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Archie Gray was one of the main benefactors of the Tottenham injury crisis last season.

Having signed from Leeds United as a star of the future, Ange Postecoglou had no choice but to blood the teenager early.

Harry Redknapp tipped Gray to star for Spurs this season despite the immense competition for places.

However, there is one part of his game that the midfielder will want to improve after the latest reveal.

Archie Gray the most shot-shy player since data records began

Despite starting against Burnley, Gray has since lost his place in Thomas Frank’s team as expected.

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That is by no means a reflection on his performances, but more so that the Dane needs different personnel depending on the opponent.

Gray is likely to be benched against West Ham, who could provide a trickier opponent after their early-season slump.

The 19-year-old is certainly more famed for his defensive work, and that has been reflected in an intriguing statistical reveal.

Gray is currently the most shot-shy player since the data revolution began in 2003, according to The Athletic on 11 September.

They report that the Englishman has played 1,814 Premier League minutes and taken only one shot.

Furthermore, that effort was taken against Bournemouth when the pair met last season.

When could Archie Gray get more opportunities for Tottenham?

Gray has featured as an unused substitute in Spurs’ last two games, having started against Burnley.

Indeed, it will likely be against weaker opposition that the teenager features, and he will have to remain patient for chances.

His most likely route to the first team will be in the cup competitions, primarily in the Carabao Cup and FA Cup.

However, the midfielder could also benefit from action in the Champions League, given that they have a favourable run of games.

While Gray will not want to hold such a statistic to his name, it gives him an area for development in North London.

Thomas Frank will be hoping to deliver a convincing win against West Ham on Saturday.

Spurs’ defeat to Bournemouth means that the Lilywhites will need to work twice as hard when they travel to the London Stadium.

The Dane has had a fine start to the Premier League season otherwise. Tottenham’s wins against Burnley and Manchester City have given Frank a little bit of wiggle room.

However, failure to get a result against the Hammers could send Spurs into a downwards spiral. But there is no world where getting all three points will be easy.

This article includes exclusive comments from Lilywhite Rose owner John Wenham.

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West Ham’s win over Nottingham Forest spells trouble for Tottenham

Tottenham face West Ham at the London Stadium on Sunday in a game that promises to be chaotic from beginning to end.

For the first time since signing for Tottenham from West Ham, Mohammed Kudus will return to the London Stadium. The could no doubt be fireworks if Kudus scores for Tottenham against the Hammers.

However, West Ham are no longer going into the match in crisis mode. A win against Nottingham Forest before the international break would have increased their confidence.

As such, Tottenham expert and Lilywhite Rose owner John Wenham – speaking exclusively to Tottenham News – now expects a trickier game for Spurs to navigate.

“I think it’s a huge game to be playing right now,” Wenham said.

“I think it’s very, very frustrating from Tottenham’s point of view that West Ham had that big win at Forest, where the three goals came in the last five minutes, but totally changed the feeling going into this game.

“Now they’ll be feeling confident and up for it, whereas I think before they were feeling quite resigned to defeat before a ball’s been kicked, which would have played into Tottenham’s hands.”

What is Thomas Frank’s record vs West Ham?

Frank has faced West Ham eight times since Brentford earned promotion into the Premier League.

His dynamic approach to football and elite tactical systems were on full display during the confrontations.

With this record, there is no doubt that Spurs supporters will have a renewed sense of hope in the Dane to deliver a result.

Tottenham have been at the centre of near-constant speculation in the last few days after Daniel Levy’s departure was confirmed.

The Lilywhites announced that their executive chairman would be stepping down with immediate effect last week, and ever since then, talk of a potential takeover has been rife.

Amanda Staveley has shown an interest in buying Tottenham, but ENIC and the Lewis family have no intention of selling the club at the moment.

Levy’s departure has sparked huge uncertainty, but it has now been suggested that his decision to leave may not be quite what it seems.

Kieran Maguire thinks Daniel Levy was sacked by ENIC

Levy has come in for criticism at Tottenham over the years, but the timing of his decision to take a step back has certainly come as a surprise to many people.

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The Lilywhites chief oversaw the appointment of Thomas Frank and the entire transfer window, when he had the opportunity to go out on a high after the Europa League triumph back in May.

Instead, his exit came less than a month into the new Premier League campaign, and immediately after a seemingly successful transfer window that saw Spurs bolster their ranks in several key positions.

With that in mind, football finance expert Kieran Maguire believes that it is more likely that Levy was dismissed by ENIC, rather than leaving of his own accord.

Speaking on the latest edition of his The Price of Football podcast, he highlighted the Lewis family’s desire to take the club in a different direction.

“The statement that came from Spurs (on Levy) blindsided everybody, and it’s become increasingly evident that this was a sacking by ENIC,” Maguire said.

“It’s the Lewis family saying that they want the club to go in a different direction. They’ve got a new chief executive from Arsenal, and they’ve got other executives who have come in.

“It looks as if the family trust want to change direction, and they want to loosen the purse strings.”

Tottenham are better off without Daniel Levy

Levy’s successes at Tottenham on the business side of the club are undeniable, but the performance in a footballing sense during his tenure certainly left a lot to be desired.

Regardless of the reasoning behind his departure, it could certainly be argued that Spurs will be better off without him in the future.

His meticulous negotiating style and desire to micro-manage have held the North Londoners back from concluding deals swiftly in the past, and that has had major implications.

As a result, it is hard to argue against the fact that his departure is a satisfactory outcome for Tottenham.

Tottenham have a number of players who are out of contract at the end of the season as things stand.

The Lilywhites bolstered their squad with eight new signings during the recent summer transfer window, and that is likely to create movement elsewhere within the group in the coming months.

Rodrigo Bentancur’s future at Tottenham has come under heavy speculation in recent weeks, with Atletico Madrid potentially waiting in the wings to seal his signing, if Spurs do not extend his deal.

The same situation could be about to play out with other members of Thomas Frank’s squad, with Ben Davies’ future potentially already decided.

This article includes exclusive comment from former Tottenham scout Bryan King.

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Tottenham to allow Ben Davies to leave for free

Ben Davies is also out of contract at Tottenham at the end of the season, as he and Yves Bissouma complete the list of first-team stars who may be nearing the end of their stint in N17.

The Welshman has been largely excellent for the Lilywhites across a decade-long spell, and is now the longest-serving player at the club after Son Heung-min’s recent departure.

The 32-year-old has been a fantastic servant since he joined from Swansea City back in 2014, but he could now be entering the final months of his time in North London.

Ex-Spurs scout Bryan King – speaking exclusively to Tottenham News – believes that Tottenham will be happy to allow him to walk away for free next summer.

“Without doubt (Davies will leave for free),” King said.

“He’ll be moving into a player-coach role, or having a season abroad somewhere, I’d have thought.

“I would imagine that Spurs will say ‘thank you for your service, and good luck for whatever comes next’.”

Ben Davies has been a great servant for Spurs

The fact that Davies’ time at Spurs has outlasted all of his teammates from the group that he first joined is a testament to his consistency as a player over the years.

The 32-year-old has been a reliable and calming presence in the backline, and he has always been ready to step in for Tottenham when called upon.

Davies has now surpassed 350 appearances for the Lilywhites, a feat which has only been managed by 25 players in the club’s history, as per Transfermarkt.

With him yet to make a competitive appearance so far this term, it looks likely that his time in a Tottenham shirt is coming to a close, but if so, he will always be remembered as one of their strongest servants in recent years.

Daniel Levy rocked the footballing world by stepping down from his role as Tottenham executive chairman last week.

Since his departure, there has been substantial talk about whether ENIC could sell its majority stake in Spurs.

It has been reported that Amanda Staveley is interested in Tottenham, although she is currently prohibited from bidding for six months due to takeover rules.

Now, there has been a significant takeover update involving Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi.

Nasser Al-Khelaifi enquires about Tottenham ownership

ENIC reportedly does not wish to sell its Spurs stake and is driven by delivering greater success on the pitch.

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Staveley’s PCP Capital Partners, as well as a consortium led by Roger Kennedy and Wing-Fai Ng, have expressed interest.

However, if either wants to firm up interest, then they will need to do so by the deadline on 5 October.

Now, Al-Khelaifi has made inquiries about the current ownership situation at Tottenham, according to indykaila News on September 11.

They report that PSG owners Qatar Sports Investments are eyeing a minority stake at the North London club.

Furthermore, it’s stated that the information has come from a well-placed source in Qatar.

Who is Nasser Al-Khelaifi and why is he interested in Spurs?

Since 2011, Al-Khelaifi has been the chairman of PSG, who are owned by Qatar Sports Investments.

Moreover, the 51-year-old is president of global sports broadcaster beIN Media Group.

Importantly, Al-Khelaifi is chairman of the European Club Association (ECA), which gives him significant influence in European football politics.

His interest in Tottenham is obvious, given the financial strength of the North London club and the opportunity for growth.

Qatar Sports Investments have also invested in Sporting Braga, so adding a Premier League club would only expand their multi-club portfolio.

Now, all eyes will be on what news follows at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Why ENIC could agree Tottenham takeover for more than £4bn after new developments

Tottenham are now looking ahead to a new era after confirmation that Daniel Levy has vacated his position as executive chairman.

After the 63-year-old’s departure, the talk quickly shifted to whether ENIC could sell their majority stake in Spurs.

While Amanda Stavely is reportedly interested in Tottenham, she is not allowed to bid for another six months under the takeover code after another failed approach.

Although there has been talk of a £4billion valuation to purchase the North London club, they could go for even higher.

This story includes exclusive comments from football finance expert Dr Daniel Plumley.

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Tottenham have significant appeal to interested parties

With Levy out of the way, Joe Lewis will be striving to bring more honours to Tottenham after their Europa League triumph.

After talk of the North London club being valued at £4bn, football finance expert Dan Plumley – speaking exclusively to Tottenham News – has provided insight on whether that would be a fair price.

“I think it is fair, and I think we’ve talked about this, you can easily get them into that £3-3.5b linked to all the things that we look for in the traditional metrics, the revenue, the value of the squad, the stadium, etc, and all the other things that are wrapped around it.

“We don’t often focus on the upside as well, which is where you can push that a little bit higher, so you add Champions League into that, you add a stadium naming rights deal into that that’s not yet been signed.

“You’ve got all the other stuff that Spurs do. You’ve got the fan base all around the world and the ability to tap in for that, so you’ve got that kind of digital footprint that’s probably being underutilised, really, from a financial perspective.

“And that’s when you can start to sell the upside, and of course, it’s a prestigious Premier League football club located in London, so all of those factors come into it.

“So I think £4bn is fair, and I think that’ll probably be the market prices we’re already starting to see, that’s going to be the starting point, and whoever’s going to come in is going to have to have a fair amount of money.”

What is the state of play regarding a potential Spurs takeover?

As it stands, ENIC have made it clear that they do not want to sell, while rejecting preliminary interest from two parties.

Those parties include Staveley’s PCP International Finance and a consortium led by Roger Kendey and Wing-Fai Ng.

Meanwhile, the deadline for the interested parties to make an offer is 5 October, or they must withdraw.

Of course, while ENIC does not wish to sell, that could all change if it receives a tempting takeover bid.

Now, all eyes will be on the impending October deadline to see exactly what happens in North London.

Tottenham could yet be taken over in the coming weeks as the saga surrounding their ownership continues.

Daniel Levy’s departure has thrown the future up in the air in N17, as it has resulted in heavy speculation that the Lewis family could be trying to sell the Lilywhites.

ENIC are adamant that Tottenham are not for sale, but that has done little to stop some of the discussions that have taken place in recent days.

Former Newcastle United investor Amanda Staveley has shown an interest in doing a deal to take over the North Londoners, and the saga looks to be far from over.

Amanda Staveley faces three-month wait to takeover at Tottenham

ENIC could earn around £4billion from a sale of Tottenham, but they have already rejected an expression of interest from Staveley and her PCP International group.

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The Lilywhites’ ownership issued a statement on Sunday evening which acknowledged the initial approaches that they had received regarding a potential takeover, but also made it clear that the club is not for sale.

However, football finance expert Kieran Maguire believes that the reality is that Spurs are still on the market.

Speaking on the latest episode of his The Price of Football podcast, he also revealed that Staveley now faces a waiting period of three months before she can act, as a result of the statement from Spurs’ board.

“Spurs put out a very strongly worded statement to say ‘if anybody’s interested in buying Spurs, forget it, we’re not for sale,” Maguire said.

“There’s no such thing as not for sale in business. If the money is right, then there’s always a deal.

“Staveley has been interested, and there’s been another consortium from the United States that’s been interested.

“Spurs put out that statement because they are what we refer to as a quoted company, a company that has its shares traded. That effectively means that Staveley and the other investors can’t do anything now for at least three months.

“But that’s nothing to stop somebody else from coming in.”

Thomas Frank need takeover saga to be addressed quickly

Thomas Frank’s Spurs side have made a bright start to the new season on the pitch, but it will do them no favours if the business aspect of the club remains in uncertainty in the coming months.

Such a major issue could easily impact the footballing side of the North London outfit, as the futures of players will be among many issues likely to take a back seat until the talk of a takeover is over.

Levy’s exit was always likely to bring this kind of impact, given how long he has spent at the top of the club, but it couldn’t have come at a worse time for Frank, who is still just a matter of months into his role.

With that in mind, the situation needs to be addressed once and for all, to quash any further talk of a potential change of ownership.

‘Carnage’ – West Ham fans predicted to riot if Tottenham scenario plays out at London Stadium

Thomas Frank could have a difficult time when Tottenham travels to the London Stadium.

Frank has had a solid start to life at Tottenham. The Lilywhites impressed in the UEFA Super Cup final despite Spurs’ subsequent defeat to PSG on penalties.

Meanwhile, the 51-year-old showed the extent of his tactical flexibility when Tottenham won all three points against Burnley and Manchester City in the Premier League.

Despite Spurs’ disappointing defeat to Bournemouth, Tottenham fans continue to back Frank to deliver the goods.

This article includes exclusive comments from Lilywhite Rose owner John Wenham.

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Mohammed Kudus to cause ‘carnage’ if decisive vs West Ham

Mohammed Kudus became the first player to sign for Tottenham from West Ham since 2011 when he arrived in the summer.

Kudus has since been outstanding at Tottenham and is well on his way to becoming the signing of the season.

The right winger will return to the London Stadium on the opposing side when Tottenham take on West Ham on Saturday, 13 September.

While it should be an exciting game, Tottenham expert and Lilywhite Rose owner John Wenham – speaking exclusively to Tottenham News – believes there will be ‘carnage’ if Kudus is decisive.

“You have to hope that we’ve got that out of our system now and we’ve learned from that,” Wenham said.

“Hopefully, we can restart after the international break with West Ham away and go there and get a win. If we do, my goodness, I mean, there could be a pitch invasion because West Ham fans are at boiling point, that three-goal win over Nottingham Forest was massive for them and very unexpected.

“But if Tottenham turns up and rolls them over, it could be carnage, especially if Kudus is involved and gets an assist or a goal, then they will really be at the boiling point at West Ham.”

What is Mohammed Kudus’ away record in the Premier League?

Kudus has scored 13 goals in the Premier League since signing for West Ham, six of which have come during away games.

With almost half of his Premier League goals coming against away teams, Spurs fans will be confident of him scoring against the Hammers. Or at the very least, celebrate that he is no longer on the opposing side.

But with all still to play for in the top-flight, supporters will be hoping that he nets a goal or two to boost their Premier League chances.

Pape Matar Sarr could have a world-class season under Thomas Frank.

Sarr wowed Frank with his screamer against Arsenal during pre-season. The midfielder netted the only goal of the game, which outlined his many uses on the pitch.

Since then, the Senegalese midfielder has quickly climbed the ranks under the Dane in North London.

Sarr’s performance for Tottenham against Manchester City has arguably been his best this season. There was not much to take from Sarr’s showing during Spurs’ defeat against Bournemouth. But on the whole, he has been incredible thus far.

As a result, it does not come as a surprise that he is a valued member of Frank’s squad.

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This article includes exclusive comments from Lilywhite Rose owner John Wenham.

Pape Matar Sarr crowned ‘best African midfielder’ for Senegal performances

Sarr was one of several Tottenham players who were called up by their international teams during the break.

Alongside Mathys Tel, there is an argument to be made that the central midfielder outperformed the bunch. Sarr netted twice for Senegal while away from Tottenham, which earned his nation back-to-back wins in the FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

His performances did not go unnoticed. Tottenham expert and Lilywhite Rose owner John Wenham – speaking exclusively to Tottenham News – believes they have earned him some brownie points with Frank.

“Not only has he had an amazing start to the season,” Wenham said.

“He’s also now picking up recognition for his form in Senegal, and scored a winning goal the other night. I saw some tweets from some commentators in France, just that he’s the best African midfielder at the moment, which is a huge compliment.

“Somebody so young, and seems to already be a firm favourite of Frank.”

Will Pape Matar Sarr continue to occupy an advanced role at Tottenham?

There was a moment when Sarr occupied the number 10 position at Tottenham following James Maddison’s ACL injury.

While he has since retreated further into the midfield, he has been given license to roam into the attack when needed.

With the arrival of Xavi Simons, fans can expect a more fixed role for Sarr, where he occupies deeper zones. This is because the Dutchman plays in a more advanced role, and positional freedom is a huge part of his game.

Nevertheless, there will still be ample opportunities for Sarr to get upfield when Simons drifts to the left wing. As such, his goals for Senegal may translate across to club level.

Thomas Frank’s Tottenham rebuild is underway, with the club winning two out of their first three Premier League games.

Tottenham’s 2-0 win over Manchester City has given fans optimism that Frank could be the man to take them to another level.

Spurs’ 1-0 loss to Bournemouth has brought the supporters back down to reality, yet Tottenham’s exciting transfer window spells promising signs for their league form going forward.

Frank is always looking for ways to improve his team, yet also is in favour of a few rule changes that should be implemented in football.

Thomas Frank in favour of timeouts in football

Speaking to Spurs’ official sponsor BetMGM, Frank was honest about what he’d like to see change if he had his way.

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“I’d have a timeout in each half,” he said. “From a coaching view, it would be lovely to have an opportunity in-game to speak to the players and adjust something.”

Designated rest breaks have been taken place in the Premier League before, with the Tottenham manager keen on making it a regular occurrence.

Timeouts have been used to allow Muslim players to break their fast during Ramadan, whilst water breaks have taken place when conditions are very hot.

With American Sports famously using timeouts constantly, fans in England would struggle to wrap their heads around the stop-start nature of Frank’s proposal.

Thomas Frank also wants handball law changed

The handball law seems to change every single season, with the referee’s interpretation of an incident in real time usually the deciding factor in what’s been given as a penalty, regardless of VAR.

Frank said: “You are giving the biggest chance to the opponent just because the ball ‘touches’ your arm. It has to be changed to make the game fairer.”

Thomas Frank has seen a fair share of unjust penalties given during his time in the Premier League.

Tottenham return to action against West Ham on Saturday, with Frank looking to build further momentum in N17.