Thomas Frank has singled out a Tottenham teenager for praise for his impressive display in his side’s 1-1 draw against Newcastle United in Seoul.
While the narrative ahead of and after the game revolved around the fact that it was Heung-min Son’s final game in a Tottenham shirt, it was another important 90 minutes of football for Frank to assess his squad as the season draws closer.
The most interesting selection decision was the fact that Archie Gray got the opportunity to start in midfield, a role which he rarely played during his first season at Spurs.
We already know that Thomas Frank is a fan of Gray, having tried to take him to Brentford last summer, and based on the Dane’s comments, it looks like the 19-year-old may be set for a prominent role this season.
Thomas Frank reveals what impressed him about Archie Gray in Tottenham vs Newcastle
Gray played 75 minutes alongside Rodrigo Bentancur and Pape Sarr in the Spurs midfield, and he had an intense physical battle against the likes of Joelinton and Bruno Guimaraes.
Frank admitted that the teenager stood out, remarking that he was very impressed by what the youngster did both in and out of possession.
When asked which young players he was most impressed by on Sunday, the Tottenham boss responded (via Football.London): “I think of any of our young players, I think Archie Gray stood out. I think he was really, really impressive.
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“I like the way he was carrying the ball forward, his role down the side and the half-space runs, and I also think his aggression in the duels and the pressure was very good.”
Gray’s challenge just got a lot harder at Spurs this season
The youngster will be hoping he can make himself a regular in Frank’s starting line-up this season, but he will have a lot of competition for places.
Tottenham have secured the services of Joao Palhinha, whom Thomas Frank was extremely keen on signing.