BBC Sport pundit Garth Crooks has praised Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, though he maintains that he is not a fan of the France international.
What’s he said?
Spurs recorded a vital 2-0 win over Manchester City on Sunday, climbing into fifth in the Premier League table, just four points behind Chelsea.
Lloris was key to the club’s victory, saving a penalty from Ilkay Gundogan, though he could have conceded another spot-kick immediately after, as he rushed out and appeared to clip Raheem Sterling. A second penalty was not given, though, despite a VAR review.
And while Crooks has praised his performance, he still holds doubts over the Frenchman’s ability.
He said: “Regular readers will know that I am not a huge fan of Spurs’ Hugo Lloris but credit where credit is due.
“The penalty save by Lloris was one of the many turning points in this game against a Manchester City side that seemed to be in control from start to finish.
“His overall handling was clean and decisive while his decision making was excellent. I’ll be very interested to see if he can retain this form and for how long.”
A fair argument
Crooks is being very fair here.
Lloris has made errors in the past and even appeared to flirt with calamity against City, at one point rushing out of his goal and leaving it unguarded, only for Ilkay Gundogan to somehow blaze a subsequent effort over the bar, and also appearing to clip Sterling in the box.
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However, he has been noted as an excellent shot-stopper and so it proved on Sunday, as he first diverted Sterling’s effort onto the post in the first half and then made the save from the German midfielder.
To praise his ability while also calling attention to his occasional lapses in judgement – which were actually on show against City – is the fairest type of analysis there is.
Crooks is spot on.
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