View: Tottenham continue their defensive transformation with clean sheet against Fulham
Considering the fact they conceded 63 Premier League goals last season, back-to-back clean sheets isn’t bad going for Tottenham.
Ange Postecoglou’s Spurs returned to the top of the Premier League with a 2-0 home win against Fulham on Monday (23 October), a result that marked their second clean sheet in as many games.
Of the nine league games they have played this season, Spurs have kept clean sheets in four of them and only last season’s champions, Manchester City, have conceded fewer goals (seven) in the league than the North London side (eight) this season.
It is quite a remarkable transformation and is largely down to the club’s brilliant recruitment. While their rivals made big-name signings with the likes of David Raya (Arsenal), Josko Gvardiol (Manchester City) and Andre Onana (Manchester United), Spurs went for some lesser-known players who fit the profile they were looking for, bringing in Guglielmo Vicario and Micky van de Ven for much lower fees.
And at this moment in time, those signings look like a stroke of genius by Daniel Levy and the board.
Starting with the man between the sticks, Vicario has been one of the best shot-stoppers in the division this year, and according to fbref, sits in the 98th percentile of goalkeepers in the Premier League when it comes to his save percentage (84.2 per cent per 90).
Against Fulham, he was on hand once again to bail Tottenham out, making what might well end up being one of the saves of the season.
With the score at 0-0, Fulham had a corner and Jao Palhinha headed the ball goalward with some power.
Vicario showed incredible reflexes and managed to push the ball away at full stretch, a save that is made even more impressive considering the number of bodies between himself and Palhinha, which means he would have seen the ball late.
Spurs’ number-one would go on to make two more saves throughout the match, both coming from inside the box, preventing a total of 0.93 expected goals (Sofascore).
The presence of a goalkeeper such as Vicario will only instil more confidence in the defence, which is certainly reflected in the way the back four are playing.
In particular, Van de Ven and Cristian Romero are beginning to build a formidable partnership at the heart of Tottenham’s defence, with the players’ profiles complementing each other perfectly.
Romero’s aggression often sees him engage higher up the pitch and sometimes leaves gaps in behind, which is less of a problem with Van de Ven next to him as the Dutchman’s incredible speed means he is able to recover and fill the space quickly.
The arrival of Van de Ven has been crucial in allowing Postecoglou to implement his high-pressing, possession-based style of football that requires his players to be comfortable on the ball. Among defenders in England’s top flight, Van de Ven sits in the top four per cent for his pass completion rate (94.3 per cent) this season, showcasing he is more than comfortable in possession.
In addition, the 22-year-old defender ranks in the 91st percentile of his positional peers in the competition for the number of tackles he has made in the attacking third (0.22 per 90) and the number of take-ons he has attempted (1.11 per 90), demonstrating his ability to make an impact on the ball and further up the pitch.
Meanwhile, by looking at Romero’s stats, it is clear to see that the partnership with Van de Ven has unlocked his best form, with the Argentine boasting some of the best numbers in the entire division this season.
Romero is in the top seven per cent of Premier League defenders throughout the 2023/24 campaign for the number of tackles he has attempted (2.58 per 90) and won (1.72 per 90).
In addition to this, he once again sits in the 93rd percentile for the number of passes he has blocked (0.86 per 90) and the number of tackles and interceptions he makes combined (4.17 per 90).
Considering the ages of Vicario (26), Van de Ven (22) and Romero (25), as well as Pedro Porro (24) and Destiny Udogie (20), it is scary to think just how much these players can improve and how much transformation Postecoglou can continue to oversee in the defensive areas with more time and transfer windows as Tottenham boss.
In other Tottenham news, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg reminded fans of his quality with a key contribution against Fulham.