Gary Lineker has taken to Twitter to praise Hugo Lloris for his performance against Southampton on Saturday, despite his first half howler.
The World Cup winner was entirely culpable for Danny Ings’ goal in Spurs’ 2-1 win over the Saints, getting caught in possession inside his own six yard box.
But despite that blunder, Lloris went on to make a series of fine stops to ensure the victory, and Lineker was quick to sing his praises.
Writing on his personal Twitter account, he said: “Following his cock-up, Hugo Lloris has made 2 utterly superb saves.
“Redemption.”
Following his cock-up, Hugo Lloris has made 2 utterly superb saves. Redemption.
— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) September 28, 2019
How good was Lloris on Saturday?
This was very much a game of two halves for the Tottenham stopper.
On the one hand, there was that dreadful howler, one of the very worst you could ever wish to see on a professional football field.
Lloris waits and waits for Danny Ings to approach him, pretty much on his own goal line, and by the time that he decides to act, his cumbersome and flailing attempt at a Cruyff turn was both disastrous and mortifying.
Watching the game, you almost had to feel sorry for him, given how shocking the moment was.
In the second half, however, he was much improved, and the saves Lineker is referring to here, he was genuinely world class.
The first in particular, a flying, stretching fingertip to turn a James Ward-Prowse free-kick over his bar, was like something out of a comic book, and ultimately, his interventions were enough to ensure his side took all three points.
Spurs fans should hardly be surprised by his heroics though, or his howler for that matter.
That mistake was the 17th time that Lloris has made an error leading directly to a goal during his 245 Premier League appearances in England, as per the league themselves.
As a point of reference, David De Gea has made just 10 in 281 matches [Premier League].
Evidently then, Lloris has a mistake in his locker, but equally, he has the potential for magic too.
Over the course of his career, Lloris has conceded, on average, 0.92 goals per game, despite the fact that his expected goals conceded per match is actually 1.02, as per Wyscout.
That means that for he saves 0.1 shots per game that he is not expected to.
By contrast, De Gea, again as a point of reference, has conceded 0.91, but has been expected to conceded 0.99, as per Wyscout, meaning that he only saves 0.08 shots that he has no right to.
They may be fine margins, but they emphasise once again that when he is on his game, Lloris is one of the best in the world.