I saw Tottenham youngster show he's going to be a real superstar at N17 after win over Man United - opinion
12/20/2024 01:15 AM
Tottenham Hotspur emerged triumphant in a thrilling Carabao Cup quarter-final encounter with Manchester United on Thursday night.
Spurs built up a three-goal lead by the hour mark, but the Red Devils struck back with two quickfire goals midway through the second half.
And though Son Heung-min gave Tottenham a cushion late on, Jonny Evans’ injury-time goal made it a nervy finish for the hosts.
The game finished 4-3 in the end, putting Ange Postecoglou’s charges through to the semi-finals of the competition at Man United’s expense.
And while not all Tottenham players can be said to have impressed on the night, one youngster clearly showed that he’s a star in the making at N17.
Tottenham prodigy Archie Gray shines at centre-back against Manchester United
The player in question is Archie Gray, who has been playing superbly no matter where Postecoglou has placed him on the pitch.
Gray, who joined Tottenham from Leeds United in the summer, is a midfielder by trade, but has been covering across the back line.
In recent weeks, the 18-year-old has even been playing at centre-back in wake of injuries to most of Spurs’ central defenders.
Staggeringly, Gray does not look out of place one bit playing at centre-back for a Premier League club against other top-flight clubs.
A midfielder playing well at centre-back is a rare sight, but the fact Gray doing this as a teenager is nothing short of incredible.
Gray weighed in with four clearances, three tackles and two blocks on the night, won three ground duels, and boasted a pass accuracy of 93 percent.
What Gray has said about playing out of position
Some players may not like deviating from their preferred role, but Gray has stressed that playing out of position doesn’t faze him, and that he’s happy to play anywhere, so long as he gets minutes.
"No, I'm not really focusing on what position I am right now," he recently told the Daily Mail.
"Look, this year and last year I'm more than happy to play anywhere just to get the minutes on the pitch.
"I just try to take every opportunity I get and just try to stay in the team.
"Like I said I've played central midfield since I was a young age… but I enjoy playing everywhere on the pitch and just getting the minutes."
Gray has the talent, the maturity and the right character – there’s no doubt he’s going to be a real superstar for Tottenham in years to come.
