Tottenham boss Thomas Frank advised over finding the right position for young talent Archie Gray
Many Tottenham Hotspur fans will be satisfied with the progress their side has made this season under Thomas Frank, who has given the team some much-needed stability and confidence. The Danish coach wants his team to compete in all competitions, which shows he wants to raise the standards at the club.
The north Londoners endured a miserable campaign last term, finishing 17th, which led to Ange Postecoglou getting sacked. Thomas Frank, after replacing Ange Postecoglou in June, has done some good things as he rebuilds the club. While several players have stepped up their performance levels, others have found game time hard to come by. And Archie Gray is one of them.
Archie Gray arrived at Spurs from Leeds United in the summer of 2024, joining a pool of young talents. The England youth international made 46 appearances last season, but most of them came in makeshift roles in defence.
Thomas Frank advised to use Archie Gray in midfield
Under Thomas Frank, Archie Gray has found opportunities scarce. He started his first game of the season in the 3-0 win over Doncaster Rovers in the Carabao Cup third round on Wednesday evening. The teenager enjoyed playing in the middle of the park, completing 90 minutes as Spurs made light work of Doncaster Rovers.
Interestingly, it was only the third time Gray got the chance to play in his natural midfield position, having essayed a similar role against Burnley and Brighton. Now, famous Spurs podcast Lilywhite Rose owner John Wenham wants Frank to give the English talent game time in midfield and allow him to grow more.
“I think it was really important for him to have a good game in his natural position and to reaffirm some positive thoughts towards him from fans,” John Wenham exclusively told Tottenham News.
“So, I hope we do see him again in that role. Obviously, look, I think Pape Matar Sarr and Lucas Bergvall have had outstanding starts to the season, as has Palhinha. Then you’ve got Bentancur. So, we’ve definitely got really strong options in there.”
The Tottenham boss has revealed Gray’s best position
Frank has admitted that he likes to work with flexible players like Gray, revealing that he sees the 19-year-old mainly as a central midfielder or centre-back. Both positions (central midfield and central defence) are well-stocked currently, meaning Gray will have to be patient for his opportunities and grab them with both hands when he gets.
The likes of Palhinha, Bergvall, Sarr and Bentancur are ahead of him in the midfield pecking order, while Romero and Van de Ven’s partnership in defence cannot be broken. In terms of the duo’s backup, Kevin Danso is an option.
The situation Gray currently finds himself in is not ideal but he will have to keep his head down and continue working. There are plenty of games to cover this season, and the Durham-born talent should get plenty of minutes to showcase his potential. Hopefully, he gets regular chances to prove himself in the middle of the park, but Gray would ideally not mind playing in defence as well if it means getting minutes.