Guglielmo Vicario’s turbulent campaign took another hit on Saturday as the Tottenham goalkeeper found himself at the centre of a costly moment in Spurs’ 2-1 home defeat to Fulham.
What should have been a routine afternoon at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium turned into another frustrating chapter in a season full of inconsistency. With results elsewhere threatening to drag the team as low as 13th, the pressure on Thomas Frank continues to grow, yet moments like this are almost impossible for any manager to legislate for.
The match began in the worst possible way. Fulham struck early through Kenny Tete, and before Spurs had the chance to settle, disaster struck again.
Vicario collected a loose ball near the edge of the box under light pressure, but instead of clearing his lines, he tried to play his way out of trouble. He drifted toward the touchline and attempted a pass down the flank, only to hand possession straight to Josh King.
King immediately slipped the ball to Harry Wilson, who produced a brilliant curled finish from a tight angle to double Fulham’s advantage. While Wilson’s strike deserved praise, it was clear that the goal was gifted far too easily.
The home fans made their feelings known, and Vicario was booed as play restarted. It was an uncomfortable moment for a goalkeeper once praised for his composure and distribution.
Even Joe Hart, speaking later on Match of the Day, admitted he understood the crowd’s frustration. Hart explained that while Vicario is respected in the dressing room and admired for his leadership, goalkeepers are ultimately judged on their decision-making in key moments.
With Spurs already trailing, the tension inside the stadium was high, and the Italian’s error only intensified it.
Hart pointed out that Vicario should have recognised the danger and simply played the ball out of touch to reset. Instead, he tried to keep the ball alive in a risky area, a decision that proved disastrous.
While modern goalkeepers are encouraged to play with their feet, Hart stressed that awareness and timing remain just as important. Fulham smelled blood instantly King pressed aggressively, and Wilson showed his quality with a quick finish. The moment summed up the fine margins that separate confidence from chaos.
These mistakes are especially hard for Thomas Frank to navigate. Vicario’s season has been filled with sharp shot-stopping one week and unnecessary errors the next, making it difficult for the manager to fully trust his number one. His inconsistency is reflected clearly in his stats.
Sofascore recorded Vicario with a goals prevented figure of -0.92 for the Fulham match, meaning he conceded almost one more goal than expected. Before the game, he had one of the stronger tallies in the league, sitting at 3.55, but that single performance wiped away a large chunk of his positive impact.
Below is a snapshot of the Premier League’s top goalkeepers for goals prevented this season:
| Goalkeeper | Club | Goals Prevented |
|---|---|---|
| Dean Henderson | Crystal Palace | 3.88 |
| Robin Roefs | Sunderland | 3.28 |
| Guglielmo Vicario | Tottenham | 2.63 |
| Jordan Pickford | Everton | 2.26 |
| James Trafford | Man City | 1.89 |
Despite Saturday’s drop-off, Vicario still ranks among the top performers in the league in this metric. It highlights the paradox of his season: he is capable of genuinely elite saves, yet periodically undermines himself with avoidable mistakes.
His shot-stopping numbers also underline how active he has been. Only a handful of Premier League keepers have made more saves, and his workload continues to be heavy as Tottenham struggle defensively.
The challenge now is consistency. Tottenham need more of the decisive, reliable Vicario and far fewer moments of hesitation or confusion. For a team trying to climb the table and regain confidence under a new manager, stability at the back is essential.
Vicario has shown he can deliver at a high level, but errors like the one against Fulham overshadow his strengths and place extra pressure on an already unsettled squad.
Supporters will hope this performance serves as a reminder rather than a trend. Spurs need calm heads, clearer decisions, and fewer gifts to the opposition.
The season is far from over, but Tottenham’s ambitions will only be possible if their goalkeeper can eliminate the mistakes that continue to grab headlines.
