Matthew Upson praised Micky van de Ven for the performance he delivered in his first North London derby.
Going into the big clash on Sunday, there was a question mark on how the Tottenham players would deal with the pressure of the occasion and the atmosphere at the Emirates as this was the first taste of the fixture for many on the Spurs side.
In addition, the Lilywhites had quite a young team out on the park, with the likes of Van de Ven, Destiny Udogie, Pape Matar Sarr and Brennan Johnson not having much experience to call upon.
As expected, some of them made a nervy start to the game but all of them grew into the encounter and came out of it with flying colours.
LONDON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 24: Ange Postecoglou, Manager of Tottenham Hotspur, looks on during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Tottenham Hotspur at Emirates Stadium on September 24, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
Micky Van de Ven stood out for Spurs vs Arsenal
The man who arguably impressed the most among the NLD debutants was Van de Ven, with the Dutchman proving a composed presence at the back and showing maturity beyond his years.
There was one particular tackle that he made on Eddie Nketiah in the first half that Upson was left mightily impressed by.
The former West Ham man told BBC Sport about Van de Ven’s challenge: “Great tackle, really impressed with that. Confident, decisive, goes to ground [Micky] Van de Ven but wins the ball cleanly. Really good challenge.”
Spurs Web Opinion
We have absolutely struck gold with Van de Ven. The 22-year-old looked completely unfazed and his decision-making was faultless even when he was put under pressure at various times on Sunday.
He actually looked like the more senior centre-back partner, which says a lot when one considers that Romero has not only played some big games for Spurs but also played in the finals of the World Cup and Copa America.
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