Hugo Lloris Has Proved That He Is Tottenham's Most Important Player

Tottenham remain winless in the Europa League after a 1-1 draw with Turkish side Besiktas. Spurs may be yet to achieve a win for many reasons but the fact that they remain unbeaten is rooted in one simple cause: goalkeeper Hugo Lloris. 

Lloris has evidently assumed the mantle of Tottenham's most important player. There has been some debate among supporters about whether Christian Eriksen or, indeed, Jan Vertonghen might present a more pivotal character in  Spurs' season but after the 1-1 draw with Besiktas, there can no longer be any doubt. 

He was magnificent. Again. 

Lloris' astonishing reactions and brave (bordering on reckless) confrontation of opposition attackers makes him a unique goalkeeper. 

Happily, Lloris does have a small flaw. There is a small indication of his humanity amongst the brilliance. His distribution is less than ideal. 

The France captain is, in word and deed, the leader of the team. More than Younes Kaboul, Lloris is the beating heart of Mauricio Pochettino's team. 

Whether it is by accident or by design, Lloris has assumed ever greater responsibility and has now surpassed even Eriksen as Tottenham's most irreplaceable player. 

Spurs would struggle to succeed without the Dane but without Lloris, they would be cut adrift. 

Lloris' contract extension in the off-season was hailed by many as Spurs' most important piece of business. While this is certainly true, the signing of the Frenchman himself was a work of genius. Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy plucked Lloris from the comforts of Olympique Lyonnais and compelled him to join Tottenham Hotspur, all for the paltry fee of £12 million. 

No teams have garnered enduring success without a top-class goalkeeper. In Hugo Lloris, Tottenham clearly have one of those. In reality, Lloris may be the finest Tottenham keeper since Pat Jennings. 

Keepers like Heurelho Gomes and Paul Robinson have come and gone but errors brought them unstuck. Lloris possesses an unshakeable confidence based on the solid belief that he is a brilliant goalkeeper. 

Against Besiktas, Lloris was probably Spurs' finest player. Several days ago he was the prime candidate for man of the match honours as Spurs saw off local rivals Arsenal in an explosive 1-1 draw. 

Lloris has been forced to deal with an ever-changing back line during his time at Spurs and this season has been particularly bad. Against Besiktas, the combination of Vlad Chiriches and Federico Fazio took the central roles, but it was Lloris who emerged with the plaudits. Chiriches gave his usual inexplicable performance, but Lloris, unflappable as ever, responded with a bountiful display. 

Tottenham's objectives for this season remain both simple and predictable: Champions League qualification. Without Lloris, this would quite clearly not be a realistic ambition. As it stands, Spurs have about as good a chance as any of their rivals. 

Scott Heppell/Associated Press

Arsenal are desperately short in midfield while Liverpool's defensive woes are clear for all to see. 

If the 10 players in front of him can lift their games, Hugo Lloris can be the difference between glory and failure for Spurs. 

If Lloris is unable to prove decisive, if Spurs fail to reach the Champions League again, Lloris will leave the club. He is far too good to remain in Europe's secondary competition. Lloris is certainly one of the top five goalkeepers in the world. Realistically, he is the only player who can rival Manuel Neuer. 

Lloris will not stay at Spurs without the glory (and the wages) of the Champions League. If Tottenham cannot penetrate the thicket of teams hovering above them, then Lloris will join the likes of Gareth Bale and Luka Modric and move to one of the biggest teams in the world. 

Much like those players that came before him, Lloris owes nothing to Spurs. He has earned his place as one of the world's finest goalkeepers, and Spurs should be grateful for every appearance that he makes. 

Tottenham fans must embrace Lloris while they have the chance. He is a genuinely brilliant goalkeeper. Already the captain of one of the finest international sides in the world, Lloris should have been appointed as Spurs captain as well. 

There is little to hold Lloris to Spurs except that he is one of the most important parts of an exciting football project. 

Lloris is Pochettino's most important player. The pressing system that he values so highly is reliant on an attentive and intelligent goalkeeper. There are none available to replace Lloris. 

Pochettino may be able to convince Lloris that he is uniquely valuable at Spurs and keep him at the club over the long term. 

At Tottenham, Lloris is already recognised as being a uniquely brilliant goalkeeper. A leader of men and a fantastic player, Lloris is a fan favourite, and he wins games for the club. Against Besiktas, Lloris did nothing out of the ordinary but saved the game for Spurs. Beaten only from the penalty spot, Lloris was otherwise strong and error-free. 

Hugo Lloris is Tottenham's finest and most important player. In his absence, as they showed against Nottingham Forest, Spurs will struggle. More than that, Lloris understands Pochettino's philosophy and is the leader on the pitch that the Argentinian has been searching for. Against Besiktas, Lloris surprised nobody, but he underlined his qualifications as England's finest keeper. Without him, Spurs would truly be lost.