Micky van de Ven did not hold back after Tottenham were knocked out of the FA Cup by Aston Villa, calling on his team-mates to show the right attitude from the first minute rather than only after going behind.
Spurs were dumped out of the competition as Villa ended Thomas Frank’s side’s cup hopes, leaving the defender frustrated with how the team started the tie and how long it took for them to respond.
Van de Ven made his feelings clear in a blunt post-match message, insisting the standards have to be higher when it comes to energy and commitment.
“We shouldn’t be bringing this passion only when we are behind,” he said, pointing to a recurring issue where the team’s urgency rises only once they have given themselves a problem to fix.
The Netherlands international stressed that Spurs cannot keep relying on late bursts of intensity, adding that the group must find that edge earlier and maintain it throughout games if they are to get the results they want.
Tottenham’s FA Cup exit is another setback in a season that has already tested the squad’s consistency, and Van de Ven’s comments underlined the level of honesty inside the dressing room.
With the cup run now over, Spurs must quickly move on, but the defender’s message was clear: the passion has to be there before they fall behind, not after.
