Postecoglou sure to be sacked with decision he made on ‘wonderful’ Tottenham gem
Ange Postecoglou is hanging onto his Tottenham job by a thin thread due to the performances his squad have put in this season.
Spurs are currently 12th in the Premier League table and find themselves 12 points adrift of the coveted Champions League spots.
Of course, injuries haven’t helped matters much at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium but it feels like more should be coming from those who are fit.
In fact, the injuries Tottenham have sustained this season have forced players such as Archie Gray to be played out of position in centre-back in order to fill the gaps.
New York Times journalist Rory Smith highlighted the consistent use of the youngster out of position as something that worries him, a fair concern.
“If you are going to play Postecoglou’s system in the Premier League, maybe you need to have a bigger squad, that’s something [Daniel] Levy and Tottenham should have considered when appointing him,” he said on the BBC’s Football Daily Podcast in quotes relayed by the BBC Sport website (7 January).
“I’m very worried about the fragility of Archie Gray, who is an absolutely wonderful footballer, who should absolutely not be playing central defence in his late teens.
“There’s a chance it robs him of his confidence, he should be in midfield and I’m worried about the impact that could have on a young player’s confidence.”
Archie Gray needs to be allowed a rest at Tottenham
While plenty of game time at Tottenham is likely exactly what Gray would want, it feels like he’s been shoehorned into a defence that is doomed to fail.
Spurs’ defensive problems have overarched their season this term and a lot of their poor form could be down to the lack of support and depth Postecoglou has among his ranks.
Of course, the more game time that Gray is given, the more likely he is to benefit from an improvement in his skillset but it feels like he’s being used far too often.
As aforementioned, the Australian’s job is hanging by a thread and if he can’t source some reinforcements or perhaps find a way to give the 18-year-old some sort of rest, he could find himself relieved of his duties.
For instance, if Gray has a howler in one game, his confidence will be shot for the next clash which would no doubt add extra pressure onto his head than he deserves.
At the moment, things seem to be going smoothly but if things get worse and Gray has to play every single game, it could end up being curtains for the former Celtic boss.
In other Tottenham news, one Spurs target has been told he is allowed to leave his current club.
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