Tottenham goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario was unable to save Liverpool midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai’s free-kick during their match at Anfield.
Tottenham Hotspur manager Igor Tudor may get some more time after his team fought back to draw 1-1 with Liverpool on Sunday.
This marked Tudor’s first point since taking over from Thomas Frank, with Richarlison scoring a stunning equaliser in the 90th minute. The second half was highly competitive, and Tottenham stayed in the game after falling behind early.
Szoboszlai scored the first goal in the 17th minute after Souza fouled Alexis Mac Allister. He sent a powerful free-kick from 30 yards past Vicario. Although Vicario touched the ball, its speed and placement ensured it went in. Former England players Wayne Rooney and Jamie Carragher criticized Vicario, who received a 5/10 rating against Liverpool.
Ex-scout defends Guglielmo Vicario
Vicario faced more scrutiny as he couldn’t stop Szoboszlai’s free-kick. Despite the criticism, former scout Bryan King defended the Italian goalkeeper. He believes Vicario did what he could to block the excellent free-kick.
“Vicario was positioned correctly because his wall was set up on the right,” Bryan King told Tottenham News.
“When the ball goes over the wall, his reactions were slow, but it’s not all his fault.”
“I don’t see it as a mistake from him. Szoboszlai has scored from further out. What he did was impressive.”
“It’s too easy to blame the keeper. It was a great free-kick. He touched it but couldn’t change its course.”
Ongoing goalkeeping issues for Tottenham
Igor Tudor made headlines by dropping Vicario for Antonin Kinsky’s Champions League debut against Atletico Madrid. This decision backfired when Tudor substituted Kinsky after just 17 minutes, with the team down 3-0.
With this recent match, the spotlight is back on Vicario as Tottenham’s goalkeeping challenges continue. Vicario’s positioning was not ideal for Szoboszlai’s free-kick. The Liverpool midfielder has shown himself to be one of the best free-kick specialists this season.
While Szoboszlai’s shot had good placement, it was not in the corner. It was aimed towards the center, where Vicario should have made the save. Knowing Szoboszlai’s ability to get his free-kicks over the wall, Vicario might have been better off standing more centrally, which could have allowed him to block the shot.
Vicario has drawn attention for mistakes multiple times this season. It’s clear that Tottenham needs to address their goalkeeping situation in the summer.