In simple terms, Guglielmo Vicario had one hell of a game. Without the Italian’s all-action display, Tottenham could have suffered a heavy loss, as Monaco peppered the goal with threats from players like Ansu Fati and Takumi Minamino. Was Monaco poor, or was Guglielmo on fire? To be blunt, that’s simply academic.
In the UEFA Champions League group stage match on Wednesday, Tottenham Hotspur played out a hard-fought 0-0 draw away at AS Monaco. Monaco dominated possession and created numerous chances, but Tottenham’s resilience, which was largely anchored by goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario secured a valuable point.
Questions will be asked about the Spurs attack
This result helped Spurs avoid defeat in a game where they struggled offensively, managing few meaningful threats of their own.
Questions need to be asked about the quality of our attack.
Whatever one might think of Vicario, his shot-stopping was exceptional, frustrating Monaco’s attackers and silencing recent critics of his form. In, particular, earned praise from manager Thomas Frank for being “exceptional” and was the clear standout in a Tottenham side that leaned heavily on his heroics to stay unbeaten.
First Half Magic: The Vicar produced two close-range stops against Folarin Balogun, including a crucial denial in a one-on-one after Maghnes Akliouche sliced through Tottenham’s defence, and a remarkable, sharp low save just before half-time.
Second Half Magic: Tipped over a long-range effort from substitute Aleksandr Golovin in the 68th minute, then immediately followed up with a frankly stunning point-blank save on Jordan Tezé’s header.
What does the future hold for the Vicar?
Without Vicario’s all-action display, Tottenham could have suffered a heavy loss, as Monaco peppered the goal with threats from players like Ansu Fati and Takumi Minamino. Post-match, Vicario reflected on the clean sheet as a team effort but acknowledged the pressure, crediting his focus under fire.
Recently, Vicario has drawn plenty of ire from fans in recent weeks, as the initial publicity the club afforded him slowly but surely wore off to a point where it felt like there was a fair amount of heat on him.
Is this a fresh start on the horizon?
Fingers crossed!
