Thomas Frank
Tottenham Hotspur finds itself in a challenging situation as captain Cristian Romero remains sidelined with a muscular injury. This development has placed increased importance on Dutch centre-back Micky van de Ven, who has been crucial in maintaining the team’s defensive stability. Despite concerns about van de Ven’s workload, Tottenham manager Thomas Frank has expressed confidence in the player’s fitness and readiness to handle the demands of the Premier League.
Thomas Frank said: “Yes but I think the big thing here is that we’re also building him. I think he himself has done a lot in terms of doing everything he can to recover in the best possible way. The way both he and we built him in the pre-season I think, was crucial and I also think he is in a top place, getting more and more robust. So we just need to be aware and do the right thing. Right now he’s in a very good place.”
Van de Ven, who joined Tottenham from Wolfsburg in the summer of 2023, has previously struggled with hamstring injuries due to his explosive sprinting power. However, Frank remains optimistic that the club’s medical team has successfully managed the defender’s fitness, allowing him to cope with the current fixture congestion. Van de Ven’s recent performances, including starting at left-back in Holland’s World Cup qualification victories against Malta and Finland, further demonstrate his readiness and adaptability.
Meanwhile, Frank is also hopeful that Tottenham’s Brazilian striker, Richarlison, will rediscover his scoring form against his former club, Everton. Richarlison began the season impressively with a brace against Burnley but has since experienced a goal drought, with his last goal coming in a 2-2 draw against Brighton five weeks ago.
Thomas Frank said: “Yes, hopefully. I think Richarlison started the season very well. I can’t remember a spell this long where he hadn’t had anything [injury related] so big praise to the medical and sports performance guys to put him in a very good place. Plus himself, because he’s been working hard on that and I always feel it’s on the individual player to do as much as possible to help with that.”
Frank emphasized the importance of support from Tottenham’s creative players to help Richarlison return to his goal-scoring ways. The manager believes that with the right assistance, Richarlison can regain his confidence and become a key figure in Tottenham’s attacking lineup once again.
As Tottenham navigates this challenging period without their captain, the contributions of players like van de Ven and Richarlison will be pivotal in maintaining the team’s competitive edge in the Premier League.
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