Tottenham captain’s Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde act getting old

Watching Tottenham’s Hugo Lloris is as maddening as crawling along the M25 during gridlock, a perilous journey earmarked by frustration and disappointment. 

Before you get your knickers in a twist, think back to the countless occasions Lloris has saved Tottenham’s blushes. Those are the moments on the M25 when it feels like congestion is dissipating, when you’re able to accelerate beyond 30 mph.

But then, just as hope returns, everything comes to an infuriating standstill, the stretch of road more resembling a parking lot than a motorway. That emotional rollercoaster mirrors how I feel about Tottenham’s club captain’s alarming inconsistency.

One match he’ll reignite your trust and belief in him, making world-class reaction saves. He’ll earn Spurs a point or make a show-stopping save that secures victory. But, just as your lauding the Frenchman as the world’s best shot stopper, he’ll commit a howler you’ll have to rewatch to believe.

While Lloris’ blunders against Liverpool weren’t as conspicuous as a catalogue of previous egregious mistakes, they were as damaging. Devoid of commitment, bravery and confidence, Lloris, like King Arthur’s sword for all the wrong suitors, remained rooted to the ground.

That fateful Lloris moment certainly wasn’t in isolation. And this is not the first time I’ve written an emotionally fuelled piece about Spurs’ enigmatic club captain. The uncontrollable emotion I feel, however, doesn’t make his perpetual inconsistency any less true.

To be considered one of the very best, one must perform consistently at an exquisitely high level. Lloris has moments where, had you not followed his inconsistent career, he’ll convince you he’s amongst the world’s best.

Those moments, however, have become evermore fleeting. They also lose their power of persuasion when offset by his collection of howlers.

Most world class keepers have moments they’d rather forget. It’s a highly scrutinized position, where even the most composed individual can buckle under the unremittingly intense pressure.

But unfortunately for Lloris, no world-class keeper commits as many rudimentary, inexcusable mistakes over such a long period. The only thing consistent about Lloris is his propensity for a costly blunder.

One can only bear to watch the same train wreck so many times before the act gets old. I’ve reached that defining moment. Hopefully Spurs’ top brass have too. Because Tottenham will never win a Premier League title on the back of an error-prone captain whose best years are well behind him.