The English Premier League is full of surprises, and the 2023–24 season has already witnessed a few. One of the biggest ones is Tottenham Hotspur, which leads the league table. Ange Postecoglou came to England after a successful term in Scotland with Celtic. Soon, he lost the best player and captain to Bayern Munich in the summer. This transfer broke a lot of hearts in North London, and everyone thought that Spurs would need some time to get back on track. However, things have been a bit different since their highest goal scorer left the club.
Ange Postecoglou’s men lead the league table and are undefeated in the Premier League 2023–24. Contributions in attack and defence have been the main reason behind their success. There was one important signing made in the defence. Dutch defender Micky van de Ven arrived from Germany to accompany World Cup winner Romero in the defence. Spurs spent around €50 million to bring the defender from Wolfsburg, and here are some of the stats that show how Van de Ven has settled in North London.
Strengthening the left side
Spurs were inconsistent in their defence and failed to create any defensive partnership in the last 3–4 seasons. Now, with a World Cup winner and an emerging defender in the squad, there are signs of stability.
Micky van de Ven plays as the left centre-back and wins a lot of ground duels. He has won 63% of defensive duels and 64% of loose ball duels in the Premier League 2023–24. The Dutchman doesn’t give away any silly fouls and shows his discipline on the field. His positioning has also allowed him to make 3.3 interceptions per 90 minutes.
The above pizza chart compares the player to other left centre-backs in the top five divisions. Micky van de Ven is not ranked that highly but has decent skills to pass the balls and dribble past opposition players in tight situations. The defender has attempted nine dribbles and completed each one of them.
Attacking contributions
Modern-day defenders are good with the ball at their feet. The 22-year-old Dutchman is at the top of his game. He averages 51.4 passes per 90 minutes and has a 94.9% accuracy rate. These include five passes to the final third and that too with a high accuracy rate of 85%.
The Dutchman netted his first goal for Spurs in a 1-0 win over Luton Town. He has taken five touches inside the penalty box and converted one shot.
Micky van de Ven has been one of the top defenders in the English Premier League 2023-24 and is contributing well to Tottenham Hotspur’s success. He will look to continue this form and justify his price tag.
Visuals via TFA data viz engine
