Premier League teams have been urged to exploit a weak link in Thomas Frank’s starting eleven at Tottenham.
Tottenham edge out Leeds United in 2-1 win
The Lilywhites, once again, were forced to display real grit as Spurs battled their way to a 2-1 win away at Leeds United in today’s early kick-off.
Goals from Mathys Tel, who was given the starting nod over Richarlison, and summer signing Mohammed Kudus edged Leeds out, despite Daniel Farke’s side battling to the last second on a very rainy afternoon at Elland Road.
|
Leeds United 1-2 Tottenham – best players |
Match Rating |
|---|---|
|
Mohammed Kudus |
8.4 |
|
Mathys Tel |
7.8 |
|
Noah Okafor |
7.0 |
|
Sean Longstaff |
7.0 |
|
Jayden Bogle |
6.8 |
|
via WhoScored |
|
Noah Okafor did make the game level before half-time, but Kudus’ deflected first ever goal for Tottenham gifted Frank’s side a hard-fought three points.
The Ghanaian’s Man of the Match display helped Spurs become the first team to beat Leeds on home turf in a league game for over a year — putting their disappointing draw against Bodo/Glimt in the Arctic Circle firmly behind them.
An ever-present in Spurs’ team ever since his £17 million move from Empoli in 2023, goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, also made crucial saves in Yorkshire.
Vicario thwarted Dominic Calvert-Lewin from making it 2-1 just after half-time with a left-footed stop before denying Leeds again in the very last minutes, but the shot-stopper was left in no-mans-land when ex-Spurs defender Joe Rodon missed a gaping chance early in the first half.
The Italy international started his Lilywhites career impressively under Ange Postecoglou, putting in some excellent performances and pulling off match-winning saves since then, but Vicario has attracted criticism for his handling of crosses into the box.
Premier League rivals urged to expose Guglielmo Vicario at Tottenham
Former Newcastle and Crystal Palace midfielder Darren Ambrose, speaking to talkSPORT earlier this week, is convinced that Vicario has been “found out” because of this and has urged Premier League rivals to take advantage.
“Obviously, I didn’t play in defence, but I know, I’ve been in changing rooms, I know what gets spoken about,” Ambrose said.
“He’s been found out in terms of his crossing, his dictating abilities, in terms of the set plays. I was a set play taker when I played, and I know my management team would have said, ‘Put it right on him.‘”
There were flashes of this issue from Vicario against Leeds, especially with Rodon’s opportunity as a result of the 28-year-old’s failure to deal with an incoming ball.
However, Tottenham’s goalkeeping coaches can always work on the keeper’s lack of confidence right now when it comes to claims.
The former Serie A keeper is still quite young in goalkeeping terms, and while there is still room for improvement, ex-teammate Fraser Forster piled praise on Vicario’s work ethic to get better behind-the-scenes.
“He’s been brilliant,” admitted Forster in 2023.
“I think his performances in the games have been very good and he’s made big saves. [It’s] not easy coming to a new club, new country. His English is very good which has really helped him.
“One of my mates from Celtic actually played with him at Empoli and he’s raved about him for ages, so as soon as he was coming here he said he’s a very, very good goalkeeper. Top guy. He’s been brilliant in the games, he’s been brilliant around the place, trains well and works hard, so it’s a good start for him.”
