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Fernando Llorente proved on Tuesday that he cannot be trusted in big Tottenham Hotspur games.
The Spaniard played the full 90 minutes as Spurs laboured to a 1-0 win over Brighton & Hove Albion at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
On the chalkboard
Manager Mauricio Pochettino showed a great deal of loyalty to Llorente on Tuesday evening, playing the striker despite his obvious drawbacks.
He is not a quick player, like Son Heung-Min, nor is he clinical, nor is he, contrary to common belief, any good in the air.
Playing against a team that were set to defend throughout the 90 minutes, utilising a low block, was never set to work out for Llorente.
But, per WhoScored, he turned in a remarkably leaden-footed performance at the worst possible time.
With a clash with Ajax, a Champions League semi-final, looming, this was a chance for Llorente to prove his worth.
Instead, he touched the ball just 23 times, failed to have a shot on goal and completed just 18 passes, the fewest of any Spurs player.
He did win two aerial duels, though he challenged for nine, while he also failed to complete a dribble or a tackle.
It is hard to stand out as a striker at Spurs unless your name is Harry Kane, but with the England captain injured, and the biggest game in the club’s history looming, Pochettino needed Llorente to step up.
He roundly failed.
One moment does not a striker make
Llorente scored the decisive goal in the Champions League quarter-final against Manchester City. Challenging for a corner at the near post, he lost Aymeric Laporte and diverted the ball past goalkeeper Ederson, though he may not have known too much about it, as it hit his hip before crossing the line.
That has left Spurs within three wins of the unlikeliest of European triumphs, but emotion cannot cloud judgement of his ability.
Llorente is 34 and lacks the basic mobility Tottenham need, while his goal record does not speak to any lengthy stay at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
After his display against Brighton, Pochettino has a decision to make. Lucas Moura should probably lead the line in the first leg against Ajax, otherwise Spurs risk having a deficit to overturn if they are to reach the final.