Speaking after the win against Crystal Palace tonight, Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario discussed the manner in which his side were able to break down a well-organised team to get the three points.
Tottenham had to dig deep and find new ways to win the game tonight at Selhurst Park, as a well-structured Crystal Palace side made life difficult for Ange Postecoglou‘s men.
While Spurs dominated possession as usual, the expansive and free-flowing football we have come to expect was restricted by Palace. The away side were actually limited to their fewest shots in a game this season, which tells you all you need to know about Palace’s game plan.
The breakthrough for Tottenham came fairly early in the second half, after James Maddison drilled a dangerous ball into the box for Joel Ward to divert into his own net.
Heung-min Son then bagged his eighth goal of the season (Transfermarkt) and it was Maddison once again who helped create the opportunity, with Brennan Johnson providing the assist after fine footwork from the Spurs number 10.
Tottenham had to batten down the hatches late on after Jordan Ayew pulled one back for Palace, but it’s another three points for Spurs and the North London side go into the weekend five points clear at the top of the league.
Tottenham Hotspur’s Italian goalkeeper #13 Guglielmo Vicario shouts at teammates during the English Premier League football match between Crystal Palace and Tottenham Hotspur at Selhurst Park in south London on October 27, 2023. (Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or ‘live’ services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by GLYN KIRK/AFP via Getty Images)
Spurs grind out a win against Crystal Palace
Commenting on the result and the performance, Guglielmo Vicario explained how Spurs managed to secure the win.
He told Sky Sports (27/10/23 at 10:30 pm): “Yeah I think we have to be happy for tonight because it was a tough game. We saw in the first half they play compact so we can’t find the right line to pass the press. But we maintain focus and in the second half we show what we can do.
“But maybe [we need] to stay a bit more concentrated in the last minutes. We have to stay focused for 100 minutes because just a little [lapse] can compromise a big win. We can enjoy this weekend and prepare for the next match.”
Spurs Web Opinion
I think we showed great resilience to find the breakthrough, and once we got going we probably should have killed the game with a third goal. We were unlucky to see the clean sheet go, but three points is three points, and it’s a fantastic start to the weekend.
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