Teenagers brought real energy and drive to Spurs midfield against PSG
Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray thrived in PSG defeat on Wednesday
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Matt Verri
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Vitinha dispatched his penalty and for the ninth time in barely 72 hours, Guglielmo Vicario was fetching the ball from his own net.
After a 4-1 north London derby defeat to Arsenal, Vicario hit out at the lack of "fight" from the Tottenham players as he said sorry to the fans.
No apologies were required to the supporters in Paris, though the fact Spurs shipped five goals and came away with a far more positive feeling is an indication of just how low the bar was heading into the match.
This 5-3 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain provided more encouraging signs than there have been for many weeks at Spurs. It must be a platform that Thomas Frank and his players now build on.
The team line-up and shape have lurched around from match to match with Frank searching for answers and in Paris he went for something new again.
Richarlison and Randal Kolo Muani started as a front two with four midfield runners behind them in Pape Matar Sarr, Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall and Rodrigo Bentancur.
Lucas Bergvall was key to a much-improved Spurs performance
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“As you could see the gameplan was to really go after PSG, man to man,” Frank said after the match.
“If anyone's followed me just a tiny bit, they know that that's what I want.
“That's much more the identity, that aggressiveness, that dynamic into the team, and to do that against PSG, who are that fluid and that mobile all over the pitch, I thought we needed a more running, powerful midfield across the midfield four.”
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Gray and Bergvall thrived in the 4-2-2-2 system. They brought real energy and drive to the midfield, harrying the PSG players from the opening minutes, and there was quality on the ball too.
The pair have a close relationship and twice they combined brilliantly down the left when Bergvall released Gray with a backheel. The second of those brought Spurs' opening goal.
This should be the attacking blueprint for Spurs in the weeks ahead, approaching matches with intent and pushing up the pitch.
Bergvall and in particular Gray have found minutes hard to come by this season but Frank needs to find a way to regularly get the pair in the team.
The teenagers are both popular among the fanbase and will garner plenty of patience if given a run in the side even if they do make mistakes.
Archie Gray thrived on his first appearance in over a month
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The good feeling built up from an encouraging display in Paris would be swiftly wiped out if Frank started against Fulham on Saturday with Joao Palhinha and Bentancur in midfield. He must think bigger and more ambitiously than that.
Frank has emphasised that he is learning with every match at Spurs and there were clear lessons to take from the defeat to PSG.
It was obvious how much Bergvall and Gray brought to the side and neither deserve to now drop out, even if that does leave a selection dilemma further up the pitch.
Xavi Simons could still be used as one of the two attacking midfielders, potentially replacing Sarr, while Mohammed Kudus is an option to partner Kolo Muani up front should Frank also want him in the side.
The reaction to this loss should also serve as a lesson for Frank. Spurs were beaten 5-3 and yet the response has been generally positive. There was no emptying of the away end at the Parc des Princes.
Spurs fans do not expect their side to win every match, particularly against opposition as elite as this, but they do want the team to play in a way that suggests the manager and players believe they can.
Fulham will be the real test of whether this was a one-off or a new dawn. It is a match Spurs must win and win well, and the team must approach it in the same aggressive manner.
There has been too much fear at Spurs this season. The youthful verve of Bergvall and Gray is a welcome antidote to that and, if allowed, the pair can lead the Frank project back onto more solid ground.
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