Hotspur HQ

Tottenham Hotspur Guglielmo Vicario has been the man of the moment this week. Despite being one of the best goalkeepers in the Premier League statistically, the acrobatic shot-stopper came under immense fire again from a bloodthirsty fanbase after a couple of soft goals conceded in a horrid loss to Aston Villa last weekend.

Well, Vicario went out and delivered one of the biggest goalkeeping masterclasses of the year 2025 in a 0-0 draw in Monaco, almost inexplicably delivering a Champions League point to Thomas Frank in a game that Spurs had no business getting a result better than a 3-0 blowout loss.

Vicario showed that was no fluke with another strong performance and a clean sheet over Everton at the weekend, making a statement to all those Tottenham fans who doubted him that they simply haven't got a clue what they are talking about.

Now, Vicario wasn't the only high-profile Tottenham player to make a statement to the fans on Sunday. Fellow Serie A recruit Rodrigo Bentancur, however, has been on the receiving end of some more deserved criticism, struggling mightily after receiving an arguably premature contract extension, drawing continued starts over better and younger midfielders.

But on Sunday against Everton, the good version of Bentancur popped up again, as the Uruguayan international was in full control of the pitch in the stellar 3-0 win for Tottenham, even directly involving himself in a goal with an assist to the good.

Bentancur finished the match with a key pass, dribble completed, blocked shot, and about 85 percent of his passes completed. He was a real rock in the deep midfield role alongside Joao Palhinha, as the duo looked a lot better than they did in recent weeks, hearkening back to the start of the 2025/26 season when they looked like the solution for Thomas Frank in the middle of the park during the Danish manager's earliest days at the helm of Spurs.

Of course, Bentancur is going to have to do more than just produce one good bounce-back game for Tottenham in order to convince fans that he's the man to start on this team every week. It takes consistency against all opponents to do that, especially when players like Lucas Bergvall and Pape Matar Sarr have shown more short and long-term ability to Tottenham.

But Bentancur can still be a useful rotational player and a quality starter in the right circumstances, and maybe Frank is getting closer to finding out when those circumstances are right or wrong. They were very right for Bentancur on Sunday, given Tottenham were the dominant side.

After two horrid performances against Aston Villa and Monaco following the October international break, Tottenham Hotspur were in need of a serious statement game on Sunday afternoon in the Premier League against Everton.

Well, Spurs did exactly that, blowing out one of the surprise teams of the 2025/26 season so far, cutting down the Toffees to size with a 3-0 win, reminiscent of 3-0 wins over Burnley and West Ham earlier this season.

But this 3-0 win was far more impressive, as it came without the services of captain and superstar center back Cristian Romero, who has been out injured. Plus, Everton are a much better team than either Burnley or West Ham.

Key to winning so big in the absence of Romero were the performances of the other starting center backs, Micky van de Ven and Kevin Danso. While VVD was the main hero of the afternoon with two goals from the center back position, Danso deserves just as much praise for his standout performance.

A majestic performance in defense

The Austrian international was quietly one of Europe's best overall center backs during his time with Lens, and the January 2025 transfer signing has been just as much of a stalwart at Tottenham - and with just as little fanfare.

An important player for Spurs en route to their Europa League title win, Danso has been exemplary with his no-fuss defending this season whenever called upon, including games like the one against Monaco in which the rest of his teammates do not show up.

Danso was majestic vs. Everton, shutting down a previously exciting attack while scarcely having to make an intervention. His marking is insanely good, and Danso finished the matchup with a jaw-dropping 18 clearances to go with a pair of blocked shots while completing around 90 percent of his passes.

The signings of Joao Palhinha and Mohammed Kudus have been more impactful this season, and Xavi Simons figiures to be a bigger superstar. But when you look at the fact that Danso cost just 25 million euros and is almost never spoken of, you have to say that the signing of the 27-year-old center back in his prime for such a reasonable fee was the shrewdest move of them all.

When he's on the pitch, Danso looks world-class in his own right. He's only overshadowed by Romero and Van de Ven, but that doesn't mean he isn't an excellent player in his own right. He'd be starting for most teams in the Premier League, and rivals like Chelsea would kill to have him as one of their own.

GK Guglielmo Vicario

Had an outstanding game in midweek against Monaco, effectively preserving us a Champions League point, and was excellent again. One top class save from Beto’s overhead kick stood out. So, too, did another important save from an Iliman Ndiaye shot that deflected twice before reaching him. Vicario also dealt well with most of the corners and crosses that were put in. Impressive all-round display.  Rating: 9

RB Pedro Porro

Made an important block from Beto in the first minute. The ball was shot straight at him but credit Porro for being in position to make the block. Industrious as usual. Provided good balance going forward as well. A perfect ball in for Micky’s second goal from the corner. Rating: 8

LB Djed Spence

Struggled a bit with Ndiaye at the beginning of the game but stood up to the challenge as time went on. Ndiaye’s much quieter second half says a lot about Spence’s performance, and the help he got from Brennan Johnson. Spence could do well to provide more going forward but is in good form defensively, which is of course the priority for his position. Rating: 7

CB Kevin Danso

Proving to be a very important signing, Danso is providing excellent cover while Christian Romero is out injured. He brings more than just squad depth, though, particularly with his ability in the air. Everton tested our defenders with high balls into the box and Danso consistently won his headers. Reliable. Rating: 8

CB Micky van de Ven

After saying for a few weeks that we should get more from Micky going forward, it was great to see him deliver 2 goals. This takes his tally to 5 for the season, which is impressive for his position, especially at this early stage. Aside from his threat at set pieces, van de Ven was commanding at the back. In line with Danso, he dealt comfortably with Everton’s attacks. Did not put a foot wrong and is our most important player at the moment. Superb. Rating: 10

CM João Palhinha

While Palhinha getting forward and scoring impressive goals as he has done in some games this season is obviously welcome, it is more this type of performance that shows how much he benefits the team. Palhinha was quietly everywhere, reading the game, making sure he was in the right position to stop opposition attacks. Â Rating: 8

CM Rodrigo Bentancur

Like last week vs Aston Villa, Bentancur got forward more, particularly in the first half. He headed (more accurately shouldered) the ball across to claim an assist for our first goal. Also, showed good technique for a shot just wide nearer to half time. Bentancur also worked well with Palhinha to break up Everton attacks. This is a partnership that some weeks shows a lot of promise and other weeks seems less certain. In the later stages of the game, there were times we looked potentially in trouble and Bentancur was able to keep the ball without panic. With 5 minutes left and surrounded by Everton players, he was able to keep the ball in midfield, play in Porro who then won a free kick. It’s not a moment that will always make highlights, but those instances are incredibly important, particularly in a game like this. Rating: 8

AM Xavi Simons

Started in the number 10 role again. Improved over last week, and again no lack of effort, but still could not influence the game enough. The struggle began in the first half where he was easily knocked off the ball by Michael Keane and then played a dangerous ball across his own goal which was bailed out by Vicario. We are still waiting to see the best of Simons as he adjusts to the Premier League. He needs games to do this and playing consistently in this position is the best way to move forward at the moment. Â Rating: 6

RW Mohammed Kudus

Great corner which led to the first goal. Kudus continues to be our best creative threat, even if he was quieter than previous games. I was surprised he was substituted as it seemed like he had plenty to offer. His ability to keep the ball is invaluable to us, particularly at the moment when it is not happening elsewhere in attack. Always looks to take people on, and even if this is not successful, he has the ability that makes us need to keep giving him the ball. Â Rating: 7

LW Brennan Johnson

Was barely seen in the first half. If Johnson is not scoring, he struggles to get involved  and this was another one of those games, at least in an attacking sense. While not providing much on the ball, Johnson was effective off the ball in the second half tracking back to help Djed Spence and deserves credit for helping to stop Ndiaye. We need more threat going forward though and while Johnson did not provide this, he did an important job defensively.  Rating: 5

CF Randal Kolo Muani

Everton dealt very comfortably with Muani and he struggled to get into the game before being substituted. Poor attempt to mark Jake O’Brien’s for Everton’s disallowed goal albeit he shouldn’t have been given the responsibility to mark a major aerial threat like O’Brien. This was a close call which could have changed the game at 1-1. Like Simons, Muani is our best option in attack at the moment and has ability. Needs games to see if he can adjust to the Premier League.  Rating: 4

Substitutes: Richarlison, Lucas Bergvall, Pape Matar Sarr, Mathys Tel

Tottenham Hotspur were lucky again. On Wednesday night in the Champions League, the entire Tottenham team fell asleep as a wheel, letting in a barrage of shots while, once again, posing no real attacking threat for the seemingly umpteenth game of the season.

As more questions mount around Thomas Frank's start and his ability to manage a Champions League level club, another under fire individual at the N17 just greatly boosted his own stock in the 0-0 draw with Monaco.

Because without goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, this match clearly would not have been 0-0. Without world-class save after world-class save from the acrobatic Italian, Tottenham would have been blown out 3-0.

The stats back it up, too. Sofascore credited Vicario with 2.68 goals prevented in this draw against Monaco alone, as Vicario was the literal difference between Spurs scraping by with a point and completely losing all dignity with a 3-0 defeat that would have better reflected the slaughter that was on full display.

Exaggerated criticisms

Vicario has been criticized and lampooned by half the fanbase, and while many of those criticisms are legitimate, many more are either superfluous or grievously exaggerated. While, yes, young Antonin Kinsky could theoretically be better one day and is an exceptional young goalkeeper deserving of more chances, the notion that Vicario is in any way one of the five biggest problems with Spurs right now is absolutely ludicrous.

He may be streaky and he may have been poor against Aston Villa at the weekend on a couple of shots, but those minor mistakes are more than overshadowed by repeated goal-saving stops against Monaco. And this isn't even the first time this season Vicario has spared Spurs blushes, as they nearly pulled off a similar 0-0 draw early in the campaign against Bournemouth, which should have been Frank's first warning sign that things are not all hunky dory at N17.

Vicario has gone from someone who was under fire at Tottenham to a hero in just one game, and that turnaround isn't even as reactionary as many of the takes against him. While the fickle nature of football dictates that one bobbled ball in the next game will throw Vicario back on the hot seat, for the rest of the rational heads watching, at least this big game performance will generate some real appreciation for the job Vicario is able to do for Spurs when he is at his best.

When it became established that Cristian Romero was going to miss Sunday's Premier League clash with Aston Villa, I'm sure there will plenty of neutrals who refused to believe it was that big of a deal.

I mean, for those with barely half a brain, Romero cannot be regarded as one of the division's finest centre-halves. He polishes Dan Burn's boots and doesn't have anything on old what's his face... the Forest fella... Brazilian... Shoots from 50 yards every few weeks. It'll come to me.

I'm sure those who hold the opinion above are not reading this, given that they clearly do not care enough about Spurs to shift their antiquated assessments of a defender who is, without question, one of the world's best.

So yes, when he pulled up in the warm-up ahead of the game with Aston Villa, it was a big deal. Romero is not only Thomas Frank's captain, but the best progressive passer in the squad. His defensive work sets the tone, and his partnership with Micky van de Ven had led Spurs to one of the best defensive records in the league.

We can only hope that his absence isn't prolonged, otherwise we may be in trouble. Here's the latest on Romero's injury.

When will Cristian Romero return from injury?

Romero's dealing with a groin injury that Frank suggested he entered the weekend's game with. The manager described the issue as "minor", as he also did with Destiny Udogie's latest knee problem.

So, there's hope that Spurs won't be without their captain for the long-haul, with Romero previously enduring lengthy absences as a result of hamstring and groin injuries.

His return date will, of course, be determined by the severity of his setback. Physio Scout on X writes that a Grade 1 strain can be monitored day-to-day, but a Grade 2 injury may result in a month-long absence.

Frank expressed further calm over both Romero and Udogie's injuries after landing in Monaco, with the two players remaining in north London for Spurs' Champions League clash on Wednesday. While the manager wasn't able to provide a definitive return date for the Argentine, supposed club insider Poseidon (not the ancient Greek, but a social media celebrity among the Lilywhite fanbase) reports that Romero is expected to miss the next three games.

The clash with Chelsea on 1 November first is seen as a potential comeback date (what could go wrong!), meaning Romero is set to miss the fixtures against Monaco, Everton and Newcastle in the Carabao Cup.

Tottenham had Guglielmo Vicario to thank for the point they earned in Monaco on Wednesday night, as the two teams played out a goalless draw.

Thomas Frank selected an XI that had us all trialing configurations, but all became clear once Marco Guida blew his whistle for the first time on Wednesday evening. Archie Gray was at left-back, with the derided Rodrigo Bentancur and João Palhinha midfield retained.

I wouldn't say the team selection exactly inspired hope, and Spurs' first-half performance was perhaps what many expected. Monaco's man-orientation once again meant we were reliant on Mohammed Kudus' brilliance to get up the pitch, with central areas once again avoided.

We carried a threat from set-pieces, and should've made more of a couple of moments from open-play that fatefully won't count towards our xG haul. The real concern, though, were the chances surrendered in transition, with Guglielmo Vicario forced into one outstanding save after a Lucas Bergvall giveaway.

The second-half, however, made the first look like a Thomas Frank masterpiece. There was seldom positive to comment about the final 45 minutes, as Monaco asserted full control towards the end of the contest.

Spurs caved, offering absolutely nothing. They couldn't win a duel. How Monaco didn't score was a borderline miracle.

Anyway, the result was fine, so there's that. We remain unbeaten in the Champions League, but there are plenty of issues that Frank still needs to solve. Let's get into some player ratings.

Monaco 0-0 Tottenham player ratings

Goalkeeper & Defenders

Guglielmo Vicario (GK): 9/10 - Obviously the standout. Vicario made two outstanding saves on either side of half-time to ensure Spurs' drab performance wasn't punished.

Pedro Porro (RB): 5/10 - A lovely nutmeg and switch in the first half should have let to a moment of promise, but a loose Wilson Odobert touch saw the move break down. Otherwise, Porro struggled to execute.

Kevin Danso (CB): 6/10 - That long-throw did cause issues in the first half, but he didn't look particularly comfortable in possession, and Monaco had some joy later on at accessing his channel. Folarin Balogun certainly had more joy up against him.

Micky van de Ven (CB): 7.5/10 - While he was late to shut down his channel on occasions, some of his recovery defending was outstanding, and Balogun was a formidable opponent.

Archie Gray (LB): 7/10 - Bailed us out multiple times early on, and offered moments of dynamism in an awkward role. Moved into midfield for the closing stages. We need to see more of him.

Continued on the next slide...

Tottenham had every opportunity in the world to beat Monaco, but that all crumbled as soon as one player came off the pitch. Thomas Frank basically settled the 0-0 when he made the decision to bring Tottenham's MVP off.

This season, Thomas Frank has started quicker than anybody would have expected. While it's not popular to give any new manager praise this season, let's hold our hands in the air and say fair play to Thomas Frank.

Sure, he's not close to fighting for the Premier League title at this stage, but this was never Tottenham's objective. To have only lost two games all season so far is a far cry from Ange's shambles last season. Tottenham's style of play is also much more sustainable than it was under Ange.

And look, one new signing is largely to thank for this. Mohammed Kudus has set the world alight at Hotspur Way, and he's undoubtedly been Tottenham's most important player in the final third.

Mohammed Kudus didn't show up, but that's not Tottenham's excuse

However, Spurs run the risk of relying on Kudus too much. It was clear as day that tonight against Monaco, he was Tottenham's downfall. And he can be forgiven for that, after all, he's been ever so active for Spurs all season so far.

But what cannot be forgiven is no other Tottenham player stepping up during Kudus' off-game. It was almost like the Tottenham attackers were staring at Kudus and telling him to do something. In reality, they should have stepped up themselves.

Wilson Odobert was Spurs' best attacker on the night, but he went off shortly after a suspected knock. Odobert's performance was great, but he can hardly carry the weight of a Champions League game by himself. Kudus could, but again, it wasn't his night.

Richarlison, on the other hand, was physical off the ball, but his work on the ball left a lot to be desired.

Look, it's natural for a club to have its most important player. This isn't just limited to Tottenham, and it's almost impossible to avoid. However, the problem arises when that player is so high on a pedestal that others cannot take the weight when they naturally have off days.

And Kudus always had a mammoth task on his hands. Tottenham lost James Maddison through injury, and Son Heung-min left in the summer. Before Kudus, Madders and Sonny were Spurs' two most important players.

Touch wood, it doesn't happen, but tonight's performance casts an awful light on what might happen at Tottenham if Kudus were to pick up a spell of absence. Could Tottenham replace him in that worst-case scenario?

Tottenham Hotspur need a bounce back win on Wednesday night in the Champions League, and they will face a pretty tough team in Monaco in order to get back to winning ways. Last Sunday, Spurs dropped all three points in the Premier League, falling 2-1 to an Aston Villa side that have been arguably the most disappointing in the entire English top flight this season.

What didn't help Spurs was a key late injury, as Cristian Romero was scratched off the starting lineup due to a late adductor injury in warmups before the game. Although Kevin Danso stepped in and played well at center back, Tottenham were clearly hurt by not having the Argentinian international out there, especially from the perspective of progressing the ball.

Romero won't be able to play for Tottenham against Monaco either, and that's going to be a huge blow for Spurs against a Ligue 1 side that can be very dangerous from an attacking sense, especially if their young stars like Maghnes Akliouche go off.

But Romero isn't the only center back currently dealing with an injury. In the pregame press conference for Tottenham before the Monaco match, Spurs manager Thomas Frank told reporters, via The Spurs Express, that fellow center back Ben Davies is going to miss "weeks" with an injury.

Tottenham can't afford any more injuries

The Welsh international went down during the October international break with a hamstring injury, and he is going to be out of commission as a result. Although Davies is no longer a key player for Tottenham and could have honestly been moved this summer, losing Davies does hurt the team's depth at the position.

Without Romero and Davies, Tottenham are still waiting for Kota Takai and Radu Dragusin to return from injuries. Therefore, Micky van de Ven and Kevin Danso are the only 100 percent healthy center backs for Spurs.

Thus, Tottenham really can't afford either of those two standouts to get injured, especially if Romero also misses multiple games. Davies being on a timeline of weeks until a return from a tricky hamstring injury is tough, because he is literally in the squad to be available as a veteran presence, should injuries strike the top guys.

Tottenham have been ravaged by injuries already in the 2025/26 season, and while most of those absences have affected the striker position and other attacking areas, the center back position has now been struck, too.

On Wednesday night in the Champions League, Tottenham Hotspur will take on one of the darkhorse sides of the competition in Ligue 1 giants Monaco, and while Spurs would have liked to think that they were one of the darkhorse teams coming into the competition, they have lost that status.

After starting the season brightly by pushing PSG to their limit and blowing out Manchester City, Tottenham have struggled to put away inferior opponents and haven't really had a dominant win in weeks. Their latest disappointing display was a 2-1 loss to Aston Villa in the Premier League.

It won't get easier for Tottenham against Monaco either. Via Sky Sports, Tottenham manager Thomas Frank has told reporters that neither star center back Cristian Romero nor left back Destiny Udogie will be able to play against the Ligue 1 side on Wednesday night.

Romero was a late scratch on Sunday against Aston Villa with an adductor injury that could cost him a couple of more weeks of action, depending on how the World Cup and Europa League hero recovers. Meanwhile, Udogie was also a miss against Villa and remains without a clear timetable for a return.

Tottenham's left wing will feel the heat

Neither player was able to practice for Spurs ahead of the Champions League matchup, and so Tottenham will have to, once again, turn to Djed Spence at left back and Kevin Danso in the central defensive position.

While Spence is a decent player, he's clearly second best to Udogie, especially when looking at how much more Udogie adds in an attacking sense. Not having Udogie out there puts a lot more strain on the left winger, and given that Wilson Odobert and Mathys Tel have their flaws at the highest level of competition, Udogie is going to be a big miss against a good Champions League team like Monaco.

Danso was actually great against Villa and is a top center back in his own right who has plenty of experience shining against Monaco specifically, dating back to his time in Ligue 1 with Monaco. But nobody, not even a quality player like Danso, can replicate what Romero brings to the table for Spurs, especially since he offers so much offensively as a progressor and passer despite being a center back.

Tottenham are already reeling after the loss to Aston Villa, and this team will find out a lot about what they are made of on Wednesday without Udogie and captain Romero available for Frank.

Tottenham have the chance to respond to Sunday's Premier League defeat in midweek, when they travel to Monaco for their third continental outing of the season.

Spurs were bad after taking an early lead against Aston Villa at the weekend, and they were made to pay for a dreary performance with the ball by two excellent Villa strikes. It was their first defeat since Bournemouth won 1-0 in N17 before the September break, but the display did shine a light on Thomas Frank's rather basic framework.

There's unlikely to be a major overhaul when they take to the field in Monaco on Wednesday night, but Spurs do have an opportunity to rebuild some momentum ahead of Sunday's trip to Everton.

Frank's side have recorded four points from their opening two league phase games, while the Ligue 1 side overcame their battering at the hands of Club Brugge to draw 2-2 with Manchester City.

The hosts currently sit seventh in the French top-flight, having parted ways with manager Adi Hütter earlier this month. Monaco are now led by former Union Saint-Gilloise boss Sébastien Pocognoli, who oversaw a 1-1 draw with Angers during his first game in charge at the weekend.

Here's our preview of Wednesday's Champions League clash.

Monaco vs Tottenham: Preview, Prediction & Lineups

What time does Monaco vs Tottenham kick off?

Monaco vs Tottenham kicks off on Wednesday 22 October at 20:00 BST.

When is kick off? Wednesday 22 October 2025

What time is kick off? 20:00 BST

Where is it played? Stade Louis II, Monaco

Referee:Â Marco Guida (ITA)

Monaco vs Tottenham head-to-head record (all games)

How to watch Monaco vs Tottenham on TV & live stream

Monaco team news

Supporters are likely to keep a close eye on playmaker Maghnes Akliouche, given our links to the 23-year-old in the summer. He could operate alongside a resurgent Ansu Fati off the shoulder of former Arsenal striker Folarin Balogun on Wednesday night.

Longtime Spurs defender Eric Dier is absent through injury, which is a shame, so two ex-Premier League defenders in Mohammed Salisu and Thilo Kehrer should start in Monaco's projected back three.

Lukas Hradecky, Christian Mawissa, Vanderson, Denis Zakaria and Lamine Camara are also sidelined, while Paul Pogba still isn't match fit.

Monaco predicted lineup vs Tottenham: Köhn; Salisu, Kehrer, Henrique; Diatta, Coulibaly, Teze, Ouattara; Akliouche, Fati; Balogun.

Tottenham team news

Are we into our first injury crisis of the season?

Cristian Romero and Destiny Udogie's fitness setbacks mean Spurs could be without nine first-team players for Wednesday's game, with the aforementioned pair missing Sunday's disappointing defeat. While Frank has suggested neither player will be out for long, the quick turnaround means they will likely sit out in midweek.

James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski are long-term absentees in the creative department, and we're yet to see Kota Takai in Lilywhite after he picked up a foot injury at the start of his Spurs career. Ben Davies may also miss Wednesday's game.

Mathys Tel is ineligible, so Richarlison should get the nod up top in Dominic Solanke's continued absence. Randal Kolo Muani made his Premier League debut at the weekend but doesn't look ready to start.

Tottenham predicted lineup vs Monaco: Vicario; Porro, Danso, Van de Ven, Spence; Palhinha, Bergvall; Kudus, Xavi, Odobert; Richarlison.

Monaco vs Tottenham score prediction

Both teams are without several key names for Wednesday's bout, and Frank does have the advanatage of facing up against a manager who's new to the role.

Monaco were perhaps harsh to sack Hütter in favour of a manager with little experience of the top level. Pocognoli did do an excellent job in Belgium, though.

The nature of Sunday's performance certainly means I'm not confident, especially with the players we have out, but I'm not convinced that this Monaco side are particularly good. This may be an occasion where we don't need to be close to our best to prevail. Functionality could be enough.