Thomas Frank must start £40m star to reignite Tottenham’s Champions League hopes vs Slavia Prague
Thomas Frank is in real danger of guiding Tottenham to an early Champions League exit as the group phase draws to a close.
Spurs currently sit 16th in the table but have picked up just eight points from their first five games, and their chances of progressing to the knockout stages still hang in the balance.
Tottenham were beaten 5-3 by Paris Saint-Germain in their most recent Champions League game, coming away from the Parc des Princes empty-handed despite leading twice.
The North London outfit face Slavia Prague on Tuesday as they look to get back to winning ways in the competition and put to bed any fears of a premature exit.
Archie Gray holds the key to Tottenham’s success
Frank has been under real sack pressure in recent weeks, following several poor performances and results.
However, Tottenham beat Brentford 2-0 on Saturday, with goals from Richarlison and Xavi Simons lifting some of the weight off the Danish manager’s shoulder.
The real positive for Spurs was the manner of the victory, with the North London side creating a host of chances and displaying some real attacking intent.
Midfielder Archie Gray was excellent against Brentford and was undoubtedly part of the reason why Tottenham put in a much-improved performance.
The 19-year-old was handed a start by Frank and took full advantage, maintaining a 94 per cent pass accuracy over the 90 minutes.
| Stats | Archie Gray vs Brentford |
| Minutes | 90 |
| Pass Accuracy | 31/33 (94%) |
| Passes into final third | 5 |
| Clearances | 2 |
| Interceptions | 2 |
| Recoveries | 2 |
Gray didn’t shy away from the defensive side of the game either, completing two clearances, two interceptions and two recoveries.
The former Leeds United man, who made the switch to Tottenham for £40million back in the summer of 2024, must surely start against Slavia Prague after his Brentford display.
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Archie Gray can replace Pape Matar Sarr for Tottenham
Pape Matar Sarr leaves Tottenham to go to the African Cup of Nations on 15 December, and the midfielder could miss up to six games for the North London side.
However, in the form of Gray, Spurs have a ready-made replacement for Sarr, and perhaps a player who can flourish with an extended run in the team.
Gray has struggled for minutes so far this season, but now is his chance to really nail down a place in the starting lineup.
He has bags of potential and could be a regular fixture in the Tottenham side for years to come.
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