Player Watch: Fernando Llorente

[spursfan77]

He’s looked better this season than last season. He’s going to have to step it up now.

 

[SirNiNyHotspur]

I think he'll do well with a run in the team, he has impressed me on his few cameos and we are strong in attacking midfield to support him with Lucas, Lamela, Eriksen and Alli, I think/hope we'll have enough here to get through until Son/Kane are back. I'm more concerned about a midfield without Sissoko, so if he's back in a couple of weeks that's great news, his role can't be underestimated, he the's pivotal player that so often this season has turned defence into attack whilst also covering at the back as we bombard forward, he has been our stand out player this season and crucial to everything Poch has done.

 

[Flashspur]

Don't worry about Sissoko, we have this chap called Skipp. Praying hands.

 

[N17 Kebab]

Really poor today. Don’t know why he is lacking confidence for such an experienced player.

 

[isaac94]

Really poor today. Don’t know why he is lacking confidence for such an experienced player.

think its down to lack of match sharpeness, first league start of the season

 

[ShaunL84]

I am so fucked. I convinced my manager at work to put him into his fantasy football team.

 

[The Mourneview Ace]

I am so fucked. I convinced my manager at work to put him into his fantasy football team.

Clear your desk son

 

[swarvsta]

He only completed 26% of passes today. Surely some sort of record?

His apparently main skill is in the air, yet he missed two absolute sitters AND scored an own goal.

I will never ever talk our players down and I will continue to support Llorente fully.

However, I would say today was one of the poorest performances I have seen from one of our players.

Surely it’s just a confidence thing. Come on Fernando, turn it round and go again on Thursday.

 

[JayB]

Hopefully he'll be able to shake off this performance. The dramatic winner will help. We desperately need him to play to a halfway decent standard over the next few weeks.

 

[The Mourneview Ace]

A bad day for Llorente. The og is irrelevant, it’s unfortunate and happens but even asides from that, he offered us nothing. His link up play was non-existent and he missed two really presentable chances, the second an absolute sitter. Needs to pull his finger out. An experienced head like him shouldn’t be wandering about a field looking lost.

 

[Tucker]

He’s playing like someone who doesn’t normally play much. His first touch is heavy, and he’s not on the same wave length as the other players. He’s not shit, but he’s out of shape and out of form.

 

[DJS]

He’s 33 and a bit rusty.

People need to be a little more patient with him, it his fault Poch hasn’t kept him match fit enough.

If he’s still bad after a few games then say he’s poor rather than jumping on him straight away.

 

[Hawk_Spur]

He was poor but what can you expect from a player that hardly plays?

He’ll be better for the run, however we do need another option up front.

 

[EQP]

A bad day for Llorente. The og is irrelevant, it’s unfortunate and happens but even asides from that, he offered us nothing. His link up play was non-existent and he missed two really presentable chances, the second an absolute sitter. Needs to pull his finger out. An experienced head like him shouldn’t be wandering about a field looking lost.

Dele even shouted at him to wake up and show for the ball during a throw in. They had to turn down the mic afterwards

 

[scat1620]

I just don't get why:

1) we choose to name Llorente in the side, and then don't instruct the team to play in a way that highlights his strengths and mitigates his weaknesses [i.e. why we don't focus play down the wings rather than the centre, and why we don't cross the ball both more and earlier]; and/or

2) we instruct the team to play in a non-Llorente-friendly way that the rest of the side are more comfortable with [i.e. focus play through the centre of the pitch; attempt short, intricate passes near the edge of the box; rarely cross the ball and even more rarely play early crosses]. and then pick Llorente to struggle in a side that isn't set up for him to succeed in rather than giving a chance to the likes of Sterling etc who, even if they don't have anywhere near the pedigree that Llorente does, are at least stylistically set up to play the same kind of football that the rest of the team wants to.

Llorente's still a fairly decent player, it's just that he is totally, utterly the wrong fit for the way that Pochettino wants the rest of the side to play.

 

[Oh Teddy Teddy]

I just don't get why:

1) we choose to name Llorente in the side, and then don't instruct the team to play in a way that highlights his strengths and mitigates his weaknesses [i.e. why we don't focus play down the wings rather than the centre, and why we don't cross the ball both more and earlier]; and/or

2) we instruct the team to play in a non-Llorente-friendly way that the rest of the side are more comfortable with [i.e. focus play through the centre of the pitch; attempt short, intricate passes near the edge of the box; rarely cross the ball and even more rarely play early crosses]. and then pick Llorente to struggle in a side that isn't set up for him to succeed in rather than giving a chance to the likes of Sterling etc who, even if they don't have anywhere near the pedigree that Llorente does, are at least stylistically set up to play the same kind of football that the rest of the team wants to.

Llorente's still a fairly decent player, it's just that he is totally, utterly the wrong fit for the way that Pochettino wants the rest of the side to play.

Looked like they were actively avoiding passing to him at points. Whether it was his positioning or a lack of confidence that he’d do anything with it.

 

[Soljah]

He was so dog poo today, I'd give Janssen a 2nd chance at the risk of no incoming transfers till at least 31st Jan, standard Levy. Never know he might turn things around like Sissoko.

 

[SUIYHA]

I know he's hardly played, is lacking match sharpness and fitness and is not as young as he used to be.

But seriously, today was about as poor a performance as I can remember from a Tottenham centre forward. I've tried to block out memories of Rasiak and Postiga but I can't remember them playing noticeably worse than Llorente was today. They sure missed chances and gave the ball away but I don't remember them scoring own goals while doing it.

Sadly, we don't have an alternative right now. And I guess the good news is he can only improve.

 

[Primativ]

He’s atrocious. Let’s not forget most of his goals have come for us versus league one sides etc

We need another striker, goal getter to help us for the remainder of the season. We need to sign a striker anyway as Llorente will leave in the summer. Let’s bring the guy in now, if it’s Werner just pay the money.

 

[Gassin's finest]

I love how spurs fans are always patient and supportive of our players, and never write them off after one bad game...

... oh.