Micky van de Ven Out Until After International Break, Confirms Tottenham’s Postecoglou

Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou announced on Friday that defender Micky van de Ven will be sidelined due to a hamstring strain and will not return until after the November international break. This injury comes as Spurs prepare to face Aston Villa, who currently sit fourth in the Premier League, five points ahead of Tottenham, who are in eighth place with 13 points.

Van de Ven sustained the injury during Tottenham's midweek League Cup victory over Manchester City, leaving the match distressed in the 14th minute. Postecoglou addressed the situation, saying, “Micky is the main one. He has strained a hamstring, but it is not too serious. However, he will probably be unavailable until after the international break.” The manager noted the player’s disappointment, stating he was eager to participate in the upcoming match.

The 23-year-old is expected to miss some time, but the international break provides an additional two weeks for recovery. Van de Ven's absence is significant, particularly as he previously missed six weeks last season due to a hamstring injury. Postecoglou reassured fans that this current injury is “certainly not one of the bad ones like last time,” which is a positive sign for his recovery.

Looking ahead, the Dutch national team will host Hungary on November 16 and travel to Bosnia three days later in the Nations League Group A3, where they currently sit second, trailing Germany by five points.

In terms of other injuries, Postecoglou mentioned that Cristian Romero and Timo Werner are still questionable for the weekend's match, but there is hope they may be fit to play. He also provided an update on Son Heung-Min, who has returned to training after missing four matches. "Sonny trained today, and if he gets through tomorrow, he should be okay,” he added.

As Tottenham seeks to regain momentum in the league following their recent 1-0 loss to Crystal Palace, Postecoglou reflected on the team's performance against Manchester City. He addressed the ongoing criticism of Tottenham being labeled ‘Spursy’ and acknowledged that such comments are likely to persist until the team can consistently prove otherwise.

Postecoglou expressed confidence in his squad, stating that the victory over City was a strong performance against a formidable opponent, requiring a significant physical effort. He stressed the importance of focusing on their goals and continuing to improve.

The upcoming match against Aston Villa represents a crucial opportunity for Spurs to narrow the gap with a team also vying for Champions League qualification. “It will be a good test for us,” Postecoglou remarked, highlighting the competitive nature of the fixture. He also playfully noted that he hopes it will be a “miserable birthday” for Villa manager Unai Emery, who turns 53 on the day of the match.

With key players dealing with injuries, Tottenham will need to rally and put forth a strong performance to overcome the challenges ahead and stay competitive in the league.