Andy Townsend has suggested that there are similarities between Micky van de Ven and William Saliba, admitting that he is in awe of the Tottenham centre-back’s pace and power.
Van de Ven completed a clean sweep of all of Tottenham’s Player of the Season awards, which is no mean feat, considering that he was coming into the Premier League with just one season of regular Bundesliga football under his belt.
The 23-year-old’s reputation has blossomed over the last 12 months, with the Dutchman not only becoming one of Spurs’ most important players but also being widely recognised as one of the best central defenders in the Premier League.
Van de Ven served another example of why that is the case against Everton on Saturday, with the defender delivering a masterclass at the back alongside Cristian Romero as the Toffees struggled to create any chances in open play.
The former Wolfsburg man also showcased his raw pace, carrying the ball nearly the whole length of the pitch in the 77th minute before setting up Son Heung-min for Tottenham’s fourth goal of the game.
Like many pundits, Townsend was blown away by Van de Ven’s run, labelling the Spurs star an ‘exceptional talent’.
The former Chelsea midfielder told talkSPORT: “I like Micky van de Ven, I think he’s an exceptional talent. Again, he’s one of these breeds of modern centre-halves – a bit like William Saliba – who are so quick and so powerful.
“When he bursts forward, as he did for Son’s goal, he ran about 60 yards like a 100-metre sprinter, straight through the middle of the field. His pace is incredible.”
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One can understand why Townsend is comparing the Spurs and the Arsenal centre-halves, with both Saliba and Van de Ven not just being very good defenders but also exceptional athletes.
No striker would enjoy coming up against those kinds of defenders.
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