Player Watch: Fernando Llorente

[Danfunkel]

I’d say if we have the space, get him back. Year deal. He did a job last season and could do one again.

Have we even announced he’s left yet?

 

[Cochraam]

I would prefer to give some minutes to Parrott to see how he does and get him exposure. I think realistically we're talking about the 3rd or probably 4th choice forward spot (behind Kane, Son, and Moura). I appreciate how big he was for us in some key moments last year, but he was also immobile and frustrating in a lot of games. That said, if he came back for a year, I certainly wouldn't be unhappy to see him back.

 

[WiganSpur]

I’d say if we have the space, get him back. Year deal. He did a job last season and could do one again.

Have we even announced he’s left yet?

Why?

Do people actually want us to play hoofball? Plus 90% of the time he was terrible.

We have two senior players who can play striker much better than Llorente. It would only block minutes for Parrott too, who is much more mobile and suited to Pochettino's way of playing.

 

[kaz Hirai]

I'd bring him back on a lower wage if possible, there's gonna be some terrible lower league games at some point where u won't want Kane, son or any of the main guys really playing.
He could be a foil for young parrot .

And tbh lamela, Kane are gonna be injured as usual as well as Dele who already has his trademark Injury

 

[Danfunkel]

Why?

Do people actually want us to play hoofball? Plus 90% of the time he was terrible.

We have two senior players who can play striker much better than Llorente. It would only block minutes for Parrott too, who is much more mobile and suited to Pochettino's way of playing.

90% is harsh.

If he’s free and on a cheapish wage then it’s more options. Doesn’t mean Parrot will miss out, we are in a lot of competitions and play a lot of football over the season.

 

[ShayLaB]

Get him back.

Kane gets injured.

Every season.

Parrot can be the first choice back up but you cannot ask him to do it alone.

 

[markiespurs]

As long as it doesn't block Parrots chances of first team football, then I'd bring him back

 

[WiganSpur]

As long as it doesn't block Parrots chances of first team football, then I'd bring him back

But assuming it doesn't, then what's the point of him? It would be a waste of money.

He's either going to take Parrott's spot which would block his development, or he's literally never going to play.

 

[SandroClegane]

Get him back.

Kane gets injured.

Every season.

Parrot can be the first choice back up but you cannot ask him to do it alone.

Lucas/Sonny can deputize. No need to bring him back. Plus he no longer has a squad number.

 

[markiespurs]

But assuming it doesn't, then what's the point of him? It would be a waste of money.

He's either going to take Parrott's spot which would block his development, or he's literally never going to play.

Probably should have stated that I'd try and get him back on lower wages.

I think his experience could be important, he's won major trophies at club level and it gives Poch another option

 

[Pochie]

You can't have too many strikers and you never know what a season is going to bring in terms of injuries (though we can't have a worse time of injuries than last year surely). It's a no-brainer to get him back: he fits in, he could teach Parrott and he knows the score about not always playing PLUS in the key CL pressure moments he stood tall for Spurs and got us into that Final. Resign him, Daniel.

 

[WiganSpur]

Probably should have stated that I'd try and get him back on lower wages.

I think his experience could be important, he's won major trophies at club level and it gives Poch another option

Realistically we'd have to pay him at least £1m a year, and that is a sunk cost since he is worthless. If we offered him any less he would definitely have options elsewhere with more playing time to boot. We would also have to pay his agent and a signing on fee for him.

Even so, assuming we would use him, even keeping him on £1 a week brings more disadvantages than advantages for me.

A. He's just not very good. OK he scored one or two goals and had one or two decent displays, but the rest was very poor. 17/18 he was particularly terrible.

B. To those that say 'We don't get the best out of him', why would you change your whole fundamental style of play to accommodate your worst player on the pitch? This is especially apparent now Lo Celso and Ndombele are here. Do you see Pep signing Peter Crouch with Stones and Laporte lumping it forward late on in a game out of sheer panic? Plus, if we're wanting to get crosses in, Kane is better in the air as his movement is far superior, along with Alli.

C. He's nowhere near suited to our high intensity style of play. Far too slow and cumbersome. Kane aside there are 3 possibly 4 better options that are more suited to this style.

D. If he comes here and plays, he would be blocking Parrott. Not sure how anything good can come of that?

E. Why do we need his experience? We've literally got 6 or 7 other experienced senior players that are obviously more vocal than him.

F. He will be nowhere near fit enough. What's the point in taking him on a one year contract when it will take him weeks possibly months to be 'Poch fit'? I'm sure he will have done some training, but nothing anywhere near the intensity Pochettino would have demanded. If he did play he would play worse as a result.

Due to the very limited options at Pochettino's disposal last season there was a small case to have him around, but there definitely isn't anymore.

This is the perfect opportunity to ease Parrott in. The odd 10/15 minutes here and there, perhaps the odd Carabao Cup start. If he can build this sort of experience we will have a far better long term alternative to Kane. In the meantime Son and Lucas are perfectly capable of being the primary deputies in the absence of Kane. Now Sessegnon has signed, we won't suffer on the flanks because of that either.

 

[$hoguN]

We have signed players who will look to split the defence, that isn’t how Llorente plays so why would we resign him? He will do well at Utd if they get him

 

[ButchCassidy]

As it stands he looks like he will be the best free-agent striker on the market. Somebody will definitely overpay to land him after missing out on their preferred targets.

 

[chrissivad]

Doubt we will get him back.

Lo Celso has been given the no. 18 shirt this season. If we were looking to bring back Llorente, wouldn't we keep that free for him?

 

[Sweech]

Think he had amazing moments for us last year but I think we need to move on from it.

The problem is when he's in the squad it adds a "different dimension" but it also takes away about 3 dimensions to our play. If he's on the pitch up front we basically have one way to play and one way only.

Would rather just have Son, Lucas, or even Parrott play instead.

 

[Sandros Shiny Head]

Think he had amazing moments for us last year but I think we need to move on from it.

The problem is when he's in the squad it adds a "different dimension" but it also takes away about 3 dimensions to our play. If he's on the pitch up front we basically have one way to play and one way only.

Would rather just have Son, Lucas, or even Parrott play instead.

That one way was directly responsible for reaching the final though

 

[BringBack_leGin]

I understand the arguments against, but realistically I don’t think it blocks Parrott as Parrott as is more likely to get minutes when games seem secure and starts in the league cup and FA Cup early rounds, while Llorente would come on on those days where we just haven’t clicked and are getting desperate, which will make use of Toby’s excellent passing from deep.

Additionally, Llorente has a winning mentality and bucketloads of experience at the very highest level, more than any player at the club, which is great off the pitch and in training. Even Kane can still learn from him in some ways I’d wager.

I’d actually think it could make sense to bring in Llorente but only register him in the Champions League, as that’s where centre backs struggle with him most.

 

[WiganSpur]

I understand the arguments against, but realistically I don’t think it blocks Parrott as Parrott as is more likely to get minutes when games seem secure and starts in the league cup and FA Cup early rounds, while Llorente would come on on those days where we just haven’t clicked and are getting desperate, which will make use of Toby’s excellent passing from deep.

Additionally, Llorente has a winning mentality and bucketloads of experience at the very highest level, more than any player at the club, which is great off the pitch and in training. Even Kane can still learn from him in some ways I’d wager.

I’d actually think it could make sense to bring in Llorente but only register him in the Champions League, as that’s where centre backs struggle with him most.

I doubt Pochettino would be able to accommodate both Parrott and Llorente on the bench, which is kind of what you are implying here.

 

[BringBack_leGin]

I doubt Pochettino would be able to accommodate both Parrott and Llorente on the bench, which is kind of what you are implying here.

I think more that the bench would be tailored to the opponent, as it should anyway in fairness.

In my opinion, in a squad of 25 players, if there’s non-hg space there is no downside to having Llorente, even if the upside is only slight as that ‘slightness’ could still be significant.