Tottenham Slip Again in Familiar Fashion as Underperformers Continue to Let Postecoglou Down
For Tottenham Hotspur fans, the events of last night were all too familiar. What should have been an opportunity to rebound in front of their home supporters instead turned into another frustrating and disheartening experience — one that has sadly become a hallmark of their campaign under Ange Postecoglou this season.
Hosting a determined Nottingham Forest side hungry for Champions League qualification, Spurs were stunned almost immediately. Within just 20 minutes, they found themselves trailing by two goals — a situation that felt alarmingly routine rather than shocking. Although Richarlison managed to find the net late in the game and Spurs did generate enough chances to claw their way back, the damage had already been done. The result? A bitter 2-1 defeat — their 18th league loss of the season and their eighth at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
What unfolded wasn’t just a defeat; it was another reminder of the club’s frustrating inconsistency, a night that once again exposed the glaring weaknesses in a team that has repeatedly let both their head coach and supporters down. And while there was no shortage of underwhelming performances, one player in particular stood out — for all the wrong reasons — and should arguably be dropped before the upcoming clash with Liverpool.
Dissecting Spurs’ Defensive Failings
Before zooming in on the worst of the bunch, it’s important to acknowledge that this wasn’t a one-man failure. Several Spurs players failed to show up when it mattered most — starting with World Cup winner Cristian Romero.
Romero, who had been praised for his dominant display against Eintracht Frankfurt just days earlier, reverted back to the reckless and unpredictable version of himself that fans have seen far too often this season. Not only did he come perilously close to getting himself sent off, but his positioning was also woeful for Nottingham Forest’s first goal. The Argentine lost track of Chris Wood in the box, allowing the striker to nod home unchallenged. Given his defensive errors and lack of composure, his 4/10 rating from journalist Alasdair Gold and his substitution at halftime were both fully warranted.
Unfortunately for Spurs, Romero wasn’t the only defender who struggled. Micky van de Ven, typically one of the more dependable figures in the backline, was similarly exposed. For Forest’s second goal, he too failed to win the aerial battle against Wood, allowing the in-form forward to punish Spurs yet again. Van de Ven, affectionately known as the “Flying Dutchman,” received a 5/10 for his efforts — another generous score, considering the outcome.
The Weakest Link: Guglielmo Vicario
Yet despite the poor outings from both central defenders, it was goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario who had arguably the worst performance on the pitch. The Italian has had his highs this season, but those moments are now being overshadowed by a troubling run of inconsistency and critical errors.
Vicario’s performance against Forest was simply not good enough for a Premier League goalkeeper. He was far too slow to react to Elliot Anderson’s opener and then compounded his misery by completely misjudging the flight of the ball for Chris Wood’s header. Rather than staying composed and commanding his area, Vicario came charging off his line, only to miss the ball entirely and gift Forest their second goal on a silver platter.
Gold was particularly harsh in his assessment of the 28-year-old’s display — and rightly so — handing Vicario a scathing 3/10 match rating. The stats back it up: in 95 minutes, the Italian managed only one save, committed a critical error that led to a goal, completed just 18 passes, and failed every long ball he attempted. His post-match numbers included a goal prevention of -0.60, which is a damning figure for any top-flight goalkeeper.
And the problem isn’t isolated to just this match. Vicario’s form has been deteriorating for weeks. In the recent loss to Wolves, he was once again under intense scrutiny, earning an even worse 2/10 rating from Gold. That day, he also committed a crucial error and posted a negative goal prevention figure of -1.05. These are not just isolated blunders — they are signs of a worrying trend.
Time for a Change Between the Sticks?
It’s worth noting that every player can have a poor run of form, but Vicario’s repeated mistakes are beginning to cost Spurs dearly. While he’s undoubtedly a more technically skilled keeper than backup Antonín Kinský, his current performances suggest he’s become more of a liability than an asset.
It’s a difficult decision for any manager to drop their starting goalkeeper, especially one who’s been hailed as “unbelievable” by none other than the legendary Gianluigi Buffon. But if Ange Postecoglou wants to prevent another meltdown against a high-powered Liverpool side on Sunday, he may need to make that bold call. Another subpar outing from Vicario could result in a third consecutive shambolic showing — and further push Spurs down the wrong end of the table.
Ultimately, this defeat wasn’t just about tactics or execution — it was about mentality, composure, and the continued inability of certain players to deliver when it matters. And until those issues are addressed, Tottenham will keep finding themselves on the wrong end of nights like this.
He won 0 duels all night, 2nd choice couldn’t get worse than this.. Ange Postecoglou agrees to instantly replace Spurs dud who dropped a below 2/10 display vs Forrest
