Jamie O’Hara gets into a heated debate with former Liverpool strike Dean Saunders over how good one Tottenham Hotspur star is.
Micky van de Ven was an unknown quantity to most Premier League fans when he made the switch to Tottenham last year, but less than 18 months later, the Dutchman is widely viewed as one of the best centre-backs going around.
The 23-year-old is undeniably the fastest player in the division, having clocked a top speed of 37.38 km/h last season, which is a new PL record (Sky Sports).
The Netherlands international has also shown an ability to drive forward with the ball and create goals this season while his ability to read danger is also impressive for someone so young.
O’Hara has no doubts that Van de Ven is ‘world-class’ and believes that the Tottenham man would walk into both Liverpool’s and Man City’s backline.
However, Saunders dismissed the former Spurs man’s point, insisting that the former Wolfsburg man has to be consistent for an extended period of time before he can be compared to the best defenders in the world.
Here is the transcript of the conversation that took place between the pair on talkSPORT:
Jamie O’Hara: “I think Van de Ven is a world-class player.”
Dean Saunders: “Van de Ven? He has had one season playing in the high line. World class? Van de Ven?”
Jamie O’Hara: “Van de Ven is world-class.”
Dean Saunders: “He ain’t getting in Manchester City’s team. He is not getting in Liverpool’s.”
Jamie O’Hara: “What are you talking about? He would walk straight into Manchester City’s team. He walks into it. I think Van de Ven is a world-class player.”
Dean Saunders: “Van de Ven? He has had one season playing in the high line. World-class? Van de Ven?”
Jamie O’Hara: “Van de Ven is world-class.”
Dean Saunders: “He ain’t getting in Manchester City’s team. He is not getting in Liverpool’s.”
Jamie O’Hara: “What are you talking about? He would walk straight into Manchester City’s team. He walks into it.”
Dean Saunders: “No chance.”
Jamie O’Hara: “He walks into any team.”
Dean Saunders: “He needs to show for a couple of years yet that he can keep playing in the Premier League at that level without making mistakes. No mistakes. Top players don’t make mistakes.”
Jamie O’Hara: “Of course, they do.”
Dean Saunders: “Van Dijk hardly makes a mistake. He does now and again, but not as many as others. And that’s why he is Van Dijk. Konate doesn’t make that many mistakes. Man City’s centre-backs.”
While Saunders’s point about Van de Ven having to prove himself for an extended period is a fair one, we have already seen enough evidence that he is one of the best centre-backs in the world in a high line.
His recovery pace makes him a cheat code while defending in a high line as no forward is going to win a foot race with him.
The one thing that can stop Van de Ven from realising his potential and becoming one of the best in the world is his fitness, with the defender’s hamstring recurring issues being a matter of concern.
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