Tottenham captain Micky van de Ven has admitted that Spurs were below the required standard in their defeat to Aston Villa, describing parts of the performance as unacceptable.
The 25-year-old defender pointed to the opening goal as a key moment, with Tottenham temporarily reduced to 10 men while he received treatment for a cut under his eye. During his absence, Johan Manzambi’s effort took a deflection before finding the back of the net.
Van de Ven told TNT Sports that Tottenham had been the better side in the opening half, creating several opportunities and playing with confidence. However, he felt the second-half display dropped significantly and criticised the manner in which his side conceded.
The defender said he wanted to review the match before making a detailed assessment, but acknowledged that certain aspects of Spurs’ performance simply could not be accepted. He also urged the squad to remain positive during the international break and return ready to work harder.
Tottenham eventually found the net twice late in the game, scoring their first Premier League goals of the season and briefly raising hopes of a comeback. However, Villa held on to secure a 3-2 victory, leaving Spurs with three defeats this season and second from bottom of the table.
Roberto De Zerbi was particularly frustrated by the opening goal. The Tottenham boss admitted his side had controlled much of the first half but questioned how they managed to concede just a minute after being reduced to 10 men.
De Zerbi explained that he moved Rodrigo Bentancur into central defence while Mateus Fernandes dropped into midfield during Van de Ven’s absence. In his view, a team should be capable of defending for a minute with 10 men, especially if it expects to survive longer periods with a player sent off.
The Spurs manager was also frustrated after Mohammed Kudus had a goal ruled out for offside before Villa scored following a long goal kick and another long ball. He suggested fatigue may have played a part but insisted the defending was not good enough.
De Zerbi revealed that Tottenham had specifically prepared for Villa’s direct approach, noting that Unai Emery’s side have significantly increased their use of long balls compared with last season. The issue had reportedly been discussed repeatedly by the coaching staff before the match.
The defeat also reminded De Zerbi of Spurs’ earlier loss to Newcastle United, where they started strongly but gradually lost control of the game. The Italian accepted responsibility for the latest setback and insisted he would not avoid taking the blame.
He also stressed that Tottenham must learn how to remain organised when they cannot dominate possession or constantly attack in the final third. Against quality opposition, he said, Spurs must be prepared to defend compactly, communicate better and rely on their senior players to lead the team through difficult periods.
