Tottenham Hotspur are merely one point away from safety in the Premier League, which seemed like an exceedingly difficult feat a couple of months ago when Igor Tudor was in charge and Spurs had just been shellacked by another relegation threatened side 3-0 in Nottingham Forest.
But in just a matter of weeks, new manager Roberto De Zerbi has been able to turn things around at Spurs, changing the mentality of the players and getting the likes of MIcky van de Ven, Pedro Porro, and otheres to believe in themselves again. He's gotten the most out of veteran midfielders Conor Gallagher, Joao Palhinha, and Rodrigo Bentancur, turning them from liabilities into the players driving Spurs to safety.
The most impressive player on the team, however, has been young goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky, and Spurs supporters have been impressed - and likely his teammates inspired - by the way the Czech shot stopper rebounded from slipping all over the pitch in the loss to Atletico Madrid in the Champions League.
Antonin Kinsky needs to be the No. 1
Kinsky has been stellar, looking like a massive upgrade on Guglielmo Vicario, and Spurs supporters don't want to see the Serie A bound Italian goalkeeper back in between the sticks. Vicario's horrible mistakes played a huge role in Spurs falling into the relegation battle, whereas Kinsky is helping them get out of it.
Yet Roberto De Zerbi keeps referring to Vicario as his No. 1 in press conferences. Heading into the massive rivalry tilt against Chelsea, the Tottenham Hotspur manager has Spurs supporters nervous about the goalkeeping situation after calling the decision "easy" and then saying Vic is his 1.
De Zerbi said, via The Spurs Express, “No, it is not difficult. It is easy. Vicario is number one but we have to consider the physical condition, the momentum and everything. I have a big relationship with Kinsky and Vicario as well and there will be no problem.”
Tottenham fans are going to hold onto the last part of the quote for reassurance that Roberto De Zerbi is not going to steer them wrong in goal. He has a proclivity towards the veteran players, and while picking Rodrigo Bentancur over Archie Gray was controversial, it paid off. So even if De Zerbi goes for Guglielmo Vicario, who was once a great goalkeeper and should be better after finally getting hernia surgery, it's not the end of the world and RDZ has earned the benefit of the doubt so far.
That said, Antonin Kinksy could be Tottenham's goalkeeper of the future. Vicario is going to be gone. Kinsky has been getting Spurs out of relegation. Vicario helped them get in it. All the momentum and physical condition is trending towards Kinsky, so when you read between the lines of what De Zerbi is saying, Kinsky should be the favorite for him, just as he is for the fans.
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