Fernando Llorente (82 Viewers)
- Thread starter Mark
- Start date
Fernando's case is a strange one. Initially I thought that the biggest issue of this guy has is that he is mentally weak. However, he did quite a lot last year to prove that this is not his biggest issue. Last year, he came here after being frozen out for a whole year. Initially Conte didn't use him. When he used him he scored. And then he was benched again. He never gave up and eventually he was our starter and started scoring normally. Signs of a great player really.
So, what changed this year? The system. I think that his biggest issues is his limited intelligence. This year, we gave Tevez a more free role isolating Llorente a lot in the process. The guy doesn't seem to know how to deal with it. He is used to play with someone really close to him and he can't seem to adapt to a new system. Intelligent players find a way to change their playing style to adapt to any changes (system wise or out of natural causes when they grow older and lose their speed). They alter their playing style in a way that allows them to be efficient. I don't think that Fernando can do this. This is his primary weakness for me. Of course the confidence loss that comes from the lack of goals makes things much more difficult.
I am really sad to say this but unless we intend to go back to our previous system and have someone playing really close to him, the better solution for everyone is for him to be sold. And its a pity cause he can be really good in another system.
So, what changed this year? The system. I think that his biggest issues is his limited intelligence. This year, we gave Tevez a more free role isolating Llorente a lot in the process. The guy doesn't seem to know how to deal with it. He is used to play with someone really close to him and he can't seem to adapt to a new system. Intelligent players find a way to change their playing style to adapt to any changes (system wise or out of natural causes when they grow older and lose their speed). They alter their playing style in a way that allows them to be efficient. I don't think that Fernando can do this. This is his primary weakness for me. Of course the confidence loss that comes from the lack of goals makes things much more difficult.
I am really sad to say this but unless we intend to go back to our previous system and have someone playing really close to him, the better solution for everyone is for him to be sold. And its a pity cause he can be really good in another system.
he's not the kind of player you build your system around. Sell.Definitely not good enough to build the team around him...you'd get more out of him if our wing play was more dominate and we utilized his aerial skills. Tevez roaming deeper as made him isolated as Sad Statue mentioned, and I think this really is an issue for Llorente, but Tevez is probably playing the best he has in years.
His wages are the biggest issue, for us getting him on a free and paying his wages probably suited well and we cant say he hasn't been important for us. Even this season he helped in important games like against the greeks in Turin where he came on and sparked something for the team. My concern is the difficulty in offloading him with his high wages and him being in his 30s now.
Morata is the future...the question is if Llorente leaves, who comes in? Is Zaza good enough for rotation with Morata? Can we find another striker who fits what we need and can produce more? Right now under Allegri and the way we play, it is isn't easy for strikers to come in and do much more. Llorente's form has dropped for sure but I don't think it is all related to him personally.
His wages are the biggest issue, for us getting him on a free and paying his wages probably suited well and we cant say he hasn't been important for us. Even this season he helped in important games like against the greeks in Turin where he came on and sparked something for the team. My concern is the difficulty in offloading him with his high wages and him being in his 30s now.
Morata is the future...the question is if Llorente leaves, who comes in? Is Zaza good enough for rotation with Morata? Can we find another striker who fits what we need and can produce more? Right now under Allegri and the way we play, it is isn't easy for strikers to come in and do much more. Llorente's form has dropped for sure but I don't think it is all related to him personally.
Let's be real here, the system is not helping him. But there is no excuse for his general play to be absolutely shocking. I am no pro footballer, yet i'd say controlling a simple pass is something you would expect somebody to do regardless of anything else.
His technique has quite honestly been pathetic this season. I'd say easily one of the worst seasons from any of our strikers in modern history, excluding any who were injured/used to such a small degree they had no chance to do anything.
His technique has quite honestly been pathetic this season. I'd say easily one of the worst seasons from any of our strikers in modern history, excluding any who were injured/used to such a small degree they had no chance to do anything.
-> lineup vs Dortmund 