Six minutes into the second half at Craven Cottage, Tottenham Hotspur had a free kick in their own half.
Spurs went in at the break 2-0 down at Fulham. Harry Wilson bagged his ninth league goal of the season to put the Cottagers in front. The in-form Welshman then turned provider for Alex Iwobi to double Fulham’s advantage.
It was another disappointing half for Tottenham in their bid to beat the drop. Their season was summed up in a microcosm as Guglielmo Vicario pushed Radu Dragusin upfield to take said set-piece. Rather than pick out a teammate, the Italian thumped the ball out of play for a Fulham goal kick. The effort received – we assume – a sarcastic round of applause from head coach Igor Tudor.
The moment not only encapsulated Tottenham’s campaign, it effectively summed up the sort of season Vicario is enduring. The Italian worked his way into supporters’ good books when he initially signed from Empoli in 2023.
In this article, we’ll cover:
Once a fan favourite
“If I had no pen or anything, I would have signed in blood, cutting myself and signing with my own blood,” the Italy international said in an exclusive interview with the Guardian in 2024.
At the time, Vicario was one of the club’s fan favourites. The shotstopping quality was rarely called into question.
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Vicario had a knack of pulling off the impossible saves. The issue, though, stems from his distribution. A goalkeeper must be effective with the ball at his feet in the modern game. He needs to, at times, act as an 11th outfielder and not panic when opponents press. Vicario is anything but calm with his kicking, be it under pressure or otherwise.
This wasn’t such an issue under Ange Postecoglou. Tottenham routinely dominated teams with the Australian at the helm, so much so that Vicario would find an easy pass to one of the centre-backs, or the full-backs. This season, though, this shortcoming to his game has been magnified. A 30.67% long ball pass accuracy is among the worst of Premier League goalkeepers this season.
Distribution issues a worry
It’s also a dip from last season (38.73%), though Vicario is also attempted far more long passes per 90 minutes in 2025-26 (16.1) than he was last (6.0). A dip in accuracy shouldn’t come as a shock then. However, Vicario has seen only a minor increase in passes attempted per 90 (35, up from 31.5).
Evidently, he’s been forced to tailor his game in order to accommodate a change in playing style. Spurs are all the worse for it. They sacrifice possession too easily now. The free-kick against Fulham was just one example of his poor distribution when not under pressure.
Opponents who opt to close Vicario down force the former Empoli man to panic. With no outlet, it’s another way to force a turnover in possession. In the first half against Fulham, Vicario thumped the ball out for a throw-in when closed down. What’s an issue, though, is that no outfielder seems prepared to take responsibility to receive a pass from the goalkeeper.
Concerning lack of leaders
This is proving a major concern for Tottenham. With the club mired in a relegation battle, Spurs need their leaders to step up. Worryingly, Vicario is part of the club’s leadership group.
Yet despite the evident issues that come with persisting with Vicario, previous head coach Thomas Frank stuck by the goalkeeper. He’s started both games under Tudor, and looked as hapless as ever. Against Arsenal, he completed two of 23 attempted long passes.
In the loss at Fulham, he completed two of 15. Only twice has a goalkeeper – Alphonse Areola and Senne Lammens – completed fewer in a Premier League match (both one) of those to have attempted at least 15 in a top-flight clash this season. Something – anything – has to change.
Time for Kinsky?
It’s all the more concerning when Antonin Kinsky is watching on from the sidelines. The Czech youngster is renowned for impressing with the ball at his feet. Kinsky hardly covered himself in glory in cup meetings with Doncaster Rovers and, in particular, Newcastle United, but then when was the last time Vicario put in a top-tier performance?
Kinsky at least knows how to routinely pick out a teammate, and this superior distribution would go a long way to boosting Tottenham’s bid to beat the drop. Spurs wouldn’t find themselves on the backfoot quite so frequently with a goalkeeper who doesn’t flap under the slightest bit of pressure from an opponent. It would reduce the number of turnovers and increase the chances of dominating a team.
Tudor has a big call to make for Thursday’s game against Crystal Palace. Tottenham were fortunate in that Nottingham Forest, Leeds United and West Ham United all lost at the weekend. Spurs round off the midweek round of fixtures, so could either be four points or one above the bottom three come Thursday. If Vicario lines up between the sticks, however, then it could prove another long 90 minutes for the Europa League holders.
