Postecoglou shares what he really thought of Gray in Tottenham draw v Rangers
Archie Gray has been singled out for his “outstanding” performance for Tottenham in the 1-1 draw against Rangers.
Spurs travelled to Glasgow for the Europa League clash against Rangers on Thursday [12 December] as Ange Postecoglou’s men crumbled under the Ibrox pressure.
The Australian had looked to be heading towards a shock European defeat after Hamza Igamane’s 47th-minute opener, but his blushes were spared by Dejan Kulusevski, who secured a share of the spoils on the 75th-minute mark.
However, Postecoglou shared his gratitude to Gray in his post-match press conference, as relayed by Football London [12 December], as he was thrown into the deep end at Ibrox.
He said: “He is 18, it’s a big experience for him. I thought he handled himself really well. We’re asking him to do something that as an 18-year-old in his first year at this level, to play in an unfamiliar position in such big games, I thought it’s outstanding what he’s doing.”
Archie Gray can ease the injury crisis at Tottenham
Postecoglou rushed back Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero into his starting lineup on the weekend and paid the price – he not only lost his two centre-backs immediately, he was rewarded for his risk with a 4-3 loss against Chelsea [8 December].
Until the pair are 100 per cent ready to play again for Tottenham, the boss must refrain from repeating his mistakes at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium despite the overwhelming pressure surrounding the upcoming fixtures.
Gray, while not naturally a centre-back, is proving capable of filling the backline void while having endured a baptism of fire in the position and coming out the other side.
The same could be said for his display on Thursday, as the hosts, fuelled by the volatile atmosphere inside Ibrox, completely overwhelmed a depleted and lacklustre Spurs side.
He won 50 per cent of his aerial duels, won 33 per cent of his ground duels, blocked two shots and made two clearances, one interception and one tackle despite Rangers only garnering 41 per cent possession on the night [Sofascore].
The lightning-quick transitions of the Gers’ counterattacks were too much for the Spurs midfield to handle, but the defence held firm – contradictory to what the scoreline suggests, Rangers could have scored many more goals at Ibrox.
Gray, on the other hand, remained comfortable and composed in possession; although he lost the ball 11 times and failed to complete any of his three long ball attempts, he completed 87 per cent of his passes and kept the ball moving for his side even in the face of adversity.
On a positive note, while the draw may feel like another defeat for Postecoglou, Tottenham can still secure a top-eight finish in the Europa League with wins over Hoffenheim and IF Elfsborg and have a Carabao Cup final clash against Manchester United on Thursday [19 December] to look forward to.
However, Postecoglou may be tempted to rush back van de Ven and Romero at the first possible opportunity, but Gray has shown the Spurs boss he is more than capable of filling the void.
In other Tottenham news, Spurs talks have been held as a surprise transfer is lined up.
For more Tottenham news, follow us on Facebook or join our brand new WhatsApp Channel for instant updates to be sent straight to your phone.