Tottenham to be reunited with defender who ruined Ange Postecoglou’s first cup match
Ange Postecoglou may have a brief flashback to his first weeks as Tottenham manager when his side line up against Galatasaray. Spurs face the Turkish Super Lig giants in the Europa League on Thursday night and there will be some familiar faces on show when they rock up at RAMS Park in Istanbul. Davinson Sanchez is a familiar face for SpursGetty A smattering of ex-Premier League regulars make up their forwards with former Chelsea pair Hakim Ziyech and Michy Batshuayi the stars of the show up front. However, in defence things get all too familiar with former Tottenham pair Serge Aurier and Davinson Sanchez. Aurier played in north London from 2017 to 2021 and despite being capable of moments of brilliance, he was largely a cause of frustration for the Spurs faithful. However, the sight of Sanchez may be far more traumatic for Postecoglou. The Colombian also signed in 2017, from Ajax, where the club previously had huge success in landing top quality centre-backs in Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld. Sanchez showed signs of promise, but was never at the level of his predecessors, and in 2023 his Spurs career was coming to an end. Postecoglou had confirmed that he was looking to remove dead wood from the squad, and with Micky van de Ven through the door it looked like his time was up. Things took a turn when Cristian Romero picked up a head injury in the season opener against Brentford, and the Argentine was given a rest three games later against Fulham in the Carabao Cup. In came Sanchez for his 207th Spurs appearance, which would turn out to be his last. After a 1-1 draw, Sanchez was called upon to take a penalty for Spurs and was the only player to miss as Fulham won 5-3 in the shootout. Sanchez missed his penalty and Spurs went flying out the cup at the first hurdleGetty Postecoglou was enjoying a fine start at the time, but was knocked right back down to earth for his decision to rotate in the cups, despite his side desperately seeking a first trophy since 2008. talkSPORT’s Gabby Agbonlahor was one of a number of pundits to take aim, saying: “Tottenham didn’t start very well but he should know the history of the last few seasons with Spurs and when they’ve rested players, they’ve been knocked out. “Last season, they rested Harry Kane and got knocked out of the [FA] Cup. You’re in such a good moment at Spurs, you’ve got no European football. Just play your best team, take players off. “Why not play [James] Maddison and [Heung-min] Son and rest [Dejan] Kulusevski and [Yves] Bissouma? Mix it up a bit. Nine changes? “It’s the same players that cost Spurs. Sanchez, not good enough. [Giovani] Lo Celso, is okay. He did okay last night. Ben Davies, he’s been a good servant but not good enough any more.” Postecoglou would put those criticisms to one side with eight wins from his opening 11 matches, but after a fourth round FA Cup exit to Manchester City, Spurs were resigned to another trophyless season. The Australian coach has shown his willingness to learn from his mistakes, and this season he already has his side in the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup, taking down arguably the best side in it, Man City, in the previous round. The Europa League is yet another avenue to some long-awaited silverware, and with Postecoglou already promising that he already wins a trophy in his second season, the sight of Sanchez will be a timely reminder not to take the competition lightly.
Ange Postecoglou may have a brief flashback to his first weeks as Tottenham manager when his side line up against Galatasaray.
Spurs face the Turkish Super Lig giants in the Europa League on Thursday night and there will be some familiar faces on show when they rock up at RAMS Park in Istanbul.
A smattering of ex-Premier League regulars make up their forwards with former Chelsea pair Hakim Ziyech and Michy Batshuayi the stars of the show up front.
However, in defence things get all too familiar with former Tottenham pair Serge Aurier and Davinson Sanchez.
Aurier played in north London from 2017 to 2021 and despite being capable of moments of brilliance, he was largely a cause of frustration for the Spurs faithful.
However, the sight of Sanchez may be far more traumatic for Postecoglou.
The Colombian also signed in 2017, from Ajax, where the club previously had huge success in landing top quality centre-backs in Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld.
Sanchez showed signs of promise, but was never at the level of his predecessors, and in 2023 his Spurs career was coming to an end.
Postecoglou had confirmed that he was looking to remove dead wood from the squad, and with Micky van de Ven through the door it looked like his time was up.
Things took a turn when Cristian Romero picked up a head injury in the season opener against Brentford, and the Argentine was given a rest three games later against Fulham in the Carabao Cup.
In came Sanchez for his 207th Spurs appearance, which would turn out to be his last.
After a 1-1 draw, Sanchez was called upon to take a penalty for Spurs and was the only player to miss as Fulham won 5-3 in the shootout.
Postecoglou was enjoying a fine start at the time, but was knocked right back down to earth for his decision to rotate in the cups, despite his side desperately seeking a first trophy since 2008.
talkSPORT’s Gabby Agbonlahor was one of a number of pundits to take aim, saying: “Tottenham didn’t start very well but he should know the history of the last few seasons with Spurs and when they’ve rested players, they’ve been knocked out.
“Last season, they rested Harry Kane and got knocked out of the [FA] Cup. You’re in such a good moment at Spurs, you’ve got no European football. Just play your best team, take players off.
“Why not play [James] Maddison and [Heung-min] Son and rest [Dejan] Kulusevski and [Yves] Bissouma? Mix it up a bit. Nine changes?
“It’s the same players that cost Spurs. Sanchez, not good enough. [Giovani] Lo Celso, is okay. He did okay last night. Ben Davies, he’s been a good servant but not good enough any more.”
Postecoglou would put those criticisms to one side with eight wins from his opening 11 matches, but after a fourth round FA Cup exit to Manchester City, Spurs were resigned to another trophyless season.
The Australian coach has shown his willingness to learn from his mistakes, and this season he already has his side in the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup, taking down arguably the best side in it, Man City, in the previous round.
The Europa League is yet another avenue to some long-awaited silverware, and with Postecoglou already promising that he already wins a trophy in his second season, the sight of Sanchez will be a timely reminder not to take the competition lightly.
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