When I see the name Hugo Lloris appear on my twitter newsfeed an hour before every match, a passive smile appears on my face, something I don’t get with many players at Spurs. The point is, Lloris is not like many players, at Spurs, or in the world. Come August, Brad Friedel was our regular […]
Hugo, the Boss
When I see the name Hugo Lloris appear on my twitter newsfeed an hour before every match, a passive smile appears on my face, something I don’t get with many players at Spurs. The point is, Lloris is not like many players, at Spurs, or in the world.
Come August, Brad Friedel was our regular No.1 and undoubtedly one of the most consistent players in the Premier League. 310 consecutive appearances would back up that claim. So when I heard that we had signed Lyon keeper Lloris for £8million (+ add ons), I was, at first, surprised.
[linequote]Seeing him now in his current form, you can tell why the world rates him so highly[/linequote]
The media, however, were not just surprised by this transfer. They were shocked. For they did not see Lloris as the French captain, one of the most highly-rated keepers in the world, a formidable opponent of any attacker. They saw him as a French invader, come to replace veteran keeper Friedel who has never put a glove wrong in all his tenure at Spurs.
As a result, Spurs fans were divided on who would be the first choice keeper, and apparently so was our manager. Before every match, pundits criticised Villas-Boas on the signing and the decision to put either keeper on the bench.
A less intelligent manager would confirm one keeper as No.1 and be done with the saga, so as to avoid further criticism. Instead, Villas-Boas did what he always does with fresh players: he eases them in. Although it took Lloris 5 weeks to gain his first Premier League start, and over 10 before he was given his second, he has cemented his place on that team sheet, only conceding 14 goals in 16 league appearances. Easing him into the first team avoided further abuse from pundits, allowed him to show his worth in the Europa league and pleased the Spurs fans aching to see the new signing in goal.
Seeing him now in his current form, you can tell why the world rates him so highly. One-on-ones, he makes quick decisions, closes down the striker before he has time to think. He never drops a ball, whether that be from a cross or a tame shot; his hands are like magnets! He has a command in his box that every good keeper must have. Everyone knows he’s the boss.
It was not foolish to doubt Lloris when he came to the club in August. Other leagues garner such a bad reputation as they are nothing compared to the amazing, spectacular, awe-inspiring haven that is the English Premier League. But looking at it now, looking at and judging the other keepers in the league, we are very lucky to have a keeper like Hugo Lloris.
[author name=”Jonathan Walczak” avatar=”https://twimg0-a.akamaihd.net/profile_images/3034788423/ca01cfbee5b008cdc2898e0eee07ddef.png” twitter=”jonnywol_” tag=”JonathanWalczak[/linequote]
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3 Comments
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12/02/2013 @ 2:14 pm
I agree that there are a lot of positives about Lloris, but I suspect you have a poor memory. Hugo kicked the odd crazy clearance to defenders and placed them under pressure; he dropped the odd ball, misjudging his advance, and so he has made occasional mistakes, but he hasn’t been thrown by the experience. He has gradually settled to his task, and quietly got it together. That is to his credit, and also to AVB’s. He is a secure unit behind a back four that has changed almost game by game as AVB has rotated to keep freshness and as a response to particular opponent’s strengths. I feel as positive as you evidently do that he is settled in for a long and illustrious career. Getting the keeper right is the first task of a good manager.
12/02/2013 @ 2:58 pm
14 goals in 16 league games? That’s amazing! Especially when you consider we lost 5-2 against Arsenal on his second league start. So that makes it 9 goals in 15 games. Incredible, especially without our best centre backs not playing at centre back for the first part of the season. (Vertonghen and Kaboul) when Friedel played in the FA cup against leeds, the team were so much more fragie, they had seemed to have lost all confidence with what was behind them and were more prone to making errors. Just imagine what Tottenham would have been like if we had played LLoris from the start. :s We wouldn’thave dropped points against Norwich or WBA.
12/02/2013 @ 3:05 pm
I thought Hugo came to us in the last few days of the Summer window, not January. Agreed what’s been said though, he looks solid (most times) and acts just like a sweeper.