had problems with my knees. I did some work on it and the speed came back, the control came back. But I think it was mostly genetics.”
More Tottenham Hotspurs News:
- Timo Werner makes decision on Tottenham Hotspur future as mixed loan spell nears its end
- “My brother”, “My boy”- Ange Postecoglou signings form connection as Micky van de Ven shares the love with Tottenham teammate on social media
- “Legend”, “God”- Pedro Porro and other Tottenham stars take part in game of describing Son Heung-min in one word
Tottenham fans would be hoping there is more to come from the Dutch defender, and they have found a mainstay in the defence for at least the next decade.
