Ian Wright has moved to defend Tottenham Hotspur defender Davinson Sanchez.
The Colombia international has become an internet meme in recent days after Spurs’ defeat by Manchester City this past weekend.
A long ball from Ederson caught out the Tottenham centre-back, who was twisted inside out by Ilkay Gundogan prior to the Germany international’s goal.
In one last ditch attempt to block Gundogan’s shot, Sanchez, a £42 million signing in 2017, threw himself to the ground in an effort to use his head to stop the goal.
Since then, the former Ajax man has inadvertently gone viral over a photo that shows him face-planting the turf.
But Wright has defended Sanchez and argued that the great defenders in football have never worried or cared about looking silly when trying to prevent a goal.
He told Wrighty’s House podcast: “I heard you lot talking about Davinson Sanchez and it was a fantastic point about defenders not caring what the meme is going to be. People want to laugh at people all the time, but they [defenders] are doing what they do. All he [Sanchez] is trying to do is second guess because Gundogan is in total control once he’s bearing down on goal. People laughing and saying that he’s face-planted and this and that, it just makes me feel like ‘for Christ sake’.”
This is class from Wright because as an Arsenal icon, he had no reason to defend Sanchez unless he absolutely believed it.
And it has to be said, it’s a good point.
The great central defenders throughout the ages would have fallen victim to the same treatment if meme culture was as rife during their playing days and although Sanchez looked a little foolish, he did so trying to help his team and there’s nothing more noble than that.
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