The Tottenham defender is the most valuable player at the club right now.
Tottenham Hotspur have had a difficult season with draws and losses along the campaign, leaving the Lilywhites battling relegation going into the final five games of the season.
Criticism has been a consistent part of this inconsistent season at Tottenham
The North Londoners have seen much criticism coming their way as a whole as well as severally to players, with each one of them being magnified for even the littlest of their mistakes. In a way it shows the state of Tottenham, as frustration around the club is no longer subtle, and that shows through on the pitch, and then it reflects in the comments off the pitch.
Now the fingers are pointing at Micky van de Ven.
Many Lilywhites supporters have been looking at Van de Ven as one of the more integral parts of the current roster. He has that elite recovery pace. And then he is also composed when he has the ball at his feet. The former Wolfsburg centre back in every way looks like a defender built for modern systems.
And even in the underwhelming campaign Tottenham are having, he has found a way to shine.
But let’s be honest, Van de Ven has not exactly been flawless. In fact, far from it. There have been moments where he has had lapses with his positioning, and there have also been moments of hesitation which put the team on the wrong end of things. There have also been situations time and again where he had to use his pace to bail him out.
Van de Ven footballing brain questioned
And now criticisms of the 25-year-old have taken another turn as Dean Saunders has questioned the “brain” of Spurs LCB, and these are kind of words that take your attention immediately.
Not because his words are too much in any sense, let’s be honest, it is part of the game-playing in England – but more because of how it has been framed.
There is a big difference between saying that a player needs to improve how he reads the game and then going on to insist that he lacks any sense of intelligence to play in the Premiership; suddenly, it gives a different layer to thinking around him.
And that is exactly what former Liverpool striker Dean Saunders insists when speaking about Micky van de Ven. He said (h/t Mirror):
“When speaking about Micky van de Ven, he is lightning quick, but I have played against defenders like him. I have played against the quickest centre-backs in the world, but it was never a problem for me. Being a top defender is all about your brain.
“It doesn’t matter being quick if you don’t have the brain. It helps you recover from mistakes, but you shouldn’t make those mistakes to start. I am just not sure if Van de Ven’s football brain is that good and if he can read the game. At this level, everything is about speed of thought.”
This feels a tad too much given how Van de Ven has been the better performer in this struggling Tottenham side. What do you make of Saunders’ comments? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.