Tottenham Hotspur, semi-finalists in last year’s Carabao Cup, were knocked out by the cup holders Newcastle United, who secured a 2-0 win on the night, and Antonin Kinsky’s mistake has left Spurs fans divided.
It was a disappointing outcome for Thomas Frank’s side, who came into the tie with hopes of adding to the club’s silverware collection.
Frank had made it clear in his pre-match press conference that he wanted to guide Spurs to a trophy this season, but this latest setback leaves him with just the FA Cup, Champions League and Premier League as his remaining paths to success.
Despite his ambition to lift the Carabao Cup, the Tottenham boss opted to rotate his squad to keep players fresh amid a recent injury crisis, handing Antonin Kinsky a rare start in place of Guglielmo Vicario.
It was an opportunity for the Czech goalkeeper to make his mark, but it ultimately turned into a night to forget.
Tottenham fans react to Antonin Kinsky display against Newcastle
Tottenham fans had previously called for Antonin Kinsky to be given a run of games when Guglielmo Vicario was struggling for form earlier in the season.
Frank remained loyal to the Italian, but with Vicario left out of the squad for this tie, Kinsky was handed his chance to impress.
However, the 22-year-old failed to make the most of the opportunity, committing a costly error for Newcastle United’s second goal after failing to deal with a cross.
The mistake proved decisive, and supporters were quick to share their opinions after the final whistle.
One fan said: “Fans calling for Kinsky to replace Vicario were a tad premature. But his distribution is high quality.”
Another added: “Mixed bag from Kinsky. Distribution looked sharp at times, and he pulled off some solid saves early on, but that costly error changed the game. He’s got potential, but Spurs really needed more composure in big moments tonight.”
A third Tottenham supporter wrote: “Kinsky’s shot stopping was embarrassing, but his distribution was quite nice. Vicario’s distribution is embarrassing, but his shot stopping is stunning. If only there was a way to fuse them.”
Another said: “Had a couple passes that made me really confident of him for the future, but he is still miles behind Vic when it comes to shot stopping and commanding the box. Him being the number two for the foreseeable should be okay with everyone.”
One more Tottenham fan commented: “Keepers require consistent matches to improve. Unfortunately, torching Kinsky because of some dodgy moments in his second game in nine months is a bit harsh.”
While another summed up the general feeling: “Poor for both goals, first and foremost he’s a goalkeeper. It doesn’t matter how good his passing range is if he makes those kind of mistakes.”
Kinsky’s rust shows despite flashes of promise
Indeed, Antonin Kinsky has barely featured this season, making just two starts across all competitions, and the lack of rhythm could explain his costly mistake.
For a young goalkeeper, confidence and sharpness come from regular minutes, something he has not had under Thomas Frank.
Despite the error, it was not an entirely poor performance. Kinsky showed some composure in possession and looked assured in his passing for large parts of the game, even if the result overshadowed those positives.
Statistically, the Czech international completed 66% of his passes and successfully managed 6 out of 21 long balls. His distribution was arguably the standout aspect of his display, though it is clear there is still work to be done before he can seriously challenge Vicario for the number one spot at Tottenham.