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Frank singles out Tottenham gem ahead of Forest clash

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Thomas Frank singles out Tottenham prodigy for praise ahead of Forest clash - sportsview.co.uk
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Thomas Frank has singled out Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Archie Gray for praise after his outstanding performance in the 3-0 Champions League win against Slavia Prague.

Tottenham are gearing up for a tricky trip to City Ground, where they’ll take on Sean Dyche’s unpredictable Nottingham Forest side.

Frank has delivered a positive injury update on two Tottenham stars, including Dominic Solanke, who has struggled to shake off recurring injury problems all season.

The midweek victory extended Tottenham’s unbeaten run to three games in all competitions after following up a 2-2 draw against Newcastle with a comfortable 2-0 win over Brentford.

That run has lifted the mood in the dressing room, having previously won just one of seven games in all competitions before the unbeaten streak.

Tottenham will hope to stretch that run to four games on the spin at City Ground, and they’ve been boosted by a double injury update.

Speaking at his pre-match press conference, Frank confirmed that his side came through the win against Slavia Prague unscathed, while Brennan Johnson and Solanke are making progress in their recovery.

“Minor thing,” Frank said, allaying fears of a long-term injury to Johnson. “I expect him to be available for Forest. He trained today.”

Frank also confirmed that Solanke was back training on grass, but the major highlight from his interview centred around Gray.

The talented midfielder put in a 7/10 performance in midweek, and Frank believes he has the potential to become a world beater in the future.

“I like what I see from Archie,” Frank said. “I think he’s a very talented young player with a big potential.

“I like what I’ve seen from him. Everything from the Burnley game in the beginning of the season to those bits in the Fulham game I liked from him.

“I think there was definitely very good bits in the Brentford game and also in the Slavia game.”

Frank tried to sign Gray during his time at Brentford, but the teenager opted to join Tottenham. Now reunited, Frank has admitted Gray has what it takes to be a leader in the future.

“I think he’s very good on the ball. I like that he plays with his head up so he can play short. He can drive the ball. The pass to Pedro for the penalty against Slavia was an excellent pass.

“Perfectly weighted. Playing it behind. Great capacity to cover the pitch. Good pressing skills, and I think he’s young, but he has a very good character. I think he could be a leader in the future.”

Predicted Tottenham XI in Champions League vs Slavia Prague

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How Tottenham could line up in Champions League clash vs Slavia Prague (4-2-3-1) - sportsview.co.uk
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Coming off a chaotic eight-goal thriller in their last Champions League outing, Tottenham Hotspur are looking to consolidate their play-off spot as they take on Slavia Prague in North London.

After splitting four goals and losing on penalties to Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Super Cup, Tottenham finished second best once again when they visited Paris for a rematch.

Arriving still bruised from a heavy North London derby defeat to Arsenal, Thomas Frank’s side showed far more attacking bite at the Parc des Princes.

But while their forward play clicked, their defensive woes allowed PSG to race away with a 5-3 win.

That defeat ended Tottenham’s unbeaten start to the competition. But their eight-point tally keeps them firmly in the seeded play-off spots and only two points shy of automatic qualification.

A return to home soil for the game against Slavia Prague should give Spurs the ideal opportunity to return to winning ways in the Champions League.

They’ve won both their home games so far, seeing off Villarreal and Copenhagen without conceding.

Tottenham’s remarkable 22-match unbeaten run in European home games remains intact, and they are just one goal short of reaching 100 in the competition.

Having snapped their dreadful home run in the Premier League with a 2-0 win against Brentford over the weekend, Spurs will back themselves to get the job done later tonight.

How Tottenham could line up

Frank could make up to four changes for the game against Slavia Prague as they look to close the gap further to the top eight.

Guglielmo Vicario will be looking for a third straight home clean sheet in the Champions League when Slavia Prague come visiting, but the back four could see a minor tweak.

While Djed Spence, Micky van de Ven, and Pedro Porro reprise their roles, Kevin Danso could come in for Cristian Romero, who should be handed a breather.

Joao Palhinha should come in to anchor the midfield alongside “unstoppable” Lucas Bergvall, in place of Rodrigo Bentancur and Archie Gray.

Wilson Odobert may step in for Randal Kolo Muani while Xavi Simons, Mohammed Kudus, and Richarlison spearhead the attack.

Predicted XI;

Frank delivers update on Tottenham duo ahead of Brentford tie

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Thomas Frank issues Solanke & Kulusevski update as Tottenham prepare to host Brentford - sportsview.co.uk
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Thomas Frank has revealed that his Tottenham Hotspur squad has no fresh injury worries as he prepares to host Brentford in North London on Saturday.

The Danish manager is gearing up for an emotional fixture and insists “everyone should be ready” after coming through Tuesday night’s 2-2 draw away at Newcastle unscathed.

There were a few positives to take from the hard-fought draw, with Cristian Romero marking his return from suspension with a fantastic overhead kick.

However, the draw also extended Tottenham’s winless streak to five games across all competitions (D2, L3).

They’ve also won just one of their last eight games in all competitions (D2, L5) and have failed to win any of their previous five Premier League games (D2, L3).

Hosting Brentford at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is a decent chance to snap this miserable run of form, and Frank will have plenty of firepower at his disposal.

When asked for an injury update after Newcastle during his pre-match press conference, Frank said: “No, everyone from the Newcastle game should be ready.”

Frank was a little more cautious when asked about Dejan Kulusevski and Dominic Solanke, who have spent the majority of the season in the infirmary.

Kulusevski hasn’t played a single minute for Tottenham this season due to a knee injury, while Solanke has only managed three substitute appearances as he recovers from an ankle issue.

When pressed for an update on their potential return dates, Frank said: “When they are ready to really be close to being involved in the squad, then I will give more information.”

Tottenham’s woeful run of form has seen them plummet to 11th place in the Premier League table, although they remain just five points off the top four.

Nevertheless, being in the bottom half after 14 games has put Frank’s place in the dugout under scrutiny, with reports claiming the club is already scouting the market for potential replacements.

One name that has popped up on Tottenham’s radar so far is Fulham’s Marco Silva, who was regarded highly by former Spurs chairman Daniel Levy.

If Tottenham fail to come away with a win against Brentford on Saturday, Frank could be out of a job sooner rather than later.

Alex Scotcher will start as Tottenham Hotspur’s new commercial director in January

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Alex Scotcher will start as Tottenham Hotspur’s new commercial director in January - sportsview.co.uk
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Tottenham Hotspur are set to appoint Alex Scotcher as their new commercial director in January, according to the Telegraph.

The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium are still looking for a naming rights partner since moving into their new stadium in April 2019.

Spurs are eyeing a sponsor for their new stadium and are convinced the arrival of Scotcher will speed up the process and finally get a deal over the line.

He helped Everton agree a lucrative Hill Dickinson naming rights partnership for their new stadium, with the Merseyside club bagging a deal worth £10m-a-year over the next decade.

The Toffees will be making around £100m from the deal, and Tottenham are targeting more.

Tottenham wanted a world record naming rights deal worth £25m-a-year for 15 years, which would have earned them £375m.

However, the North London club have not succeeded in their bid to land a sponsor, with former chairman Daniel Levy blamed for setting the price too high.

A Saudi Arabian entity were reportedly frontrunners to secure the deal, but nothing has emerged and Scotcher has been tasked with finding them the perfect partners for a juicy naming rights deal.

Tottenham appointed Todd Kline as the club’s first chief commercial officer in 2021, chiefly because he helped the NFL’s Miami Dolphins bag an 18-year naming rights deal worth around £180 million for their stadium.

Tottenham were hoping Kline would help them replicate such, but the American struggled to get it done before resigning last year to join Chelsea.

Scotcher also worked on naming rights deals for Valencia during his role as senior vice-president of global partnerships of sports and entertainment consultancy firm Elevate.

He was the director of global partnerships and chief commercial officer at AS Roma before leaving in 2022 and he will fancy his chances of getting the job done at Tottenham.

Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur want RB Leipzig midfielder Yan Diomande

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Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur want RB Leipzig midfielder Yan Diomande - sportsview.co.uk
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Liverpool are in advanced talks with the representatives of RB Leipzig attacking midfielder Yan Diomande, according to Sky Switzerland journalist Sacha Tavolieri.

Manager Arne Slot is desperate to rebuild his attack, and the 19-year-old Ivory Coast international is on his radar. The Reds face competition from Tottenham Hotspur.

Liverpool could do with a boost in the final third following their struggles this term, and they see the Leipzig star as a serious option to bring much-needed energy and flair to the attack.

However, the Bundesliga club want €100 million for him next summer, and Liverpool are unlikely to meet their lofty demands.

Mohamed Salah has lost his form this term, and selling Luis Diaz to Bayern Munich during the last summer transfer window was a mistake.

Diomande is primarily a left winger, but he can also feature on the right and through the middle. He has bagged four goals and four assists in 14 games this term.

The Liverpool target notched two goals and one assist in ten La Liga appearances for Leganes last term, prompting Leipzig to trigger his €20m release clause.

His explosiveness, pace and dribbling are qualities the Reds could do with in an attacker as they start preparing for life without Salah.

The 33-year-old has tallied five goals and three assists in 17 games across the Champions League and Premier League this term.

However, he was dropped against West Ham United last weekend after a recent dip in form, and Liverpool could be open to selling him at the end of the season.

Marco Silva is now being linked with Tottenham Hotspur, Daniel Levy was said to be a huge fan

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Marco Silva is now being linked with Tottenham Hotspur, Daniel Levy was said to be a huge fan - sportsview.co.uk
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Tottenham Hotspur have won just two of their last ten games across all competitions, and while manager Thomas Frank still has the support of the owners, most of the Spurs fans already want him out.

The North London club lost 2-1 to Fulham at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday, and some in the game are already linking the Cottagers manager Marco Silva with the Spurs job, according to the Independent journalist Miguel Delaney.

He claimed in his ‘Inside Football’ bi-weekly newsletter today that Tottenham considered the Portuguese and Frank to replace Ange Postecoglou in the summer, opting for the Dane in the end.

Silva is out of contract at the end of the season and suitors are keeping tabs on his situation as he is expected to leave Fulham.

It is unknown whether Spurs are still monitoring the Cottagers boss, but it appears some of those in the game believe they could have eyes on him.

“There was meanwhile an extra narrative edge in Fulham beating Spurs, since this is what Tottenham could have,” Delaney wrote in his newsletter.

“The job in the summer ultimately came down to a choice between Marco Silva and Thomas Frank.

“Fulham remain an excellently obdurate side, which is all the more impressive given there’s been this sense in football that Silva’s time is running its course; that both could do with moving on.

“People in the game are now naturally putting two and two together… although there’s a difference in the equation from the summer. Levy was said to be a huge fan of Silva.”

Silva has proven his quality at Fulham, but like Frank has shown at Spurs, managing a big club comes with different challenges and expectations, and not every manager knows how to hit the ground running when given a big job.

Porro shouts at Bergvall, storms down the tunnel as Tottenham lose

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Why Pedro Porro shouted at Lucas Bergvall & stormed down the tunnel after Tottenham loss - sportsview.co.uk
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Tottenham Hotspur conceded twice against Fulham within the first eight minutes, succumbing to a 2-1 loss in North London.

Spurs were diabolical in the first half before delivering a much-improved second-half showing, but ultimately, it was not enough.

Tottenham are winless in their last four matches and have lost three successive games, leaving the club in 10th place on the Premier League table with 18 points.

Interestingly, after 13 league games last season under Ange Postecoglou, the North Londoners were in seventh place with 20 points.

Fans were clearly unhappy with what they had seen and took their frustrations out on goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, whose mistake led to Harry Wilson’s goal.

The Tottenham supporters booed his touch, a decision that has not gone down well with the players and the manager.

While Vicario took it in stride, manager Thomas Frank criticised those who booed the goalkeeper.

Right-back Pedro Porro was also clearly unhappy with the actions of the Spurs supporters.

After the game, a visibly angry Porro fumed at Lucas Bergvall for walking around to clap for the fans before storming down the tunnel.

Singling out the goalkeeper makes absolutely no sense.

Mistakes happen, especially in high-pressure systems, and piling hostility onto Vicario only adds unnecessary weight onto his shoulders.

It does nothing to improve his confidence, the team’s stability, or Spurs’ chances of turning results around.

If anything, it risks creating a more toxic atmosphere at a time when unity is needed most.

When supporters turn on their own goalkeeper, it rarely leads to improved performances.

Instead, it breeds hesitation, fear, and self-doubt – ask Chelsea with Robert Sanchez.

Yes, Vicario’s performances this season have been under par.

In an ideal scenario, the Italian could be dropped for Antonin Kinsky, but the young shot-stopper might not be ready to take the reins.

Fans need to be patient and hope the club will push for a new goalkeeper to provide competition for Vicario in the January transfer window.

Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool want Everton attacker Iliman Ndiaye next summer

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Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool want Everton attacker Iliman Ndiaye next summer - sportsview.co.uk
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Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool are keen on signing Everton attacker Iliman Ndiaye next summer, according to Foot Mercato’s Santi Aouna.

The two clubs have held initial talks with the Everton star’s agent as they look to lure him away from the Hill Dickinson Stadium at the end of the season.

Spurs and Liverpool are not the only clubs interested in Iliman, as Manchester City have also made enquiries.

The 25-year-old Senegalese international attacker has bagged four goals and one assist in 12 Premier League appearances this season. He tallied 11 goals in 37 games for the Toffees last term.

His fine form has attracted plenty of interest, and more clubs will likely join Spurs, Liverpool and Man City in the race to sign him next summer.

An enquiry from Inter Milan for Ndiaye, valuing him at around £40 million, was immediately rejected by Everton during the last transfer window.

He joined the Toffees for around £15m from Marseille in 2024, and manager David Moyes will not be open to losing him.

However, Everton may need to secure European football to keep Ndiaye. The France-born attacker will be eager to play continental football.

Only a third of the 2025/26 Premier League campaign has been played, but the Toffees have work to do if they want to feature in Europe next term.

They are level on points with Tottenham and Liverpool after 12 games and will need to be consistent to secure European qualification.

Everton have not won a major trophy in 30 years, and moving to a more successful club would probably appeal to Ndiaye if they come calling.

Predicted Tottenham XI in Premier League clash vs Fulham

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How Tottenham could line up in Premier League clash vs Fulham (4-2-3-1) - sportsview.co.uk
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Tottenham Hotspur return to Premier League action on Saturday night knowing they desperately need to stop the slide as they host Fulham in North London.

After back-to-back heavy defeats against Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal, Tottenham look fragile, and things could get worse with an unpredictable Fulham side preparing to storm north London.

Tottenham were on the wrong end of an eight-goal thriller against PSG in midweek.

Despite taking the lead twice, Thomas Frank’s side were undone by a vintage performance from Vitinha, whose hat-trick ensured Tottenham extended their winless streak to three games on the bounce (D1, L2).

Tottenham have now conceded nine goals since returning from the international break and have won just one of their last six games in all competitions (D1, L4).

That miserable run of form has seen them drop to ninth in the Premier League, but they’re still just three points outside the top four.

Tottenham should be favourites against Fulham, but their home form suggests otherwise.

Aside from Wolverhampton Wanderers, Spurs have the worst home record in the Premier League, winning just one of their six games (D2, L3) at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

On the plus side, Tottenham are unbeaten in their last six home meetings with Fulham, but they’ve failed to win any of their previous three games against the Cottagers (D1, L2).

How Tottenham could line up

Guglielmo Vicario is set to retain his place in goal, but Frank could be forced to make a couple of changes to his backline.

Cristian Romero is suspended after picking up his fifth yellow card. With Kota Takai and Radu Dragusin not yet fully fit, Kevin Danso is the most reliable option to partner Micky van de Ven.

Destiny Udogie could also return to the XI ahead of Djed Spence, with Pedro Porro at right back. Joao Palhinha and Lucas Bergvall could anchor the midfield against Fulham.

Archie Gray had a decent game against PSG, but could drop to the bench alongside Pape Matar Sarr, who got a 5/10 rating for his uninspiring display in midweek.

That paves the way for the “exceptional” Xavi Simons to return to the XI, with Richarlison and Mohammed Kudus on either flank.

Randal Kolo Muani should reprise his role after bagging a brace against his parent club.

Predicted XI;

Archie Gray shines in midfield for Tottenham despite Spurs losing 5-3 to PSG

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Archie Gray shines in midfield for Tottenham despite Spurs losing 5-3 to PSG - sportsview.co.uk
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Tottenham Hotspur are still reeling from their 5-3 loss to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League.

Spurs were out for revenge following the UEFA Super Cup disappointment, but were overpowered by the Ligue 1 champions again.

Tottenham twice took the lead, but the reigning Champions League winners battled back to claim a famous win after an enthralling eight-match thriller.

There were many positives for Spurs, especially in the attacking department, where on-loan PSG striker Randal Kolo Muani put in quite the shift.

Lucas Bergvall and Richarlison also performed admirably.

So did Archie Gray, who got a rare chance to strut his stuff in his natural midfield position.

Since joining the North London club at the beginning of last season, he has been used mainly at the back, but manager Thomas Frank put him in the engine room against PSG.

Gray did not look out of place. The Tottenham star kept things ticking in midfield and harried the opposition when they were on the ball.

He opened passing lanes and played a key role in setting up the opener with a floated cross.

Football London gave him an 8/10 rating and said of his performance, “Showed his quality in the first half in a rare start in his natural midfield role.

“Sent in a terrific left-footed cross for Spurs’ first-half goal. Understandably tired and came off in the 76th minute, but this was an important night for the 19-year-old on a big stage.

“Has to start more games in the centre of the pitch as he’s not overawed by it.”

Frank was also thoroughly impressed by his performance in the middle, singling him and Bergvall out for praise.

For a player who has spent most of his Spurs career plugging gaps across the rearguard, this was the clearest evidence yet that Gray’s future belongs in midfield.

His energy, balance, and ability to knit play together gave Tottenham a different rhythm.

He already looks assured, disciplined, and brave on the ball, and the stage in Paris didn’t intimidate him for a second.

Gray is ready for more starts in the middle. Spurs should treat this performance as the blueprint.

He has earned the right to build on it, and Tottenham should give him every opportunity to do that.