Glenn Hoddle says Hugo Lloris looked ‘very nervous’ before Tottenham vs Villa

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Tottenham Hotspur icon Glenn Hoddle says Hugo Lloris looked ‘very nervous’ in the tunnel before his side took on Aston Villa yesterday.

After an excellent comeback against Brentford on Boxing Day, Antonio Conte would’ve been hoping to see his side pick up a win at home. Sadly, things didn’t work out that way.

Goals from Emi Buendia and Douglas Luiz gave Villa a 2-0 win, and Lloris played a big part in one of those goals.

Glenn Hoddle says Hugo Lloris looked ‘very nervous’ before Tottenham vs Villa

It has often been said over the years that some matches are won and lost in the tunnel – before a ball is even kicked on the pitch.

That’s probably what happened at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium yesterday.

Conte brought Lloris back into the starting XI after the Frenchman was given a breather in the game against Brentford on Boxing Day. The £13 million (Guardian) man has been Spurs’ first-choice goalkeeper for over a decade now, and being the captain, he always leads them out on the pitch.

Yesterday, however, the Frenchman didn’t look like his usual self, claims Hoddle.

He said on MatchDay Live on Premier League Productions (04:10 pm, January 1, 2023): “I didn’t like him in the tunnel before the game.

“He looked really nervous, he looked really uptight. And he played like that.”

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We don’t know what Lloris was going through before the game, but it certainly seems to have played a part in his performance between the sticks last night.

The Frenchman was responsible for Villa’s opener. He made a meal out of a shot and parried it straight back into the danger area. Cristian Romero was stuck on his heels and didn’t clear the ball, and Buendia slotted home to give the visitors a lead.

It really was a poor display by Lloris, who always seems to have an error in him these days. That has to stop if Spurs are to have any chance of achieving their ambitions this season and beyond.

It will be interesting to see if Antonio Conte will look to replace Lloris this month or at the end of the season.