Player Watch Player Watch: Micky van de Ven

[Ginola+Tonic]

Mbeumo cone off with a knock for Brentford today so might be doubtful for next weekend, even more reason to chuck VDV straight in they’re missing their starting forward line hopefully.

 

[DSpurs]

Mbeumo cone off with a knock for Brentford today so might be doubtful for next weekend, even more reason to chuck VDV straight in they’re missing their starting forward line hopefully.

Only a friendly, but Brentford looked poor today. Pretty toothless against Lille. Lille the much better team.

 

[Teddy Klinsmann]

Only a friendly, but Brentford looked poor today. Pretty toothless against Lille. Lille the much better team.

I’ll remember this when we’re 3 down after 32 mins next Sunday

 

[DSpurs]

I’ll remember this when we’re 3 down after 32 mins next Sunday

Yeah apologies. This can only come back to haunt me!

 

[Ginola+Tonic]

Only a friendly, but Brentford looked poor today. Pretty toothless against Lille. Lille the much better team.

Yeah I’ve also been reading their new goalie is looking suspect too.
What could possibly go wrong

 

[Reece_Spurs]

Unless he's not match fit, which he should be considering he's played most of the pre season games, you absolutely have to start him against Brentford.

Trial by fire and all that. Much better than our current options.

 

[ToDarrenIsToDo]

Does anyone else get Michael Dawson vibes when watching his clips?

Seems like a defender that puts his body on the line for it. Get a feeling he'll be more like Daws than Jan

 

[fishhhandaricecake]

Does anyone else get Michael Dawson vibes when watching his clips?

Seems like a defender that puts his body on the line for it. Get a feeling he'll be more like Daws than Jan

Na Jan vibes

 

[JacoZA]

Na Jan vibes

No disrespect to Dawson, but I'd rather get Jan vibes, to be honest.

 

[pvg]

From the clips I was surprised by how often he seems to not be on his feet at the end of tackles. Did anybody else notice this too?

Clips tend to only highlight good play so he seems like a master at this kind of tackle, but I wonder if he’s been burned a few times too by this.

I’d be very surprised if he’s in the starting line-up for Brentford. New signings are usually not thrown right in.

 

[Real_madyidd]

Does anyone else get Michael Dawson vibes when watching his clips?

Seems like a defender that puts his body on the line for it. Get a feeling he'll be more like Daws than Jan

Happy with either. Daws was brilliant. Silly grin on his face whilst living the dream.

 

[spursfan77]

Mbeumo cone off with a knock for Brentford today so might be doubtful for next weekend, even more reason to chuck VDV straight in they’re missing their starting forward line hopefully.

That would be pretty useful for us. About Mbeumo, I've said before I wouldnt have minded us taking a look at signing him. He's a bit inconsistent but a good player.

The central defence will probably be Romero and Dier against Brentford, so I dont think we've much to lose throwing him in at the deep end.

 

[Real_madyidd]

That would be pretty useful for us. About Mbeumo, I've said before I wouldnt have minded us taking a look at signing him. He's a bit inconsistent but a good player.

The central defence will probably be Romero and Dier against Brentford, so I dont think we've much to lose throwing him in at the deep end.

I think he needs a little more time to work on communication and patterns with the team. Could cost us short term points throwing him in. Brentford will be well organised but we should have enough to beat them.

 

[kitchen]

No disrespect to Dawson, but I'd rather get Jan vibes, to be honest.

Dawson with searing pace wouldn't be a bad player at all to be fair (albeit not on Jan's level)

...Not that vdv reminds me of either player particularly

 

[PhezTHFC]

Happy with either. Daws was brilliant. Silly grin on his face whilst living the dream.

Daws managed us the other week in a charity match. Fantastic guy. He was meant to play but did his hammy in soccer aid.

Still had that cheesy grin on him all day though. Top Bloke, picked one of the lads up who has terminal cancer and spent the full day with him. Was an amazing thing for him to do and then drove him back.

 

[Johnny J]

Been watching some highlights and this guy looks perfect for a high line. He's so quick that even when the forward is just going past him and thinks they're clear, he catches up and nicks the ball away.

Obviously he's not the finished product, but I'm sure he has a high ceiling and will learn quickly in the PL.

Does go to ground a lot, though.

 

[TheChosenOne]

Been watching some highlights and this guy looks perfect for a high line. He's so quick that even when the forward is just going past him and thinks they're clear, he catches up and nicks the ball away.

Obviously he's not the finished product, but I'm sure he has a high ceiling and will learn quickly in the PL.

Does go to ground a lot, though.

I shall call him Meercat Van Den Ven

 

[Majick]

That is not strictly true.

Scoring more goals than your opponent wins games, and determines where you finish. Admittedly most fans only focus on scoring goals, but I think you will find that most league winners are also among the best in conceding the fewest goals.

For the record:

22-23: Manchester City had the best GD by 16, were top scorers with 94, and had the joint best defence of 33 conceded, alongside Newcastle
21-22: City had the best GD by 5, were top scorers with 99 and had the joint best defence, with Liverpool, of 26 conceded.
20-21: City had the best GD by 25, were top scorers with 83 and had the best defence, with 32 conceded.
19-20: Liverpool had the second best GD of 52 (City had 67 and were top scorers with 102 to Liverpool's 85) and the best defence with 33 conceded.
18:19: City had the best GD by 5, were top scorers with 95 and had the second best defence, 23 conceded to Liverpool's 22.
17-18: City had the best GD by 33(!), were top scorers with 106 and had the best defence with 27 conceded (Man Utd had 28)
16-17: Chelsea had the second best GD of 52, second top scorers with 85 and the second best defence of 33 conceded (does anyone need telling who was first in all 3 with 60 GD, 86 scored and 26 conceded?)
15-16: Leicester had the second best GD of 34, third best goals scored with 68 and second best defence of 36, level with Arsenal (again, we had the best GD of 34 and joint best defence of 35 with Man Utd)
14-15: Chelsea had the second best GD of 41 and goals scored with 73 (City had 45 GD and 83 scored) and the best defence with 33
13-14: City had the best GD by 14, most goals scored with 102 and the second best defence with 37 (Chelsea had 27)

So, there's only once in the last decade where the champions weren't among the top 2 scorers (Leicester) and every champion in that time has had, at worst, the second best goal difference.

I appreciate it's not exactly revelatory that champions are typically good at scoring and defending, but I found it interesting that quite often they weren't the outright best... albeit that City over the last 3 seasons have been the best at both.

 

[mark87]

 

[mark87]

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