Tottenham secured a crucial three points against Aston Villa , but Frank Lampard was left unimpressed by one Spurs player.
Spurs fell behind in the first half when Morgan Rogers scored for Villa, putting Unai Emery’s side in a strong position for a potential away point or three. It’s always a bit uncomfortable to hear a London rival’s legend comment on your player, but as a master of the game, he has the right to voice his opinions.
However, Tottenham mounted a remarkable comeback in the second half, cruising to a 4-1 victory, with Dominic Solanke netting twice.
Yet, it wasn’t all smooth sailing for Spurs. According to former Chelsea player Frank Lampard, the team currently has a notable weakness in their ranks.
The Italian, who joined from Empoli last year, has established himself as the primary goalkeeper for the North London club following the departure of talismanic keeper Hugo Lloris to MLS side Los Angeles FC this year. Vicario, earning £75,000 gross per week, has made 53 appearances for the Lilywhites, keeping 11 clean sheets in the process.
Frank Lampard is not content with Vicario after recent performances
Discussing Villa’s opening goal for Premier League Productions, Lampard acknowledged that Tottenham has a problem with Vicario.
“I just felt the goalkeeper allowed himself to be so unbalanced through the movement of it. He will understand that he will be getting it in every game now. People are going to get in your way, so Tottenham, it’s certainly a weakness that they haven’t quite put right,”
Lampard’s claim regarding Vicario were supported by other pundits, including former Premier League midfielder Matt Holland, who also raised concerns about the Italian’s performance.
“Vicario, not the most dominant of goalkeepers. Doesn’t come off his line. It’s a flat delivery to the near post, Spurs don’t deal with it. Vicario getting involved with Rogers on the line, distracted by him. Does make a decent save but Rogers has the simplest of tasks, tapping in from two yards.”
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Vicario evidently has areas to improve in his game, and as Lampard mentioned, opposing teams are likely to target him throughout the season.
The question of whether his defenders need to step up or if he needs to display more bravery is a separate discussion. Ultimately, Vicario must put in the effort to enhance this aspect of his performance, and he needs to do so swiftly.
