‘not Good Enough’: Archie Gray Blunt On Spurs Defeats But Finds Positives From Psg Trip

Archie Gray believes Tottenham tin return a number of positives from Wednesday night’s 5-3 Champions League conclusion astatine Paris Saint-Germain contempt describing nan consequence arsenic “not bully enough.”

The pre-match talk astatine nan nine had been astir effecting a reset aft Sunday’s 4-1 derby humbling astatine Arsenal to boost assurance for Saturday’s location crippled against Fulham. Spurs are hopeless for a triumph astatine their stadium having won only erstwhile location successful nan convention this play nether Thomas Frank. More broadly, their location convention grounds shows 3 victories successful 20 matches.

It was a unusual crippled for Spurs to analyse against PSG. The position was coloured by Frank’s squad having group nan barroom truthful debased pinch their capacity astatine Arsenal and besides because it was PSG, nan star-studded, defending European champions. What was pleasing from a Spurs constituent of position was that they showed immoderate attacking thrust. Richarlison scored his sixth extremity of nan play and Randal Kolo Muani, who is connected indebtedness from PSG, sewage 2 – his first successful Spurs colours. Frank went man-for-man successful midfield and location was conflict and aggression.

Yet Spurs were blameworthy of sloppy defending, particularly connected nan concessions for 3-2 and 4-2. It was a vexation that they were not capable to defy aft Kolo Muani had put them 2-1 up successful nan 50th minute; they were 4-2 down by nan 65th minute. It was a whirlwind turnaround erstwhile Spurs heads were scrambled, nan deficiency of condemnation pronounced. The conclusion extended nan team’s worrying run. Since nan extremity of September, they person won 3 matches successful each competitions retired of 12, losing five.

“It’s disappointing to suffer games of shot and we’re not happy aft that one,” Gray said. “But we’ve sewage much positives to return from this crippled than nan past game. We scored 3 goals truthful that was evidently beautiful positive. It was ever going to beryllium a reliable game, we were playing astir apt nan champion squad successful Europe. But we showed positives we tin return into Fulham. The Arsenal crippled took a spot retired of america but we were ever going to bounce back.

“The fans were unbelievable [in Paris]. They person stuck pinch america done a batch of difficult times and we can’t convey them capable for nan support they springiness us, particularly aft a fewer reliable games. Hopefully location were a fewer positives that we could springiness them. It’s not bully capable these losses astatine a nine for illustration Tottenham but we’re going to look to amended that.”

Gray was a positive constituent against PSG. He pushed precocious successful cardinal midfield successful Frank’s 4-4-2 gem statement erstwhile Spurs had nan ball, looking to make things happen, and he was progressive successful his team’s first 2 goals. Out of possession he dropped heavy alongside nan holding midfielder, Rodrigo Bentancur.

Gray had not played since nan 0-0 Champions League tie astatine Monaco connected 22 October because of a calf injury. He started astatine left-back that nighttime and has been utilized successful galore roles, notably astatine centre-half by Ange Postecoglou past season. He wants to beryllium successful midfield. It is imaginable to consciousness that Gray does not respect his versatility arsenic a blessing.

“The unit [against PSG] was conscionable man-to-man,” Gray said. “Find your man and enactment pinch them. It was conscionable trying to find nan spaces wherever nan [PSG] midfielders don’t want to way you and uncovering nan half spaces for illustration pinch nan transverse [for nan opening goal].

“The coaching unit person been perfectly superb pinch everyone, particularly improving our individual games. Last play was a reliable season. It ended really good [with nan Europa League victory] but location were a batch of reliable moments, particularly for maine playing centre-back and each these different positions, which I’m grateful for but location were loads of setbacks. It is conscionable things to study from and nan coaching unit this twelvemonth person been really adjuvant pinch individual plans and worldly for illustration that.”

Gray, who is 19, was asked whether he was conscious of nan desire of nan Spurs fans for their squad to play entertaining football. “Yes, definitely,” he replied. “Every nine wants to play entertaining shot and sometimes erstwhile you play teams for illustration PSG you person to change that a small bit. They person that individual value wherever they tin return you isolated successful virtually 1 moment.”