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Guglielmo Vicario horrendous as Thomas Frank hooks unhappy bright spark – Tottenham player ratings vs Nottingham Forest

Tottenham were dreadful as they squandered any momentum from back-to-back wins in falling to a 3-0 loss at Nottingham Forest.

In what would have been Tottenham’s reunion with Ange Postecoglou, before he was sacked and replaced by Sean Dyche, the home side made the better start and hit the post through Ibrahim Sangare’s header.

Callum Hudson-Odoi would open the scoring inside half an hour thanks to a calamity between Archie Gray and Guglielmo Vicario, as the keeper passed out to the youngster who was immediately robbed from behind by Sangare who advanced into the area and squared for an open goal.

A bad afternoon got worse early in the second half as Hudson-Odoi scored his second with a cross that caught out Vicario and went straight in at the back post, for the exact opposite sort of reaction Thomas Frank would have been looking for.

Then, just as Frank was finally about to bring some new attackers Hudson-Odoi turned provider as he laid it off for Sangare to smash a third in off the post from outside the box to make the result safe.

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Guglielmo Vicario horror show at City Ground

Vicario took a lot of heat for his error in defeat against Fulham, which sparked controversy with supporters for Frank and Pedro Porro.

The Italian had another nightmare against Forest as he played a major part in both Hudson-Odoi’s goals.

He could share the blame with Gray for the opener, although the Englishman could at least argue he had his back to the danger, whereas the keeper should have seen the ball wasn’t on with Sangare bearing down just outside the box.

The second not only derailed whatever Frank’s team talk at the break would have asked for but got Forest and their fans back in the groove amid frustration at the officials, and the blame was all his as he misjudged the flight of the cross and was caught under the ball as it sailed into the net.

Vicario is thought to want to leave Tottenham for Serie A and this outing won’t have done anything to change that, as his confidence looked to be affected judging by a miscommunication with Ben Davies soon after the left-back came on.

Spurs were flat across the board at the City Ground and few players were on their game, but without a pair of massive errors they might have still managed to get something out of this.

Djed Spence unhappy to be removed

On a day where the collective performance was pretty dismal and had shades of Tottenham‘s limp loss to Chelsea or the capitulation as Eberechi Eze scored a hat-trick in the North London derby, nobody exactly shone.

Mohammed Kudus was direct early but faded as the going got tough, while Randal Kolo Muani had some exciting runs where he beat multiple players before running up a dead end and losing possession, but there was barely a Man of the Match to speak of.

Most concerning around Frank, who will likely be facing more doubts over his long-term suitability after this, was the fact that the first player he decided to remove when chasing the game was arguably the sharpest performer in Djed Spence.

The left-back was one of the few in yellow who was actually putting a shift in up and down the flank, and certainly wasn’t close to the biggest issue on the pitch.

His irritated reaction towards the Tottenham bench as his number was held up and Ben Davies waited to come on said it all, as the Englishman can justifiably feel unfortunate to be first off.

It was a dreadful day all round for Spurs here, and after Spence’s apparent snub of Frank along with Micky van de Ven caused yet another issue after the Chelsea defeat it will hardly boost the defender’s relationship with the manager to be the first change when most of his teammates deserved it more.

Tottenham player ratings at Nottingham Forest

Guglielmo Vicario – 2

Pedro Porro – 5

Cristian Romero – 5

Micky van de Ven – 6

Djed Spence (off for Davies ’59) – 7 – (Man of the Match)

Rodrigo Bentancur (off for Bergvall ’59) – 5

Archie Gray (off for Palhinha ’59) – 4

Mohammed Kudus (off for Johnson ’80) – 6

Xavi Simons – 5

Randal Kolo Muani – 6

Richarlison – 5

Substitutions

Ben Davies (on for Spence ’59) – 5

Lucas Bergvall (on for Bentancur ’59) – 5

Joao Palhinha (on for Gray ’59) – 6

Brennan Johnson (on for Kudus ’80) – 5

Mathys Tel (on for Kolo Muani ’80) – 5

‘Really, really frustrating’ – Ex-Tottenham player backs Nottingham Forest outrage at referee

Morgan Gibbs-White was backed live by a Sky Sports pundit amid outrage towards the officials as Nottingham Forest took on Tottenham.

Tottenham took on Sean Dyche’s Forest after ex-Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou was sacked earlier this season, and the home side dominated the first half.

Ibrahim Sangare had already hit the post when he robbed Archie Gray as the youngster was receiving a hospital pass from Guglielmo Vicario 28 minutes in, squaring for Callum Hudson-Odoi to tap home.

The first 45 ended with a chorus of boos raining down from the home fans though as fury built up towards the officials, sparked in large part by a glaring error from Thomas Bramall and his assistants after 38 minutes.

Andy Reid backs Morgan Gibbs-White shock vs Tottenham

As a cross came over into the Tottenham box from the Forest right Gibbs-White attempted to flick it towards goal between his legs, but didn’t get a proper contact on it.

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Instead Rodrigo Bentancur unwittingly performed the same move right behind him and the ball rolled narrowly wide of the far post for what looked like an obvious corner, only for Bramall to award a goal kick.

Gibbs-White raced towards the official as thousands of supporters roared in outrage at the error, but to no avail, and Andy Reid backed the negative emotions.

Reacting live on the Sky Sports match commentary the ex-Spurs and Forest midfielder said: “These are the ones that the players get really, really frustrated at. And you can understand as well.

“Everybody in the ground could see that’s come off a Tottenham player out for a corner, just expecting the referee to point to the corner flag and he points for a goal kick.

“They’re really, really frustrating ones for players and for coaches. They’re the simple ones. The referee’s looking at it, should get that right.”

Vicario and Gray self-destruct

Tottenham’s win at home against Brentford last week, backed up by a Champions League win over Slavia Prague had settled some of the growing chaos for Thomas Frank.

But there was zero in terms of momentum in the first half at the City Ground as Forest were by far the better side.

Even so Spurs helped make it easy for them as Vicario and Gray’s nightmare moment handed them the opener on a plate, with the midfielder apparently unaware of his surroundings as Sangare was close behind him, and the keeper gave him the ball in trouble anyway.

They were hardly the only Tottenham players being careless in possession as Xavi Simons was at least one other who saw an aimless pass in his own half intercepted to almost put his side in danger.

Frank needs a seriously-improved performance from his players to get back into this and avoid more questions springing up around his job heading into Christmas.

Everything Thomas Frank said about Ange Postecoglou ahead of Nottingham Forest vs Tottenham

Thomas Frank has given his true opinion about former Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou.

Postecoglou was sacked by Tottenham after a shocking year in the Premier League, as he led them to a 17th-placed finish last season, despite the Europa League success.

Thomas Frank replaced Postecoglou in N17 over the summer, and he has made a mixed start to the season, with the Lilywhites sitting 11th.

It wasn’t long before the Aussie was back in management, but his disastrous spell at Nottingham Forest lasted just 39 days as he was sacked on 18 October after a dismal winless run.

Ahead of Tottenham’s trip to Nottingham Forest on Sunday, Frank heaped praise on the Australian manager, who was replaced by Sean Dyche.

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Thomas Frank full of admiration for Ange Postecoglou

Postecoglou ended Tottenham’s 17-year trophy drought by helping them lift the Europa League trophy in May.

He has remained a beloved figure in N17, and Frank was quick to show his appreciation.

In quotes shared by the Sunday Mirror, he said: “I don’t know him personally, but I hope he comes back. He clearly loves being a coach, so I always hope good coaches come back.

“Ange has been a successful Spurs manager in many ways. They had a very good first Premier League season, and he won the Europa League as well.

“There are a lot of circumstances about why things are good and why things are bad. I don’t think it’s my job to go into details about that.”

Postecoglou has also been linked with the Leeds and Fulham jobs in the recent past, and he must surely be looking for a return to management.

Thomas Frank claims he needs to build on Ange Postecoglou’s achievements

The Australian manager’s record at Forest hasn’t deterred clubs from being interested in his services, and his unique style of play could be of interest to Fulham.

Postecoglou replaced Nuno Espirito Santo to implement his expansive style of play, but failed to win any of his eight matches in charge at the City Ground.

As the Premier League becomes more physical, there is a heavier reliance on set pieces, which is something that the 60-year-old never paid much attention to.

Of course, Frank still has a lot of work to do to prove himself to the Tottenham fans, with Postecoglou currently averaging a higher win percentage in N17.

“The only thing I can say is that Postecoglou is a legend and always will be,” he ended.

“He won a massive trophy; he was a big part of that, and we all stand on the shoulders of others. I stand on his shoulders, and now I’m trying to build on that.”

It must start with a Tottenham win over Forest on Sunday.

Luca Williams-Barnett is one of the most promising talents to emerge at Tottenham in recent years.

Williams-Barnett made his Tottenham debut in the Carabao Cup win over Doncaster in September, in a three-minute cameo and regularly stars for the youth team.

He is definitely on the radar of Thomas Frank, and even made the first-team bench for the senior Champions League clash with Slavia Prague.

Now, his progress looks set to be rewarded, with Spurs keen to keep him around at Hotspur Way.

Tottenham set to tie down two youth gems after Slavia Prague scenes

John Wenham, who is an expert when it comes to the youth teams in N17 has shared an update on professional contracts for Williams-Barnett and Tynan Thompson after the UEFA Youth League win over Slavia Prague.

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The duo were both among the goals as Tottenham’s youth brushed the Czech side aside with a 9-1 victory on 9 December.

Speaking exclusively to Tottenham News, he said: “We had a fantastic win on Tuesday in the UEFA Youth League, beating Slavia Prague’s Under-19s 9-1.

“What was notable about that was Slavia Prague, at the academy level, are no mugs, they have beaten Arsenal and scored five goals against them this season.

“They have also had some other impressive results, and they are a decent side, but when I saw Tottenham’s team on the day, I mentioned it as soon as the team news came out, it looked incredibly stacked, in terms of five or six England youth internationals in the team.

“You have got Luca Williams-Barnett, Luca scored five goals on the day, he is not a striker, which sort of tells you the level he is playing at right now.

“He is playing at a level similar to Mikey Moore, who is on loan at Rangers now, where he is completely dominant in youth football.

“Tynan Thompson grabbed a hat-trick, another player that Thomas Frank has already looked at in pre-season, Jun’ai Byfield was back after his broken hand, he was rewarded with a professional contract for the first time.

“They have qualified for the knockout stages, they finished ninth in the 36-team table, some big teams have not qualified, the likes of Bayern Munich, Napoli, Juventus, Newcastle and Arsenal are out of the competition.

“Tottenham will fancy themselves, for me, they are probably a striker and a centre-midfielder short at that level, for me to confidently sit here and say I think we will win that competition, but I think they will go far, purely based on they have got some outstanding talents.

“Really promising from Tottenham at the moment, and the fact that Byfield signed a new contract, I believe professional contracts are in the offing for Williams-Barnett pretty imminently and Thompson as well.”

Tottenham need to give Williams-Barnett an opportunity

The likes of Williams-Barnett and Thompson need to know that there is a route to first-team football in North London.

They are clearly far too good to be playing youth football long-term, and Frank needs to hand them more chances in the near future.

The fact that they seem willing to sign new deals to remain in N17, suggests that they have been assured that there will be opportunities to progress.

Brennan Johnson’s time at Tottenham looks to be in its final throes as the curtains start to come down on 2025.

Johnson, 24, has struggled to maintain a spot in Thomas Frank‘s starting line-up this season, despite being the match-winner who won Spurs the Europa League title back in May.

The Wales forward has started just six times in the Premier League, averaging only 44 minutes per game across his 13 total appearances.

As a result, it’s starting to look as though Johnson could be leaving Tottenham, especially with the North London club putting irons in the fire to add to Frank’s attack in the upcoming January transfer window.

Tottenham line up Yan Diomande as Brennan Johnson replacement

In the summer, Ademola Lookman was one of many targets that Tottenham looked at to bolster Frank’s firepower.

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And with the winter transfer window now less than three weeks away from opening, Spurs have started to take an interest in RB Leipzig star Yan Diomande.

It was reported earlier this month that Tottenham are in advanced talks to sign Diomande, who has scored seven goals and supplied four assists in 15 appearances for Leipzig this term.

However, Sky Sports Germany journalist Florian Plettenberg claimed on Friday that while Spurs, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City are among the clubs keen on signing the 19-year-old Ivory Coast international, “there are no concrete or advanced talks” at this stage.

Plettenberg adds that due to Diomande having four-and-a-half years left on his contract and that there’s no release clause in his deal with Leipzig, the Bundesliga club will want at least £87.7million for the ex-Leganes attacker next month.

How Diomande outclasses Johnson in just about every area

He’s 19 and he’s only played 25 times in senior club football, but it’s clear that Diomande is a huge talent that Spurs have to be getting on board.

Although Johnson will go down in Tottenham’s history as the player to end their 17-year streak without any silverware, it’s been clear for a while that the ex-Nottingham Forest man isn’t the kind of player that they should be relying on if they want to bring the glory days back to North London.

Let’s face it, not long ago, Spurs fans were heralding Gareth Bale and even Son Heung-min for starring on their wings. Johnson won’t ever be on the same level as them, unfortunately.

But Diomande does have the potential to.

Both players can play in the same positions: either wing or up front.

Diomande has largely played down the right-hand side for Leipzig this season, with him scoring a hat-trick in his last appearance on the German club’s right wing when they beat Frankfurt 6-0 at the weekend.

In that 87-minute loan appearance, the Ivorian has outscored Johnson for the whole season, with the Welshman not netting since he scored in Tottenham’s win over Manchester City back in August.

It’ll no doubt be a big outlay for Spurs to sign Diomande, with Leipzig wanting what they reportedly do for the teenager and also the interest in him potentially sparking a bidding war.

Selling Johnson to offset the cost of buying him could be an option at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, as there’ll no doubt be takers for Johnson in the Premier League.

Tottenham look to be taking a step forward in their attempts to secure a naming rights deal for their stadium.

The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium has been open since 2019, but the North London club are yet to secure a lucrative windfall for the state-of-the-art arena.

Tottenham are set to hire Alex Scotcher, who secured a £10million deal for Everton for their Hill Dickinson Stadium, according to Matt Law.

However, John Wenham has hit out over that appointment, labelling the appointment as a “strange” development.

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Tottenham deal is not comparable to Everton’s

Tottenham have already been blasted for hiring Todd Kline, who failed to put a naming rights deal in place, despite that being his main job.

However, Wenham was also baffled by the report that Spurs are set to hire Scotcher, claiming that the situations of Spurs and Everton are not comparable in the slightest.

Speaking exclusively to Tottenham News, he said: “There was a story last week by Matt Law, saying that Tottenham have brought in the chap that did Everton’s deal, I mean Everton’s deal was quite unique, that is a really localised law firm that have obviously got some partners who support the club.

“They are probably paying £10m a year, Tottenham aren’t going to accept a figure that low, it is incomparable to compare a localised Everton-supporting law firm basically, with what Tottenham can attract.

“Tottenham Stadium that hosts huge boxing fights, Beyonce, NFL, the two clubs are not comparable, I know Everton fans won’t like me saying that, but that is the reality, we rocked up to the Hill Dickinson this year and pummelled them 3-0.

“I found that story a bit strange, he might have some expertise, but Tottenham’s deal won’t be anything like Everton’s, as a minimum, Tottenham are probably looking for double that, and over a much longer period than what Everton have secured.”

How much would Tottenham want for naming rights deal

It is understood that Tottenham want between £20-25m for a company to have their brand emblazoned on the stadium.

That is perfectly reasonable, given the fact that the Toffees are getting £10m, and the Lilywhites are the bigger club, in a better position at the moment.

The N17 outfit are in the Champions League, the biggest and most lucrative competition in club football, and average attendances of over 60,000.

The fact that they also host prestigious events, such as other sports and concerts, only serves to justify that figure even more.

Whether they can achieve it, that is another matter entirely.

Cristian Romero could soon be on his way out of Tottenham.

Romero has struggled with injury at Tottenham this season, but has continued to play a key role under Thomas Frank in recent weeks.

The Argentina international showed his best as Romero scored two against Newcastle United to seal a draw away at St James’ Park.

Romero still has a red card streak at Tottenham and can represent a risk when he’s on one at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

There are still more positives than negatives about Romero, but that could result in a big-money exit in the near future.

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Cristian Romero could still leave Tottenham after new contract

Julian Alvarez wants Romero at Atletico Madrid in a move that seems like a match made in heaven under Diego Simeone.

The 27-year-old is undoubtedly the sort of player who thrives under the Argentine head coach in the Spanish capital.

Spurs fans may have fears over losing the defender to the LaLiga giants due to those country links and the comments from Alvarez.

Former Tottenham scout Bryan King has suggested that supporters need not worry, as Romero would only leave if a massive offer came in.

Speaking exclusively to Tottenham News, King said: “He’s only just signed a new contract, Romero.

“He signed an improved deal in the summer, and it’s made a big difference to his wage packet.

“He’s one of the highest-paid players at Tottenham, so it won’t be cheap to get him out. If Atletico think he’s going to walk out, they’ll have to think again.

“He’d cost £60million-70m.

“The fact that he’s Argentinian and Diego Simeone’s Argentinian will have nothing to do with it. If Spurs don’t want to sell, then he won’t go unless a crazy offer comes in, that is what it will take.“

Tottenham can’t afford to lose Romero for any fee

The Lilywhites have struggled this campaign, even with Romero in the side, so losing him would be a sizable blow for Frank and Co.

The Argentine is the captain and raises the level of everyone around him, and is undoubtedly worth the £70m that Spurs could demand.

Tottenham would be struggling if he were to leave, but could face trouble should Atleti come knocking and attempt to turn Romero’s head.

It will be interesting to see what happens, but there is no doubt that the North London club have the defender’s future in their hands.

Thomas Frank could potentially revolutionise the Tottenham attack by signing Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo.

The North London outfit spent a significant sum signing the likes of Mohammed Kudus and Xavi Simons in the summer, and ENIC are expected to go again in January.

Frank expects Spurs to be active in the winter transfer window, and it will be interesting to see who they will end up signing.

It would be surprising to see some exits in the coming weeks, with the likes of Yves Bissouma linked with a move away from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, but one departure may open the doors for Semenyo.

Brennan Johnson linked with Tottenham January transfer

Crystal Palace have identified Brennan Johnson as a target ahead of the winter transfer window, according to Sky Sports.

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The news outlet reports on 12 December that the Eagles are considering a move for the Wales international from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

It’s been claimed that the 24-year-old right-winger is among the several options the South London outfit are keeping tabs on to strengthen Oliver Glasner’s squad.

While there’s no mention of the type of deal Palace would look to pursue, the North London outfit should demand a fee up front to let the £47.5million signing leave.

Spurs are one of the teams that have Semenyo on their radar, and room may soon open up in the squad and wage books to sanction the Ghana international’s arrival.

Thomas Frank will love fantastic player at Spurs

Tottenham can show their belief in Frank by signing Semenyo, and they may be willing to trigger his £65m release clause as soon as January.

Frank has already lauded the 25-year-old, and last season, the former Brentford boss said, “Semenyo can play wherever he wants to play. He’s a fantastic player. I think he’s been the best individual player for Bournemouth this season.”

It’s clear the Danish manager holds the Ghanaian forward in high regard, and he could potentially even play as a number nine for Spurs as they struggle for a consistent centre-forward.

With Ghana not going to AFCON, a deal for Semenyo surely won’t be complicated by national team commitments, and his situation will be one to keep an eye on.

Supercomputer predicts outcome of Nottingham Forest vs Tottenham in Premier League

Tottenham are looking for three wins in a row under Thomas Frank when they travel to Nottingham Forest on Sunday.

Tottenham’s 3-0 win over Slavia Prague has given Frank some optimism ahead of a tough run of fixtures.

Frank had been under pressure after a dismal run of form in the Premier League, with losses suffered to Chelsea and Fulham significantly dampening the mood at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The Lilywhites are currently 11th in the Premier League, and Sunday’s meeting may represent their best chance of securing three points for the rest of 2025, with Liverpool and high-flying Crystal Palace still to come before the turn of the year.

Tottenham predicted as slight favourites to beat Nottingham Forest

Tottenham’s 2-0 win over Brentford last time out means they are looking to win consecutive league games for the first time since August.

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However, despite losing six consecutive Premier League games against Spurs between 1998 and 2024, Forest did the league double against them last season.

According to Opta’s supercomputer, Tottenham are predicted to edge past Sunday’s opponents.

Only bottom side Wolves (nine) have failed to score in more different Premier League games than Nottingham Forest this season (eight).

With Tottenham turning a corner in the last week, they have the perfect opportunity to close the four-point gap on the top four with a win at the City Ground.

Although Tottenham haven’t won any of their five Premier League away games when conceding against Nottingham Forest, they have a striker in Richarlison who is bang in form.

Richarlison undoubtedly set to play huge role in Tottenham vs Nottingham Forest

Richarlison has been involved in more Premier League goals than any other Tottenham player this season (eight – six goals, two assists).

The Brazilian has had a hand in 18 goals (17 goals, one assist) in his last 24 league starts for Spurs.

Richarlison has come under fire for his work rate off the ball at times, although his goals against Man United and Man City have proved to be crucial.

Despite being linked with a move away from N17, the forward can prove his worth once more with a performance in a match that could prove to be a huge turning point in Spurs’ season.

Tottenham are preparing for a trip to face Nottingham Forest in the Premier League on Sunday.

Forest will play host to Spurs, with the home side hoping to get back to winning ways domestically after defeat to Everton last time around.

Both sides secured mid-week wins in Europe, with Tottenham securing a 3-0 win against Slavia Prague, while the Reds won away to Utrecht.

Mohammed Kudus was on target against Prague and will be keen to add to his Lilywhites tally in a return to league action at the City Ground.

Thomas Frank has a selection dilemma on his hands, but could be set to leave Joao Palhinha out of his side in the East Midlands.

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Joao Palhinha could be dropped vs Nottingham Forest

Palhinha put in a positive shift against Slavia Prague, but against a more defensively minded side, he could face the axe away from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The Portugal international may drop to the bench, while the backline could remain intact against Forest after Champions League victory.

Guglielmo Vicario made five saves last time out and could be set to start with Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero ahead of him.

Djed Spence could be in line for another start after his three chances created and six defensive actions last time around, with Pedro Porro potentially set for a spot on the right.

Lucas Bergvall could be the man named to potentially replace Palhinha, with the Portuguese midfielder’s 27 per cent walking time likely to cause problems against an industrious Forest side.

The Sweden international is a true starlet for Spurs and needs to be afforded more regular minutes, especially against sides that require breaking down.

Randal Kolo Muani could start for Tottenham

If Bergvall is to come in, it makes total sense for him to feature alongside his partner in crime, Archie Gray.

The Englishman started last time out and could link up with Xavi Simons in midfield again, after the Dutchman’s stellar display against Slavia Prague.

The attacking midfielder covered the most ground on the pitch with 11.0 km, while also being the most fouled player on the pitch.

Simons will be aiming to score again and also create chances with Wilson Odobert and Kudus, potentially set to feature once again from the start.

Richarlison could drop to the bench to accommodate the return of Randal Kolo Muani, who created one chance in just 22 minutes in North London.