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Player Archie Gray

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Yiddy said:
I don't want to see him full back or cb or viewed as some sort of utility player. He's always been a midfielder always will be.
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I think until we bring in another LB we've not got much choice but to occasionally play him at full-back over this busy period. The odd game there is fine, I think, especially when needs must and he's still a kid. I think the games he's played at FB and CB will probably help improve his positional game and understanding moving forward.

But yeah long term I totally agree - we need to treat him as a dedicated CM rather than like a utility player.
 
daveyboy88 said:
game goes over your head, pal.

was the pass behind the pen that porro won, or does that not count as creating a chance? also put odobert through who should have scored...that not count either? no step overs or rainbows over anyone's head tho unfortunately, maybe thats what he needs to start doing.
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Neither got an assist so didn't happen according to old Charlie boy. His dink back post to RKM which led to Richy's goal against PSG didn't happen either or his chance that got cleared on to the bar which led to RKM's goal against PSG. Clearly doesn't do anything with the ball :mourloopy:
 
Football Chap said:
Neither got an assist so didn't happen according to old Charlie boy. His dink back post to RKM which led to Richy's goal against PSG didn't happen either or his chance that got cleared on to the bar which led to RKM's goal against PSG. Clearly doesn't do anything with the ball :mourloopy:
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He is on the pitch he is going to do something.
I don't dislike him - I just get irritated by the crazy hype around players sometimes.
We have had it before particularly with number 6's.

There is a whole list of players uniquely rated by Spurs fans who didn't register in the wider world .

Right now I don't think he is a first X1. He might be one day - and he could easily never be
That's it. It's just realism
 
daveyboy88 said:
game goes over your head, pal.

was the pass behind the pen that porro won, or does that not count as creating a chance? also put odobert through who should have scored...that not count either? no step overs or rainbows over anyone's head tho unfortunately, maybe thats what he needs to start doing.
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Nah tbh I was at the game and he was decent but nothing more then that. Against Brentford he was very good but today ok.
 
Watched him diligently. Didn't like their man for man pressure and was reluctant to show for the ball in deeper areas way too often. Very, very fucking ordinary at best tonight. Buy some proper midfielders, give this kid a year on loan somewhere where he can play every week in midfield - he wasn't even getting games for Leeds in midfield in the championship - and try to recover some of the ludicrous 40m we paid for him.

He's like Tel. We bought a kid who is ok at some stuff (technique OK, Athletic/Physical OK, positionally versatile but not dominant anywhere) excellent at nothing.
 
bus-conductor said:
Watched him diligently. Didn't like their man for man pressure and was reluctant to show for the ball in deeper areas way too often. Very, very fucking ordinary at best tonight. Buy some proper midfielders, give this kid a year on loan somewhere where he can play every week in midfield - he wasn't even getting games for Leeds in midfield in the championship - and try to recover some of the ludicrous 40m we paid for him.

He's like Tel. We bought a kid who is ok at some stuff (technique OK, Athletic/Physical OK, positionally versatile but not dominant anywhere) excellent at nothing.
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hes started 8 games for us this year, have you watched him diligently in all of them too? do you know the results of them 8 games?
 
daveyboy88 said:
hes started 8 games for us this year, have you watched him diligently in all of them too? do you know the results of them 8 games?
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Colin Farrell Reaction GIF
 
bus-conductor said:
Watched him diligently. Didn't like their man for man pressure and was reluctant to show for the ball in deeper areas way too often. Very, very fucking ordinary at best tonight. Buy some proper midfielders, give this kid a year on loan somewhere where he can play every week in midfield - he wasn't even getting games for Leeds in midfield in the championship - and try to recover some of the ludicrous 40m we paid for him.

He's like Tel. We bought a kid who is ok at some stuff (technique OK, Athletic/Physical OK, positionally versatile but not dominant anywhere) excellent at nothing.
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Or just keep playing him here, where he is doing fine and was part of a team that won 2-0 and 3-0 the last 2 matches.
 
daveyboy88 said:
weve lost 1 out of 8 with gray starting, that was against fulham where vicario threw the game away after 6 mins. one of them games he filled in at CB for a 0-0 draw in the CL, away to monaco. but yea, lets ship him off on loan and try and recoup some of the 40m we paid loooooool.
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The other two PL games were Burnley and Brentford, who were shite. He played at LB against Monaco when we were totally outplayed. CB against PSG and we conceded 5. 90 Against Doncaster.

I can't think of a single performance in midfield that he's looked like he actually excels at something. he's not particularly pressure resistant, he can pass, seems to be able to use both feet, but nothing exceptional, he can't really carry, he's not really a dominant ball winning - busy cunt 6 type. In the championship he barely got a game in midfield. And like some of our other youngsters, I don't think he should be playing first team football for a team with (delusional maybe) ambitions of at least finishing in European positions.

Get him out on loan, playing in midfield every week. If he turns out to be good, then fine, if not move him on.
 
bus-conductor said:
The other two PL games were Burnley and Brentford, who were shite. He played at LB against Monaco when we were totally outplayed. CB against PSG and we conceded 5. 90 Against Doncaster.

I can't think of a single performance in midfield that he's looked like he actually excels at something. he's not particularly pressure resistant, he can pass, seems to be able to use both feet, but nothing exceptional, he can't really carry, he's not really a dominant ball winning - busy cunt 6 type. In the championship he barely got a game in midfield. And like some of our other youngsters, I don't think he should be playing first team football for a team with (delusional maybe) ambitions of at least finishing in European positions.
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ah yea fair point, he started at CB against the best team in europe, so weve lost 2 out of 9 with him starting, 1 out of 7 with him starting in his actual position.

actually excels at something? what do you think youre meant to be looking for? pirlo-esque passes, from a 19 year old? hes keeping things ticking over in the most important part of the pitch, thats exactly what a CM is meant to do. hes clean on the ball and has a good understanding of what to do with it, barely ever loses the ball, hes played a good ball to porro earlier which resulted in a pen and picked up a loose ball and drove forward to put odobert in with a clear cut chance....good job you mentioned the PSG game, he had a hand in two goals in that too....the kids 19 lol.


he was 17 in the championship...thats barely fresh out of school. hes still growing into his body at 19, his strength will go up rapidly over the next few years.

hes already our best footballing CM and it aint even close, he shits all over sarr, bentancur and palhinha when it comes to actually moving the ball about cleanly, and having the football brain to know how to use the ball as a midfielder.
 
BC does have a point - if we're a team with genuinely lofty ambitions then Gray's not (yet) the elite CM we need right now. Especially given the guys we're playing alongside him aren't elite either. I like him a lot but I think we're probably overhyping him a little due to the dearth of other options - he wouldn't get near the City, Woolwich, Chelsea, Liverpool or Newcastle first choice midfields.

He's a bit of a jack-of-all trades atm, which certainly isn't a bad thing given his age and the fact most of our other mids have at least one massive glaring weakness. But all the truly top class mids have one part of their game that massively stands out. Hopefully with gametime and confidence that will appear. Bergvall clearly has more standout qualities and elite potential of the two but Frank clearly doesn't trust his positional play and discipline as an 8 right now.

I think for now we should play him regularly as he's the best we've got and it will be great for his development. But we probably need to be a bit brutal in central midfield, buy some serious quality and cull a few players over the next year. Personally I'd look to buy 2 quality central mids, not re-sign Palhinha, sell Sarr and/or Bentancur, and then have Gray and Bergvall as first choice backups/rotation options.
 
LOL, every player thread on this site is the same bar maybe 2 or 3

Some people think they are good
Some people think they are bad
bus-conductor bus-conductor doesnt rate anyone
 
I'm glad Gray played LB and CB last season as it helped him get up to pace and physicality of the PL whilst continuing to develop his game IQ, which is already one of his major strengths. Not many 19 year olds have 33 PL appearances under their belt. By the time he is 22/23 he will be an incredible midfielder.
 
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