Spurs made an incredible 4-1 comeback victory over Aston Villa in their recent league fixture on Sunday at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium but Guglielmo Vicario has come under criticism for his role in the opening goal.
Following the Lilywhites’ convincing win, former Chelsea manager Frank Lampard identified goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario as a potential weakness in the Spurs XI.
Analysing the game, Lampard pinpointed Vicario’s handling during set-piece situations as an area for improvement, especially in high-pressure moments.
One key moment was Villa’s opening goal by Morgan Rogers in the first half. Lampard observed that Vicario, while a skilled shot-stopper, appeared unsettled when crowded by Villa attackers during this play.
The Italian keeper’s positioning seemed compromised as he lost balance in the chaos around the goal, and although he made an initial save, it fell into Rogers’ path for an easy tap-in.
Lampard on Guglielmo Vicario
Lampard claimed that improving Vicario’s decision-making in crowded situations would strengthen Tottenham’s defensive structure.
Speaking post-game on Sky Sports, the former English midfielder commented (quotes via Tribuna):
“I just felt the goalkeeper allowed himself to be so unbalanced through the movement of it. He will understand that he will be getting it in every game now. People are going to get in your way, so Tottenham, it’s certainly a weakness that they haven’t quite put right.
“Vicario, not the most dominant of goalkeepers. Doesn’t come off his line. It’s a flat delivery to the near post, Spurs don’t deal with it. Vicario getting involved with Rogers on the line, distracted by him. Does make a decent save but Rogers has the simplest of tasks, tapping in from two yards.”
Vicario continues to be targetted from corners. (Photo by Aston Villa/Aston Villa FC via Getty Images)
This isn’t the first instance Vicario’s aerial decision-making has come under scrutiny. Known for his quick reflexes and consistency on the line, Vicario can sometimes hesitate when it comes to coming off his line in busy penalty-box moments.
He was responsible for several goals conceded in a similar manner last season, notably against Everton, with Jack Harrison using similar tactics to put Vicario off from the corner.
Though he has largely shown himself a dependable replacement for Hugo Lloris, Lampard’s assessment suggests that further development in this area could prevent avoidable goals in tightly contested matches.
Since joining Spurs last year, the 27-year-old goalkeeper has made an impressive impact, becoming a strong presence and reliable leader in the box.
His shot-stopping ability and leadership traits has garnered praise from teammates and fans, particularly in key moments that have contributed to Tottenham’s positive results. He has even been included in the leadership group by manager Ange Postecoglou earlier in the season.
However, it is important for him to improve this side of the keeping as opponents will no doubt continue to target him as Lampard rightly pointed so.