‘Really struggling: Danny Murphy says outstanding Tottenham is desperately out of confidence now
Tottenham Hotspur have experienced a mixed start to the 2024-25 Premier League season, with Ange Postecoglou still searching for ways to improve the team’s performance.
After suffering a narrow 1-0 defeat to Arsenal, they managed to secure a 3-1 victory against Brentford. Despite this bounce-back, they currently sit in tenth place on the table, having collected just seven points out of a possible 15.
Some believe that Tottenham’s current position doesn’t fully reflect their performances this season.
Danny Murphy is one of those who shares this view, though he has highlighted Guglielmo Vicario’s struggles as a significant reason for the team’s sluggish start.
According to Murphy, Tottenham has yet to find its rhythm in the final third, which has affected their ability to consistently score goals.
He also pointed out that Vicario’s shaky form and apparent lack of confidence have been contributing factors to their challenges in the early weeks of the campaign.
Murphy commented that Tottenham’s tenth place standing might be somewhat misleading because they have performed well in certain areas but are falling short in two key aspects.
He pointed out that their play in the attacking third has lacked the necessary quality, despite their ability to create good opportunities.
Additionally, Murphy criticized Vicario’s decision-making, especially when it comes to coming off his line and passing accurately to his teammates.
This hesitancy and lack of assurance from the goalkeeper have hindered the team’s overall performance.
Vicario joined Tottenham ahead of the 2023-24 season for a reported fee of £17 million from Empoli and was praised by Postecoglou as ‘outstanding’ following his initial displays.
However, this season has been more difficult for the Italian goalkeeper, and his form has raised questions about his ability to command the box and handle set pieces effectively.
His poor handling of crosses and struggles with decision-making under pressure have been highlighted as areas in desperate need of improvement.
The pressure on Vicario could increase further as reports suggest that Inter Milan is keeping a close eye on him, with the Italian side potentially looking to bring him in as a successor to Yann Sommer.
Vicario may find the prospect of returning to Serie A tempting, but Tottenham is unlikely to give up on him after just one rough spell.
Nevertheless, it’s clear that his performances will be under scrutiny, especially if his form doesn’t improve in the coming weeks.
Shay Given, another voice weighing in on Vicario’s struggles, believes that the goalkeeper’s temperament might be contributing to his issues.
Given has described him as too ‘hot-headed,’ which he suggests undermines the confidence of the Tottenham defense.
A calmer presence in goal could help settle the backline and allow the team to find greater consistency at the back.
As Tottenham seeks to climb up the Premier League table, Vicario will play a crucial role in their quest for improvement.
His ability to regain his confidence and sharpen his decision-making will be key not only to his personal success but also to the fortunes of the team.
With Tottenham eager to break into the top half of the table, the next few weeks will be critical for both the goalkeeper and the club as they work to establish a winning streak and build momentum for the remainder of the season.
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