Tottenham’s Michel Vorm could start over Hugo Lloris in the FA Cup semi-final.
Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino
Tottenham Hotspur boss Mauricio Pochettino has told Football.London that Michel Vorm could start for Spurs against Chelsea in their FA Cup semi-final clash next month.
Vorm, 33, was one of Pochettino’s first signings at Tottenham, as he arrived from Swansea City alongside Ben Davies in a deal that saw Spurs give up money plus Gylfi Sigurdsson.
The Dutch shot stopper had proven himself as one of the Premier League’s top goalkeepers, but he has largely been used as a backup option so far, sitting behind first-choice Hugo Lloris, given that he’s one of the top goalkeepers in the world.
Vorm played just 21 games in his first two seasons at White Hart Lane, and has made only ten appearances this season, with six of them coming in cup competitions.
Vorm started last week’s 6-0 FA Cup win over Millwall, keeping a fourth clean sheet in his last five games, whilst setting up a semi-final clash with London rivals Chelsea for next month.
Pochettino will now have a decision to make; Lloris is his first-choice goalkeeper and the man for the big occasion, but Vorm has been his go-to goalkeeper for cup competitions, as he has played every game of their FA Cup run this term.
Whilst many would expect Lloris to be back in goal given the magnitude of next month’s meeting with Chelsea at Wembley, but manager Pochettino has hinted that it will in fact be Vorm in goal against Antonio Conte’s men.
Tottenham’s Michel Vorm
Pochettino has told Football.London that Vorm deserves to play in the semi-final, as he’s a ‘very experienced’ goalkeeper who has filled in admirably for Lloris went required, and he deserves the trust to play in such a big game.
“Hugo has been playing in the Premier League and European competitions, and when you have a player like Michel Vorm, who is capable of playing at any club, he deserves to play in the semi-final – why not?” said Pochettino. “He is a very experienced goalkeeper, and the way he has been working since day one when he arrived here, and how much he has helped Hugo to be one of the best keepers in the world, he deserves the trust and the confidence to play at Wembley.”
“On the opening day of the season, when Hugo was injured against Everton, he came on and played very well. It is at moments like that when fans, and the people at the club, realise we have a very good keeper on the bench,” he added.
Do you want to see Vorm start against Chelsea?
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
