Fernando Llorente (222 Viewers)

[baggio]

He was always going to burn out sooner or later, at least now we have Osvaldo to allow him a breather.

I don't think he's overused or burning out. It's just his application. He couldn't make a simple 2 meter pass tonight. For people who used to criticize Matri, this was probably worse. And given his targetman credentials, a lot of those passes were backwards, and we ended up giving away crucial balls in the middle.

 

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[Hydde]

Dont know whats going on with his short passes. Are gettgin worse by the game

 

[JuveJay]

I don't think he's overused or burning out. It's just his application. He couldn't make a simple 2 meter pass tonight. For people who used to criticize Matri, this was probably worse. And given his targetman credentials, a lot of those passes were backwards, and we ended up giving away crucial balls in the middle.

Well I do, given how many games he has played and the declining levels of his overall performance. He's actually played a few average games for some time but has still contributed. He's playing too much in a demanding role, it's not easy for such a big man.

The mind and body go together, players can't do simple things when this happens.

 

[redrum]

Looks very clumpy and slow. Didnt fit at all with Osvaldo...

 

[CrimsonianKing]

At Bilbao he was fantastic at controlling balls from all heights, and then quickly linking up with his teammates

At times for us, he tries these disgustingly awkward first time passes to nowhere


No doubt he's a good player, but man oh man is he useless at times in this 3-5-2

When you have a team that has no width or pace, a 6 foot 5 target man is really not the way to go

He sucked today, that much is true. But really who is he supposed to pass the ball to when our team is parking the bus and our mid is nowhere to be found?

 

[Pirlo's Beard]

One of his main strengths is his hold up play

The idea is, he can guard the ball and allow our team to push up. But if he is kneeing the ball away or getting out-done by some useless Genoa CB, then toe punting it into a random open space then it's mostly his fault really.

 

[baggio]

Well I do, given how many games he has played and the declining levels of his overall performance. He's actually played a few average games for some time but has still contributed. He's playing too much in a demanding role, it's not easy for such a big man.

The mind and body go together, players can't do simple things when this happens.

Hmm. for me, I'd say, if anything Vidal is perhaps burning out, not just for an equally demanding role on the team but in terms of usage as well. Llorente hasn't really had a busy season in the overall scheme of things. National team call ups and actual matches, and you can account for the fact that he didn't play for a good part of the first couple of months into the season. He seemed error prone at the start of the game and that kind of dictated how he played for the rest of it, like his temperament was affected by it.

 

[JuveJay]

Hmm. for me, I'd say, if anything Vidal is perhaps burning out, not just for an equally demanding role on the team but in terms of usage as well. Llorente hasn't really had a busy season in the overall scheme of things. National team call ups and actual matches, and you can account for the fact that he didn't play for a good part of the first couple of months into the season. He seemed error prone at the start of the game and that kind of dictated how he played for the rest of it, like his temperament was affected by it.

You have to expect it over a season, we do need the depth to be available and ready to play to a high standard.

 

[CrimsonianKing]

One of his main strengths is his hold up play

The idea is, he can guard the ball and allow our team to push up. But if he is kneeing the ball away or getting out-done by some useless Genoa CB, then toe punting it into a random open space then it's mostly his fault really.

While i agree he could barely hold the ball today, there were other times our team wouldn't push up at all. He can't guard the ball forever.

I've noticed he plays his best when Vidal or Licht is on good form, when he's in a offensive mood, giving him support from behind. If our mid can't close the gap with the attack, LLorente won't be able to do much, honestly. Not in this 3-5-2/5-3-2 anyway.

Osvaldo had a couple decent runs but only when Pogba woud support him. You get my point.

 

[Pirlo's Beard]

Yeah some of the blame lies on our set up I agree, because he really was isolated at times. But a lot of it had to do with his Matri-esque ball control today.

 

[Trequartista]

He's definitely better in a front free, he looks kinda lost in a front two.

W can confirm.

 

[Salvo]

Was too isolated.

 

[Klovn]

He's definitely better in a front free, he looks kinda lost in a front two.

W can confirm.

It's true.

 

[Albo]

He was horrible !

 

[baggio]

You have to expect it over a season, we do need the depth to be available and ready to play to a high standard.

But we do have the depth, coz after an early CL exit, he hasn't really played much in the EL, if at all. Depth in serie a, would perhaps mean playing the likes of Osvaldo, Quag and Vucinic more often once he returns. If Roma lose tonight, I can see that will be the case.

 

[K.O.]

Probably Llorente's worst match for us so far. He was awful last night.

An Amauri-like performance.

 

[JuveJay]

But we do have the depth, coz after an early CL exit, he hasn't really played much in the EL, if at all. Depth in serie a, would perhaps mean playing the likes of Osvaldo, Quag and Vucinic more often once he returns. If Roma lose tonight, I can see that will be the case.

What I mean is that it would have been nice for Tevez-Osvaldo to get a run and give Llorente 4-5 games off.

 

[baggio]

What I mean is that it would have been nice for Tevez-Osvaldo to get a run and give Llorente 4-5 games off.

That wouldn't be too smart considering that Llorente's rest would come at Tevez's expense. And I don't think it's ever wise to give a player 4-5 games off. While we may look at them as games only, we should consider that they would come over a 3 week time frame. Cools down the player a but too much in terms of match pace. Then they need another couple of games to hit their stride. And this is considering that Llorente is nowhere close to the kind of levels you'd associate with an overused player burning out.

 

[JuveJay]

That wouldn't be too smart considering that Llorente's rest would come at Tevez's expense.

But Tevez is much better built to deal with it.

 

[Fint]

Probably Llorente's worst match for us so far. He was awful last night.

An Amauri-like performance.

Agreed, everything was off with him, even his hold-up play was ineffective.