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Hugo Lloris was yet again guilty of a dereliction of duty for Tottenham Hotspur against Chelsea on Wednesday.
The Spurs captain has so regularly cost his side that it should come as little surprise that he did so again in a massive game.
On the chalkboard
Lloris is an experienced goalkeeper. He has won the World Cup with France and has been in the Premier League for seven years.
And yet he still does not seem to understand the pace of games like Wednesday’s derby.
The BBC statistics relating to the game show that Chelsea had one shot on target. Pedro scored it, after zipping past Toby Alderweireld, and firing through Lloris’ legs.
This has been a common flaw for the Frenchman. He is too regularly beaten at his near post and it was true again at Stamford Bridge.
And then came the meme-worthy own goal from Kieran Trippier. It perhaps wasn’t entirely Lloris’ fault. He was called to come and collect the ball by the right-back, who then passed it, inexplicably, into the net.
But it is yet another example of the 32-year-old’s poor communication. He does not appear to command his box with the same rigour that he used to.
When you are faced with one shot on target in a game, you are expected to save it. He didn’t, he was then involved in a huge mix-up with his right-back, and now Spurs are firmly out of the title race.
Drop him
The story surrounding the build-up to the game was whether Kepa Arrizabalaga would start for Chelsea after he refused to be substituted in the Carabao Cup final.
Willy Caballero came in and did well, though he did not have a save to make, such was the bluntness of Spurs’ attack.
Perhaps Mauricio Pochettino could do with enacting a similar strategy.
Lloris was not openly insubordinate as Kepa was, but his performances have been dodgy for too long.
Paulo Gazzaniga is a fine option on the bench and he should be given a chance.
As it is, Lloris is holding Spurs back, and the fact he is captain should not exempt him from some time out of the starting XI.
