"The Llorente Project" - Has having a 'target man' option worked?

[daryl hannah]

1 goal and 4 assists in the PL, but 8 goals and 5 assists in 1100 minutes played in all competitions.

I was dead against the signing and couldn't believe he was our to be our deadline-day-bargain option once Keita Balde had fallen through. That said, he has, this year scored some important goals for us and his hold up play in the first leg against Ajax was not bad at all. In fact going back to Real Madrid in the CL last year I think he played a part, albeit a muted one.

My question is, as an option to bring off the bench, would you rather a tall, aerial presence who CAN hold up the ball and bring the other attackers in to play whilst scoring the odd goal with his head (or hip), OR would you rather see someone like Timo Werner - who can play along side Harry as well as instead of H when he's out injured?

Has having a target man to call on as an option, worked? And would you have one again if Nando leaves?

 

[Lighty64]

no

to be honest if we struggle to sell Janssen in the summer and find a back up/competition for Kane, I'd rather have him on the pitch, faster and better movement and just needs a goal to bounce in off his arse

 

[TheVoiceofReason]

No

 

[hughy]

Coming off the back of a 15 goal PL season with Swansea, I (perhaps naively) expected much more from him. Maybe if he'd had a run of games early doors things might have been different, but barring a couple of vital goals this season he's been entirely underwhelming.

 

[si_yidarmy]

Target man is definitely worth having for specific games/moments but Llorente as we know is at the end of his career really. Are there many of his height around that are 1. Available and 2. Prepared to sit on the bench all season?

Crouch and Defoe would be great right now without Kane currently. It is a shame Llorente and Moura cannot master this

 

[Lighty64]

apologies I replied to the title, after reading some of your post, what game was you watching last night? his hold up play was crap, he looked like he had 2 left feet when trying to take on their defenders, and de Ligt had him in his back pocket most of the night

 

[dtxspurs]

I'd hope to have a better option next season.

 

[fishhhandaricecake]

Target man is definitely worth having for specific games/moments but Llorente as we know is at the end of his career really. Are there many of his height around that are 1. Available and 2. Prepared to sit on the bench all season?

Crouch and Defoe would be great right now without Kane currently. It is a shame Llorente and Moura cannot master this

This. Llorente of 7-8 years ago would be a fantastic option but Llorente aged 35 is not a long term option, a Timo Wener or even a Zaha as a back up striker would be great.

 

[Gassin's finest]

It might've worked if we'd actually played him as a target man...

 

[Mr.D]

No

 

[daryl hannah]

It might've worked if we'd actually played him as a target man...

Yeah, that's true - If we could cross with any kind of consistency maybe he would've been used more.

 

[King of Otters]

No. He’s irredeemably awful. Thanks for the Man City goal, but I never want to see him play for the club again personally.

 

[kaz Hirai]

Well we play the biggest game in the clubs history next week largely because of him so yes, yes it's worked a treat

 

[daryl hannah]

apologies I replied to the title, after reading some of your post, what game was you watching last night? his hold up play was crap, he looked like he had 2 left feet when trying to take on their defenders, and de Ligt had him in his back pocket most of the night

I thought it was alright by usual standards. Won most things in the air and brought others into play.

When he tried taking people on and shooting he was useless. BUt that's not hold up play.

 

[SpursSince1980]

No. He’s irredeemably awful. Thanks for the Man City goal, but I never want to see him play for the club again personally.

Agree with you wholeheartedly. While having a formidable target man can be helpful, I don't really believe that Llorente is the answer... And I guess I must be seeing something quite different from others, as I thought he struggled against Ajax. He looked slow and lethargic. Of course it didn't help that service wasn't that great either. However, when the occasional ball did end up in the box, he doesn't seem fully committed to attacking the ball. You need a target man who is going to throw themselves around and put the defenders under immense physical pressure. I think that's why players like Rondon can be effective from time-to-time. Not that I would want him in our team, but as far as the topic of target men goes... I'd rather have someone like him over Llorente.

 

[King of Otters]

Agree with you wholeheartedly. While having a formidable target man can be helpful, I don't really believe that Llorente is the answer... And I guess I must be seeing something quite different from others, as I thought he struggled against Ajax. He looked slow and lethargic. Of course it didn't help that service wasn't that great either. However, when the occasional ball did end up in the box, he doesn't seem fully committed to attacking the ball. You need a target man who is going to throw themselves around and put the defenders under immense physical pressure. I think that's why players like Rondon can be effective from time-to-time. Not that I would want him in our team, but as far as the topic of target men goes... I'd rather have someone like him over Llorente.

Rondon has actually been known to sprint on a football pitch, something Llorente, in his infinite refinement as a hold up man, doesn’t feel the need to do.

 

[Yiddo100]

I think the target man option can work as we have seen games where Llorente has come on and helped us, however I just think Llorente is the right target man for us as a team

 

[Lighty64]

I thought it was alright by usual standards. Won most things in the air and brought others into play.

When he tried taking people on and shooting he was useless. BUt that's not hold up play.

you could see his age last night, and it hurt having to watch it. he won headers but we never had players most of the time in the area it went. when he did collect it half way in their half he distributed it well, trouble was he hasn't the pace to be in the danger area by the time it gets delivered.

don't get me wrong, most of the squad looked leggy, and it felt like Sanchez and Eriksen thought they where wearing the Ajax kit, not helped by Wanyama struggling with the pressure they put on him. if you had told me after 20 minutes it would end just 0-1 I would of questioned your health

 

[mpickard2087]

He's lost any explosive power that he had as he's at the arse end of his career, and is too languid at times and not busy enough. However saying that, tactics are pretty wrong to get any use out of him.

We seem to ping straight balls at him from deep with like one runner half going off him. I have seen many fans last night going why was he heading it backwards where it came from, well there was no one to flick it to running ahead, so where else is it meant to go?

This is all happening about 40 yards from goal as well, so any knockdown isn't going to be putting us in a promising area. It should be getting utilised in and around the penalty area. He's not going to be the main attacking threat, he's going to be a support player, a lay off guy, that brings others into play.

If you're going to use a target man I think as a unit you have to be high up the pitch and committing numbers/runners to the box. We largely don't do this and when in wide positions are reluctant to deliver crosses/stand balls up, and any delivery is usually of low quality.

 

[fishhhandaricecake]

Rondon has actually been known to sprint on a football pitch, something Llorente, in his infinite refinement as a hold up man, doesn’t feel the need to do.

This is the thing and this is why I was an advocate of a random type simply because I think he suits our current style much more than Llorente does. Llorentes experience however has been crucial in some huge games so swings and roundabouts but longer term he’s not the answer, as a one season option he has been ok.