View: Ange surely sweating over 100% Tottenham ace after int'l announcement y'day

Ange Postecoglou will be concerned after Tottenham defender Micky van de Ven was withdrawn from the Netherlands national team.

It has not been the most positive start to Postecoglou’s second full season in charge of Tottenham.

After three Premier League matches the North London outfit have picked up just four points, with their most recent result a 2-1 defeat to Newcastle United at St James’ Park on Sunday (1 September).

Therefore, the Australian will need all of his players fit and firing after the international break, especially with Arsenal set to visit the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday 15 September.

However, it appears as though van de Ven is unlikely to be at 100 per cent for the North London derby.

The centre-back was absent from Spurs’ defeat to Newcastle as a result of injury.

As a result, the Netherlands national team announced via X on Sunday (1 September) that van de Ven had been replaced by Brighton’s Jan Paul van Hecke for the country’s upcoming Nations League fixtures against Bosnia and Germany.

According to BBC Sport (2 September), the withdrawal is believed to be precautionary, with van de Ven confident he will be back in time to face Arsenal.

However, while his withdrawal might simply be precautionary, the Netherlands’ decision to replace van de Ven suggests the injury is a bit more than just a knock.

Although he might be fit enough to play Arsenal, the 23-year-old would have been out of action for almost a month at that point, which means he might not be at his best for the visit of Spurs’ fiercest rivals.

That will come as a concern for Postecoglou, who needs van de Ven fit and firing if he wants to turn things around.

Ange Postecoglou will be sweating over Tottenham star Micky van de Ven

The Dutchman shone in his debut season, particularly on the ball, and has become a key player at Tottenham as a result.

As per fbref, Van de Ven ranked in the 95th percentile of his positional peers in England’s top flight for the number of take-ons he attempted (1.04 per 90) and the number of those take-ons which were successful (0.58 per 90) across the 2023/24 Premier League season.

His passing numbers were even more impressive as he ranked in the top two per cent for his pass completion rate (93.8 per cent per 90) and the 99th percentile for his completion rate over a long distance (79.8 per cent per 90).

He has continued that bright form in the two games he has played so far this season. During the 1-1 draw with Leicester City at the King Power Stadium on Monday 19 August, van de Ven won 100 per cent of his ground and aerial duels while making three clearances (Sofascore).

Meanwhile, during the 4-0 win against Everton at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday 24 August, the ex-Wolfsburg defender completed 93 per cent of his passes, with one of those key.

It is clear that van de Ven is crucial to the way Spurs play. As a result, Postecoglou will be hopeful that his star defender can make a speedy recovery over the next couple of weeks.

In other Tottenham news, a surprise claim has emerged after £20million-plus confirmed transfer business in North London.

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