Why Jan Vertonghen Has Been the Unsung Hero for Tottenham so Far This Season
A genuinely unsung performer is a rare beast in modern football. What with so many different people discussing the sport's in-form players via an ever-growing number of outlets.
So far as Tottenham Hotspur have been concerned so far this season, there has been a quiet efficiency about Jan Vertonghen's work since late-August that just about warrants him being recognised as their undervalued hero (or performer if you feel "hero" is an exaggeration).
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"Just about" because the role of his centre-back partnership with Toby Alderweireld in improving Tottenham's defence is starting to attract more attention. But up until the recent international break, it has been the precociousness of Dele Alli, the confirmed versatility of Eric Dier and the impressive introduction made by Heung-Min Son that have led more immediately drawn plaudits.
Vertonghen just gets the nod ahead of his fellow Belgium international Alderweireld too on the basis of what his form means in the context of Spurs' recent defensive history.
In their first nine league games (where Vertonghen has been a constant selection) they have conceded just seven times. At the same stage last season they had let 13 in.
Vertonghen was one of four central defenders being rotated regularly as head coach Mauricio Pochettino got to know his recently inherited squad. The process naturally did not aid consistency and several sloppy, disorganised showings were the result.
Spurs' defence would enjoy better periods later in the campaign, particularly when the duo of Vertonghen and Federico Fazio was finally settled on. No-one was playing so well they would have felt entirely safe, though. What feels different now to any point in 2014-15 is that the Belgian feels indispensable to Pochettino's team.
The 28-year-old's talent has never been in doubt. His timing in the tackle, relative elegance on the ball and comfort driving his side forward have been more than apparent since his 2012 arrival in north London. But having been a main man in Ajax's Eredivisie-winning sides of the preceding two years, he has taken time becoming a more prominent component at Spurs.
Early on, the bigger personality of William Gallas and the White Hart Lane mainstay Michael Dawson understandably trumped him in terms of seniority. Filling in at left-back also delayed him establishing himself centrally.
Having subsequently got through last season's travails too, Vertonghen seems to be responding to the trust placed in him. He appears to firmly understand this is his defence now. As a vice-captain and senior player in a young group he has greater responsibility for the team's well-being.
Summertime cobwebs still lingering in the opening month were soon shaken off. Since then he and Alderweireld have come to an understanding of how their balance should work. One that is reflected in their key defensive statistics.
Per WhoScored.com, Vertonghen has 2.1 tackles and 2.7 interceptions per game to Alderweireld's 0.8 and 1.8 respectively. Although in part a reflection of him just being busier down his left side in some matches, it also emphasises the former's assertiveness.
The 4-1 win over Manchester City was a good example of Vertonghen taking the lead. Whether being put under pressure in the penalty area or closed down further away from goal, he did not shy from going in first or looking to move the ball on positively. Confident Alderweireld and others were ready to cover.
All this has not meant Spurs are impervious to their opponents' attacking efforts. They were scrambling to keep out a quick-starting Liverpool early on this past weekend's 0-0. Prior to the international break, Andre Ayew's opener in the 2-2 draw with Swansea City might have been dealt with better across the back line.
Yet, the defence's improvement since the start of the campaign, and last season too, is definitely encouraging for the team's prospects.
Vertonghen deserves credit for the way he is marshaling these efforts. Taking charge as much as he can, his fellow defenders have generally followed suit by taking greater responsibility for their own actions (again, see the Man City victory for how well full-backs Ben Davies and Kyle Walker did here too).
It is easy to gravitate towards the more obvious storylines when evaluating form and performances at this time of year.
An overseas recruit like Son getting off to a bang, Dier excelling in the thick of things in his new role. Alli was already catching the eye in his first top-flight season before the 19-year-old's England call-up threw him properly into the spotlight.
All three of those players continuing to do well will only benefit Tottenham. But the defence behind them maintaining, maybe even improving on its current levels can sustain them through the slog of the year in a way that could be the difference between this being a decent team and one capable of fulfilling its lofty ambitions.
Vertonghen has led the Spurs back four to this point of potential progression. If he can take them even further it will not be long before he has earned his place as one of the division's most talked-about defenders.
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