Gary Neville admits he gets nervous watching Tottenham’s Guglielmo Vicario, especially when the shot-stopper is attempting to command his own box during set-pieces.
Why is Vicario getting criticised?
It has long since been a topic of conversation that Guglielmo Vicario does not look comfortable defending his own box from set-pieces.
In fact, last season, multiple teams specifically targeted the Spurs keeper by putting a blocker in front of him and scored goals from corners against the Lilywhites as a result.
The Premier League have clamped down on fouls against keepers from set-pieces a little more this season and Vicario has looked more settled as a result, but he still looked suspect against Arsenal this weekend when Gabriel rose highest to nod home the winner in the North London Derby.
Gary Neville says Vicario makes him nervous
Gary Neville has become the latest pundit to question Vicario’s ability to defend his area, stating that the Spurs shot-stopper had ‘frogs in his pants’ against Arsenal.
This referred to the rather erratic behaviour Vicario displayed when attempting to defend the set-piece the Gunners eventually scored from, when he seemed more determined to push Arsenal players than actually keep the ball out of the back of the net.
Neville said during commentary for Sky Sports (15/09/24 from 15:15): “I just don’t like it when goalkeepers are sort of throwing their arms around and looking like they’re panicking at all…it makes me nervous. Look at him. He’s got frogs in his pants.”
Spurs Web Opinion:
I do think that people underestimate how hard it is for keepers to defend their box from corners, when players are pushing into them and treading on their toes, etc.
However, the biggest problem here for Spurs is that Gabriel is allowed to rise highest and win a pretty free header while both Romero and Micky Van de Ven watch on.