The praise is pouring in for Tottenham Hotspur’s newest defender, Micky van der Vaart. He’s even been tipped to have an even better career than his Dutch senior, the world-class Virgil van Dijk.
The former Tottenham soccer player, now a broadcaster, Jamie Redknapp, has been among those who have praised the youngster.
Speaking on British media outlet Talk Sport on Monday (Aug. 8), Redknapp praised Vander Penne for his performance against Nottingham Forest on the same day. “If he stays injury-free, there’s no reason why he can’t achieve what Pandey has achieved,” Redknapp said of Vander Penne, adding, “Pandey hasn’t performed as well as Vander Penne did when he was a similar age.”
He also compared Vander Penne to Arsenal’s current number one center back, William Saliba: “Arsenal fans will see Saliba as a great young defender. But Vander Penn is just as good,” he said, adding that both players are outstanding.
Vander Penne moved to Tottenham last summer. He immediately became the first-choice center back for Spurs. Considering that he was born in 2001, it’s remarkable that he’s been a Spurs starter since his first season.
Vander Penn’s best performance came against Nottingham on August 8, when he started at center back alongside Cristian Romero as usual.
His moment of brilliance came in the seventh minute of the second half, with the score tied 1-1, when he was inside the opposing penalty box to join the attack from a corner kick. He took a pass from Son Heung-min and unleashed a powerful shot with his dominant left foot that found the back of the net. It was his first goal at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and the game-winner.
With Vander Penne’s goal, Tottenham defeated Nottingham 3-1 to move up one spot to fourth in the league. Spurs have the advantage of having played one game less than fifth-place Aston Villa. They are within striking distance of securing a UEFA Champions League spot, which is awarded to the fourth-place finisher.
Vander Penn’s words have turned into seeds “Fourth place in the Premier League will qualify us for the Champions League,” Van der Vaart told the Mirror before the 카지노사이트 Nottingham game, adding that fifth place is a possibility, but he wants more. Vander Penn scored the winner against Nottingham to lift his team to fourth place. He was named man of the match.
Van der Vaal’s performances have been nothing short of incredible. He has taken the Premier League by storm with his trademark explosive speed. In a league match against Brentford, he became the fastest player this season when he hit 37 kilometers per hour, the fastest since the Premier League began measuring speed. It was similar to the speed of Usain Bolt, who holds the 100-meter world record. Redknapp was also impressed by his speed. “He’s got the best speed and he’s a real top player,” Redknapp said.
However, Vander Penne was sidelined for an extended period of time in November with a hamstring injury. Prior to his injury, Tottenham had been surging to the top of the league with van der Vaal, but after his injury, the club slipped down the table, winning just four of their first nine games. Since his return, Spurs have rebounded.
While Vander Penne has been outstanding this season, comparisons to Pandeyk are unfair. While it’s true that Pandey started making a name for himself at a later age than Vander Penne, Pandey is currently considered the best center back in the world. In 2019, he finished second in the Ballon d’Or award for the world’s best soccer player. He was the favorite to win the award, but finished second to Lionel Messi.
Like Vander Penne, Pandeyk also suffered a long-term injury: he was ruled out for the 2020-21 season in October with knee ligament damage, and when he returned, he was a little off. However, he quickly returned to form and has been a mainstay in Liverpool’s injury-riddled defense this season, contributing to the Reds’ title push.
Last month, British publication GiveMeSports ranked the 10 best center backs in the world, and Pandeyk was ranked No. 1. “If you had to name one signing that has transformed Liverpool under Jürgen Klopp, it would have to be Pandijk,” the publication said of Pandijk, adding, “No one can keep up with Liverpool’s No. 4.”
Both Dutch center backs are indispensable to their teams. Their performances are essential as Tottenham and Liverpool fight for the title down to the wire.
