"Top drawer" – Jamie O'Hara says Tottenham duo "walk" into Real Madrid's team
da prosport bet： Tottenham opened their Champions League account for the campaign with a 1-0 win over La Liga side Villarreal in north London on Tuesday night, with a calamitous own goal from goalkeeper Luiz Junior gifting Thomas Frank’s side a precious three points.
da realsbet： It was a tight, cagey affair, and Villarreal had chances of their own to level, including a late free-kick in a dangerous area, but former Arsenal flop Nicolas Pepe blazed it over the bar.
Tottenham vs Villarreal – best performers on the night
Match Rating
Micky van de Ven
7.4
Djed Spence
7.3
Rodrigo Bentancur
7.3
Mohammed Kudus
7.2
Santiago Mourino
7.1
via WhoScored
Pape Sarr also forced a low, outstretched save from Luiz on 30 minutes to keep the score at 1-0, and that’s how it stayed, with there being precious few highlights from the fairly uneventful victory — not that Frank is complaining too much as Spurs make it four wins from five in all competitions.
Midfielder Lucas Bergvall also continued his fine start to the season with a Man of the Match display against Villarreal, outshining the likes of Xavi Simons and Mohammed Kudus in what was another excellent performance.
It’s been an excellent start to life under the Dane, but Tottenham’s restructured boardroom – headed by CEO Vinai Vinkatesham and minus ex-chair Daniel Levy – will bear in mind that Ange Postecoglou made the best start by any other manager in Premier League history when he first joined the club in 2023.
However, with the form on display by some of his key men, especially defensively, the early signs are extremely promising.
Frank’s side have conceded just three goals in six games this season, including the UEFA Super Cup final, with Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero proving imperious at the back for Tottenham.
Jamie O'Hara says Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero "walk" into Real Madrid
Speaking on talkSPORT, pundit Jamie O’Hara has claimed that Romero and van de Ven are the best centre-back partnership in the world right now, going on to claim that both of them stroll into Xabi Alonso’s Real Madrid side.
The duo have been vital for Frank since he took over from Postecoglou, and the numbers speak for themselves.
Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero shining for Tottenham
Van de Ven complements Romero by offering strong aerial ability, searing pace and consistency in clearances and interceptions.
The Dutchman’s clean-sheet rate when fit and his ability to handle one-on-one duels have become key for Spurs. Romero, meanwhile, brings aggression, leadership, and experience, especially in big games.
In Postecoglou’s final season, they featured in 18 matches together, during which Tottenham conceded just 20 goals.
Together, what van de Ven lacks in experience, Romero makes up for with leadership and composure; and while the latter’s aggressive defending sometimes invites risk, the former helps cover for him. Their strengths balance each other out, and it is clear that the pair remaining fit will be crucial to Tottenham’s prospects this season.