Tottenham’s unsung hero deserves a lot more praise

By Rucker Haringey | Feb 1, 2018

LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 07: Jan Vertonghen of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates scoring the third Tottenham goal during The Emirates FA Cup Third Round match between Tottenham Hotspur and AFC Wimbledon at Wembley Stadium on January 7, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images) /

Jan Vertonghen has emerged as a Tottenham star

Most Tottenham fans credit Mauricio Pochettino and Toby Alderweireld for changing the club’s defensive culture. While those two certainly have been hugely influential, it’s time that Jan Vertonghen gets more credit for how much he’s improved.

In the aftermath of Spurs’ 2-0 thrashing of Manchester United, scores of Spurs fans are calling Christian Eriksen the squad’s most underrated player. While the Dane is an irreplaceable part of Pochettino’s attack, it’s Vertonghen that is the club’s most underrated star.

First off, we must acknowledge the fact that being able to play is a skill. Vertonghen currently leads the club with 25 appearances on the 2017-18 Premier League campaign. The classy Belgian has started each match as well.

It’s not just that he’s managed to appear in each match. His play has been magnificent. He currently rates fifth on the club with a Whoscored.com player rating average of 7.20. That’s an outstanding rating for a central defender who isn’t scoring loads of goals. For the record, he has zero goals during Premier League play this season.

More from Tottenham Hotspur

Of course, Vertonghen’s value isn’t about offense. It’s the defensive work he does in front of keeper Hugo Lloris that really stands out. Time and time again he’s found a way to snuff out an opposition attack just before it enters a dangerous area. His ability to tackle a skilled opponent without fouling is a thing of beauty.

Vertonghen isn’t the biggest or fastest defender, but he might be the Premier League’s best combination of the two. He manages to grapple with physical attackers while also being able to stay a step ahead of England’s quickest players. Some of that comes down to his mental preparation, but a lot has to be attributed to his God-given ability.

The cruel irony is that Vertonghen’s brilliance will be further clouded when his countryman returns to the starting XI. Alderweireld’s impending return to the starting XI will be rightly celebrated by Spurs fans around the world. I can only hope that fans give Vertonghen his due as well. He is every bit as important to Pochettino’s defense as Alderweireld.

Next: Tottenham have one useless player and it's not Moussa Sissoko

Jan Vertonghen will never get the headlines that his high-profile teammates enjoy, but that isn’t fair. He’s arguably been Tottenham’s best player this season. Spurs fans should take a moment to give Super Jan the credit he truly deserves.

Home/Tottenham Hotspur