Tottenham Hotspur star center back Micky van de Ven has been so essential this season as the captain that every time he has not played in the Premier League this season, Spurs have surrendered three goals and been embarrassed defensively.
Whlie new center back signing Jan Paul van Hecke has been elite on the ball, which is exactly what Roberto De Zerbi envisioned from a man who is statistically the best passer in the Premier League right now, he has not been as steady defensively in every game.
Meanwhile, Van de Ven has been a model of consistency all of a sudden, perhaps the biggest benefactor of De Zerbi. And he is playing his best football next to Van Hecke, both for club and for country, which he reminded everyone on Thursday night.
Micky van de Ven had a solid game for the Netherlands
The Netherlands did not win, but Van de Ven was one of the top players on the pitch in the 1-1 draw with fellow European juggernauts Germany in the Nations League. Micky van de Ven led all Dutch players with four tackles while completing 92 percent of his passes and showing good ball progression on the left side of the formation.
Van de Ven is clearly not a left back, but he was rock solid even as Jan Paul van Hecke paired with Dutch legend Virgil van Dijk from Liverpool in the middle. And in the same set up for the Netherlands at hte summer's World Cup, Van de Ven was, once again, a success.
And you have to wonder if it would be better for Van de Ven to play at left back than, say, Andy Robertson whenever Destiny Udogie gets injured. Obviously, Van de Ven can't set up great crosses like Robbo, but he may not be a worse progressive option since he is more athletic. And it is so obvious that Van de Ven is ten times the defensive player, both looking at this great defensive performance against Germany but also in view of Robertson's inexcusable defensive errors, including last weekend in a 3-2 loss to Aston Villa.
It's some food for thought, at least, for Roberto De Zerbi to mull over, and it could bring someone like Marcos Senesi or Tosin Adarabioyo into the fold at centre back. Of course, if Spurs go in this direction, the regret for Luka Vuskovic won't subside, since he could have then started in central defense, too.
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