OPINION
The writing is surely now on the wall for the Tottenham career of Michel Vorm.
Spurs’ longstanding number two was overlooked for the substitute’s bench in favour of Paulo Gazzaniga for Saturday’s win over West Ham despite being fit and fully back in training.
Vorm had recovered from a knee injury that sidelined him for three weeks, but Mauricio Pochettino opted to go instead with his fellow Argentine.
The two both had three starts apiece during the six matches Hugo Lloris recently missed due to a thigh injury, with Tottenham losing all three in which Vorm was in goal in September before the Dutchman suffered a knee problem.
By contrast, they won all three in which ex-Southampton man Gazzaniga was between the sticks, with his man-of-the-match display against Brighton earning praise from Pochettino.
The Spurs manager said his decision over who was now number two to Lloris would soon become clear, when all three were fit and in contention.
That choices does now appear to be Gazzaniga in a move that sounds the death knell for Vorm’s White Hart Lane career.
Now 35 and on a contract at Spurs due to expire next summer, it is safe to say the Dutchman does not have much of a future at the club.
His distribution is on a higher level than the Argentine but he struggled to deal with set-pieces during his recent run in the team and his flapping emphasised the team’s vulnerability to aerial balls into their box.
Assuming Lloris doesn’t break down again, he could now start all the club’s Premier League and Champions League matches for the rest of the season.
That would leave Gazzaniga as the back-up for domestic cup matches, certainly until the latter stages.
After the events of the weekend, there is a good chance Vorm has played his last game for Tottenham.