So, when sitting across the former Tottenham player we asked the obvious question; “had you been smoking something funny that day?”. He hadn’t, and O’Hara came out swinging.
“He's not far off it, is he? He's top class. He's still got things to learn but I don't think it helps that he’s got Romero alongside him. I bet when he plays with Van Dijk on international duty, he's even better. He's having to get him out of the hole all the time and sometimes he does get done.”
Speaking to Tribalfootball on behalf of Grosvenor Sport, O’Hara believes Van de Ven has a big future lying in wait.
“Let me tell you now, he will be at Real Madrid. That's where I think he's going. He’ll go for close to £100 million, he's that good of a football player. He's got everything. The attributes that he's got are top class. His sprinting ability, his travelling with the ball. Defensively, he's sound, he gets you out of trouble.
“He can get twisted up, but every centre-half can get twisted up. I've seen John Terry get twisted up loads of times. He's in a team where Ange (Postecoglu, ed.) wants to fly all over the place and play exciting football. If he plays in a really solid team like Liverpool or Real Madrid, let me tell you, mate, he's world class,” explains a convincingly sounding O’Hara who is less in awe of Cristian Romero.
“He's been really poor this season. He's actually been letting the team down. He just goes running off. I know he's aggressive and I know he wants to go and press and win the ball, but he runs into midfield and gets caught. That just leaves us wide open and there's been three or four goals already this season that have been his fault,” believes O’Hara who, it has to be said, has previously stood up for the Argentinian.
“I love what he's about. He's a brilliant football player but sometimes you've got to just be solid. Stand next to your centre-half, win the ball when it comes into your area and then play. Even against West Ham, winning the game 4-1, he's goes and tries to tackle the right wing. Just protect your goal.”
Still no plan B from Ange
Staying on the subject of Tottenham players, the talkSPORT host came down with some harsh criticism of Brennan Johnson. For now, though, it seems the Welsh winger has turned a corner with seven goals to his name already.
“If you include international football, he's really stepped up the plate. All of a sudden, he looks like a player that can go, right, left, like someone who’ going to nick us a goal. Someone we can rely on him to start every week,” O’Hara admits while still expecting more to come.
“He was taking a lot of stick and some of it was probably unjust. But when you sign someone for £50 million, you expect more. I loved him at Nottingham Forest. He was direct, made things happen, he was confident. I know it's a different story playing for Spurs, you're playing for a big club, in a big stadium. He's a young lad and it can be difficult, but you've got to step up and do your business,” O’Hara continues, comparing Johnson to a former Spurs winger.
“Aaron Lennon would make something happen in every game. That’s was I expect from Brennan Johnson and just watch him now. He's like, “give me the ball because I want to score”. That's what confidence can do, because the talent's there, and now all of a sudden, he's got the confidence.”
Tottenham are on four wins after the first eight games of the season with goals galore in most of them. They turned their game against West Ham on it's head after once again falling behind, so has Ange Postecoglu developed a plan B which he was scrutinized for not having last season?
“Not really, no. If you watch them play, it's very much the same tactics every week. He got it right against West Ham. We were poor in the first half, went in 1-1 af half-time and he made a positive change to go and win the game. My issue with Ange is when we're winning the game and you want to see a game out. When we need a goal and need something to happen. Tactically, Ange is brilliant.
“When we were 2-0 up against Brighton, and we lose the game, that, for me, is where Ange needs to be better. His tactics needs to be better. He needs to know when to adapt and when to get tucked in. We've got to bring in another midfielder or another centre-half, go five at the back and see a game out. Tell the boys; right, down the channels, win free kicks, play ugly. But the players need to take responsibility as well. The Brighton game was a disgrace from them. A disgrace."