Ex-Tottenham Hotspur keeper Paul Robinson was taken aback by Davinson Sanchez replacing Cristian Romero in the defence instead of Clement Lenglet against Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Romero had sustained an adductor muscle injury against Chelsea in the Premier League that ruled him out for the match against Wolves (Football.London). Sanchez came into the starting lineup to replace the Argentinian and did a solid job for the Lilywhites.
Antonio Conte had other centre-back options on the bench, including Lenglet who arrived from Barcelona on a season-long loan deal this summer (Daily Mail). The Frenchman has made just one appearance for Spurs (Transfermarkt), and he is yet to make his full debut.
Football.London also initially stated that Romero could be forced to wait in the stands for three to four weeks to completely recover from this setback. While his exact return date is not yet known, there could be further opportunities for an understudy to impress.
Robinson has revealed that he expected Lenglet to play instead of Sanchez last weekend as the Colombian’s game has been riddled with mistakes in recent years. However, the former England international did give the 26-year-old credit for a solid performance in the end.
Robinson told Football Insider: “I was surprised to see Sanchez play against Wolves. I thought Lenglet would get his full debut. I expected him to start. Davinson Sanchez does carry an element of risk with the way he defends at times.
“I was surprised he got the nod. You have to say that Sanchez played very well at the weekend though. He had one shaky moment but other than that I thought he was very good.
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“You would not hesitate to start him against Nottingham Forest at the weekend if Romero is not ready.”
Spurs Web Opinion:
Robinson’s claim is puzzling to grasp, considering how Sanchez naturally slots into Romero’s role, unlike Lenglet. The latter’s favoured position is on the left-hand side of the backline compared to the former Ajax ace, who is right-footed.
Not to mention, Sanchez did deputise for Romero when the 24-year-old was out of contention last season. The Colombian international did a fine job back then, so there is no reason to see why Conte would risk playing Lenglet in an unfamiliar role.
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