Thomas Frank must choose between Guglielmo Vicario and Antonin Kinsky as his Tottenham number one – and it may not be as straightforward as many think.
One big upside about a new manager walking through the door at a club is that most players have a chance of staking their case for a starting role.
That could very much be the case at Tottenham Hotspur, particularly in the goalkeeping department, where Spurs have two really good options in Guglielmo Vicario and Antonin Kinsky.
Thus far, under new boss Thomas Frank, both goalkeepers have played 45 minutes respectively, and both have managed to keep clean sheets.
However, while Vicario has been the recognised first choice for a while now, he is not without his flaws, and Kinsky could very much look to push for the number one spot. Let us see which one of these two options Frank would most likely opt for.
Guglielmo Vicario’s strengths as Tottenham goalkeeper
Of course, while Thomas Frank would be looking to stamp his mark on this Tottenham team, the Danish manager would want to do so with some caution so as not to disrupt the dressing room dynamics.
Guglielmo Vicario is a big part of the Tottenham dressing room and is one of the leaders in the squad. That very attribute carries on to the field of play, as Vic is constantly on the necks of his defenders, barking and screaming out instructions which help to keep them alert.
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Indeed, this quality often comes with experience, and with Vicario currently 28 and the shot stopper for the Italian national team, it comes as no surprise that he is one of the vocal players in defence.
While his leadership is a big pro, Vicario also has some other standout attributes in his game. He is a solid shot stopper, having a save percentage of 64.8% in the Premier League.
Vicario also conceded 37 goals from 24 appearances, while also preventing 0.6 goals, the highest in the league being 6.2 by Jordan Pickford.
However, while the Italian has these great attributes, he is not without his flaws and during his time at Tottenham, some of them have been a constant.
Guglielmo Vicario’s weaknesses as Spurs goalkeeper
First off, Vicario is not the greatest aerially. He tends to make a hash of crosses in the box, be it from set plays, corners or just general play.
It almost seems like you do not know what to expect with him in those moments. In fact, even in the Europa League final, Vicario’s inability to command his area during set plays came to the fore when he made a hash of a cross in the box, which could have seen Manchester United draw level if not for a Micky van de Ven acrobatic clearance.
Additionally, during the tail end of last season, during the final five games in the League, it was mistake after mistake from the 28-year-old; mistakes ranging from poor shot-stopping decisions to poor handling of crosses.
Tottenham fans even began to call for the Italian’s understudy, Antonin Kinsky, to be given a chance in games during the run-in.
Tottenham may have a gem in Antonin Kinsky
Of course, Tottenham are lucky to have two great goalkeepers, and Vicario’s understudy has shown he is a very talented man.
Kinsky’s debut match against Liverpool in the Carabao Cup last season was one of the best debut performances from a new signing, and that, of course, gave us a glimpse of what the Czech international is about.
Kinsky played all 90 minutes and made six crucial saves, ensuring he kept a clean sheet against Liverpool’s outstanding attack, preventing 1.23 goals.
His composure with the ball was equally impressive, as he completed 32 out of 45 passes with a 71% accuracy rate.
Breaking down his defensive contributions, Kinsky made four saves from shots taken inside the box, acted as a sweeper on one occasion, completed 12 recoveries and had 58 touches of the ball.
Right in those statistics lies the pros of Kinsky – a young shot stopper with huge potential that can grow to become one of the best in his position.
He single-handedly won Tottenham that Carabao Cup tie, which is the hallmark of a top goalkeeper.
He is good at shot-stopping, playing out from the back, and he can act as a sweeper keeper – hallmarks of modern goalkeepers.
However, while these are great, Kinsky is not without his flaws. He also lacks consistency, as he is prone to errors, and his shot-stopping is not yet at the level of that of Vicario.
In the FA Cup tie against Aston Villa last season, Kinsky’s poor decision in goal ultimately led to Tottenham conceding.
But with the goalkeeper still young, there is room for improvement, and he will only get better. However, if he is to improve, game time is needed, and Frank has a decision to make.
Who should start for Spurs – Guglielmo Vicario or Antonin Kinsky?
At the moment, given Vicario’s leadership trait at the back and his better edge when it comes to shot-stopping, despite his flaws, it makes sense for Thomas Frank to stick with the Italian.
However, the gap in quality between the two is not night and day, and Kinsky could very much rival Vicario for a starting spot.
The Czech international featured just ten times for Tottenham last season, and that could very much increase depending on how well Spurs do in all four competitions they are in.
The young shot stopper has not had any opportunity to play consistently as Tottenham’s number one, which is a role that comes with extra scrutiny.
Vicario has proven he can handle the pressure as he seems to bounce back more often than not, which gives him an edge. But Tottenham are not in a bad spot in that position of the pitch, which is a great bonus.
