View: Embarrassing problem for Ange as Arsenal hero brands 31-touch Tottenham ace 'Red Flag' after derby defeat

Guglielmo Vicario looks set to be an increasing issue for Ange Postecoglou at Tottenham after he was highlighted as a “red flag” by Martin Keown.

Spurs were beaten 1-0 at home in the North London derby on 15 September after Gabriel Magalhães’ winner from a second-half corner.

The defender pushed Cristian Romero out of the way, in what could easily have been a foul, and powered a header past Vicario to leave the hosts 13th in the Premier League after the weekend’s action, already six points adrift of their North London rivals after four games.

Vicario’s reputation for being unable to command his area, and a susceptibility to crosses being swung into his box, is likely to only become more pronounced with every example that adds to it, as opponents look to target Tottenham in that way.

Gabriel goal takes Arsenal past Tottenham in North London Derby

The Italian made three saves in the derby defeat, according to SofaScore stats, and prevented 0.38 expected goals.

But a supposed weakness in defending aerial balls arguably won’t show up in the numbers, despite recording two punches.

As a shot-stopper the 27-year-old impressed early after taking over the starting job from Hugo Lloris under Postecoglou last term.

But despite his 31-touch outing against Arsenal being far from his worst, and Romero arguably most at fault for the winner, it is touches and pressure he doesn’t register that seem to be the biggest issue.

Speaking live on talkSPORT on 16 September Keown said (10.13am): “There is a problem though when it comes to set pieces. Vicario, the keeper, doesn’t have any real presence.

“Is he gonna have to buy a new keeper? Is he gonna have to change that? It’s a red flag isn’t it?”

“You’re not having Vicario?” asked Jim White.

“He doesn’t dominate the six-yard box”, Keown continued. “You can lean on him, you can have players in and around him, it seems to really affect him. He was flapping at things early on, it was almost a really obvious thing.”

If that is how opposing sides view Vicario and Tottenham at the back it is an embarrassing reputation to have and a weakness that will only bite Postecoglou again, barring the keeper suddenly training his way out of it or a change being made.

Vicario issues exposed last season by Everton and others

Which is the right option is open to pursue is open to debate, with Tottenham News pundit Paul Robinson suggesting last season the Spurs keeper could develop ways to improve after the issue was brought into the spotlight by a late draw with Everton in February.

But Bryan King has highlighted the set-piece issue multiple times in the months since to Tottenham News, including after the 1-1 draw with West Ham on 2 April, and warned that Vicario would be targeted this term after an “embarrassing” moment in the 3-0 win over Sheffield United on 19 May.

According to SofaScore Vicario saved 0.27 goals fewer than he would have been expected to over a full 38-game campaign last term, but so far this season he has kept out 0.98 more than expected so there appears to be an improvement there.

Yet the same deficiency at set pieces continues to come up and has become a stick to beat Postecoglou with [Sky Sports, 15 September] when it is debatable whether the issue is with the keeper as much the set up.

In other Tottenham news, a Spurs-linked free agent has been blasted as someone the club should not even be going near.

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