Fraser Forster kept a clean sheet for Tottenham against AZ Alkmaar
Tottenham Hotspur have enjoyed an ideal start to their UEFA Europa League campaign, collecting nine points from their opening three games.
The Lilywhites overcame AZ Alkmaar 1-0 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Thursday evening, thanks to a second-half penalty from Richarlison. Following last weekend’s 4-1 win over West Ham United, Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou made nine changes to his starting XI to take on the Eredivisie side.
Guglielmo Vicario, Tottenham’s undisputed No.1, was rested on the night with Fraser Forster coming into the side. Spurs’ veteran back-up goalkeeper made a first outing since the EFL Cup victory over Coventry City last month.
And Fraser Forster rolled back the years with smart saves in each half to deny Alexandre Penetra and Mayckel Lahdo in 1v1 situations. The giant shot-stopper raced to the edge of his box and made himself big to stop another dangerous AZ Alkmaar attack, ensuring Richarlison’s 53rd-minute penalty would remain the difference between the two sides in a tightly contested encounter.
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John Wenham—the owner of the famous Spurs podcast Lilywhite Rose—heaped praise on Forster’s performance between the sticks. He was particularly pleased with the 36-year-old’s sweeping ability that helped the hosts play the high-line trap to good effect.
“Spurs getting another win, and a clean sheet was particularly impressive,” Wenham exclusively said to Tottenham News.
“Much has been said about Forster. However, I thought he was fantastic last night. He did well to come out of his box a couple of times and win the ball like a sweeper keeper does.
“He looked a lot more confident, much better than his last appearance. As a result, that will do his confidence the world of good.”
Forster had received a lot of criticism following his shaky performance in Spurs’ 2-1 win over Coventry City in the Carabao Cup. Former scout Bryan King had even gone onto length and advised the club to look for the Englishman’s replacement in 2025.
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However, Forster proved on Thursday that he still has value in Big Ange’s side and can be relied upon in cup games. Nonetheless, that shouldn’t take away the fact that the north Londoners must go for a new goalkeeper to challenge Vicario next term.
