Tottenham right to call for ‘clarification’ after Guglielmo Vicario incidents – Spurs Expert
Tottenham are right to seek clarification from the PGMOL after recent decisions have gone against Guglielmo Vicario, according to ex-Spurs scout Bryan King.
Spurs claimed a big three points against Brighton at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday 10 February as Brennan Johnson stepped off the bench to score a late winner for the hosts in a 2-1 victory.
Guglielmo Vicario had a much more enjoyable afternoon as he made two key saves to keep the Seagulls at bay.
The Italy international has had a difficult few weeks after two high-profile mistakes against Everton and Manchester City where he failed to deal with crosses into the box from corners which resulted in Spurs conceding.
However, he appeared to be under some pressure from opposition players on both occasions and as reported by The Standard (10 February), Spurs have sought clarification from the PGMOL with Ange Postecoglou claiming there has been a “shift” in attitudes towards fouls on goalkeepers.
King, who played professionally as a goalkeeper, agrees with the Australian and has also become confused in recent weeks.
Speaking exclusively to Tottenham News, King said: “I am beginning to wonder if there is even a rule anymore about challenging the goalkeeper, there seems to be some confusion.
“The players standing in front of Vicario are not attempting to get the ball, they’re just making an attempt to stop him from coming out, which is surely a foul. Obstruction is a foul.
“He wasn’t under as much pressure against Brighton as he was against Everton and I thought he coped reasonably well with it, but I think this is something that needs to be spoken about by Tottenham and the referees.
“In the Everton game, I think he had two free kicks that were given for him and about four incidents that weren’t. I think there needs to be some clarification over this because this must be bothering Spurs and it will definitely be bothering Vicario.”
Frustration for Tottenham and Vicario
While some may argue that Vicario could have been stronger in the incidents against Everton and City, goalkeepers have certainly been given fouls for less.
That is what will be bothering Postecoglou and Tottenham, the lack of consistency.
At times it appeared that Brighton were looking to deploy similar tactics on Saturday as they put Vicario under pressure, and this could become a recurring theme between now and the end of the season.
Spurs are therefore right to call for clarification as they look to deal with increasing pressure from set-pieces.
In other Tottenham news, one Spurs star was labelled “lazy” after his performance against Brighton on Saturday.
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