Tottenham Hotspur have had to cope without Harry Kane and Dele Alli for the last month after losing them to an ankle and hamstring injury respectively.
Many expected Tottenham’s season to go off the rails after losing two of their best players but Spurs have just kept churning along.
They have managed to win four games in the Premier League and comprehensively beat Borussia Dortmund 3-0 in the Champions League on Wednesday.
While Son Heung-Min has got people’s attention with his amazing performances, another person who has done a job whenever he has been called upon is Fernando Llorente.
The 33-year-old has scored three goals and assisted two others in his last 5 appearances including a header against Dortmund after coming on as a substitute, to put Spurs in the driving seat in the tie.
Former Manchester United striker Andy Cole has praised Llorente’s contribution and suggested that the World Cup winner deserved respect for his performances.
Speaking to Sky Sports’ The Debate, Cole said, “I know everyone was worried about Kane and Alli being injured and Son going away, but for me I think Llorente has done a great job. He’s come in and he’s got goals.
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“Everyone wasn’t expecting too much from him but he’s played for massive clubs in Europe. It’s not as if he can’t play the game. The way he’s come in and gone about his business – I think he’s done really well.”
Cole also said that it was only natural that the Spaniard needed a run of games to show what he can do.
When asked if Llorente’s rustiness could be explained by a lack of game time he said, “Very much so (mistakes that Llorente is making are due to him being rusty). I’m not sure how many games he has played this season but you can’t just be thrown in the deep end and expected to be as sharp as a knife when you get chances.
“What he’s kept doing with his experience is getting in the right positions. He got a chance against Dortmund and he scored with a nice header, and that’s him. The more games he plays, the more he is going to be an asset to Tottenham.”
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