🚨 Micky van de Ven has reportedly criticised a struggling Tottenham teammate, as frustrated fans call for him to be dropped.
Van de Ven reportedly takes aim at a struggling Tottenham teammate as fans call for changes
Tottenham captain Micky van de Ven admitted Spurs were far below the required level during their defeat to Aston Villa, describing parts of the performance as unacceptable.
The 25-year-old centre-back explained that conceding while Tottenham were temporarily down to 10 men made the situation even more difficult. Van de Ven had briefly left the pitch to receive treatment for a cut under his eye when Villa found the breakthrough.
Speaking to TNT Sports, Van de Ven said Tottenham were excellent during the opening half, creating several opportunities, but their second-half performance dropped significantly. He criticised the manner in which they conceded and admitted that some aspects of the display simply cannot continue.
Although Spurs finally scored their first Premier League goals of the season with two late strikes, they couldn’t complete the comeback. The defeat was their third of the campaign and leaves them second from bottom, with the possibility of dropping to last if Fulham avoid defeat against Manchester United.
The result increases the pressure on Roberto De Zerbi heading into the international break.
De Zerbi was especially frustrated by Villa’s opening goal. He acknowledged Tottenham had dominated much of the first half but said his main concern was allowing Villa to score during the brief period when Spurs had only 10 players on the pitch.
According to De Zerbi, Tottenham should have communicated better, stayed compact and defended with greater discipline.
He explained that while Van de Ven was receiving treatment, Rodrigo Bentancur dropped into central defence and Mateus Fernandes moved into midfield. De Zerbi argued that if a team can survive being a man down for 40, 60 or 70 minutes, it should certainly be capable of handling just one minute with 10 players.
The Spurs boss was also frustrated after Mohammed Kudus had a goal ruled out for offside before Villa scored following a long goal kick and a long ball. He questioned whether fatigue played a role but insisted the concession was unacceptable.
De Zerbi revealed that Tottenham had specifically prepared for Villa’s direct approach, noting that the team had discussed Villa’s increased use of long balls during several meetings before the match.
The defeat also reminded De Zerbi of the previous loss to Newcastle United, when Spurs started strongly before losing control later in the game. He accepted responsibility for the result and said he would not avoid taking the blame.
De Zerbi stressed that Tottenham must learn how to handle matches when they cannot dominate possession or constantly attack in the final third. He described Villa as a quality team and insisted that whenever Spurs are forced to defend, they must remain compact, organised and led by their experienced players.
