At a glance:
- Tottenham have improved under Roberto De Zerbi
- Archie Gray has been sidelined
- He has featured in just 2 games under the Italian
Tottenham Hotspur have shown massive improvements in just four games under Roberto De Zerbi in the Premier League.
In four games, they have two wins, one draw, and one defeat. They have secured seven points, two more than they did in the previous 14 games before his arrival. They have improved in almost every area, despite an injury crisis.
Arguably, the biggest area of improvement under De Zerbi has been the midfield. He has tactically and individually transformed Tottenham’s setup, but Archie Gray has struggled since his arrival.
Why has Archie Gray failed to make any impact at Tottenham under De Zerbi?
The first game for Tottenham in the De Zerbi era came against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light on April 12. The Italian chose to go with a midfield of Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall, and Conor Gallagher. However, Xhaka alone completely dominated the Spurs trio.
De Zerbi’s second game saw the return of Rodrigo Bentancur from injury, and he started with Yves Bissouma and Gallagher. They put in a good performance, with Gray coming on as a substitute. The 20-year-old, however, hasn’t featured since, as they beat Wolves and Aston Villa.
Bentancur has been exceptional under De Zerbi, but not just because of his playing style. He has been a leader on the pitch, often calming things down and linking up every phase of play. Gray, meanwhile, has great moments, but currently lacks this ability to dictate a match like the Uruguayan.
Moreover, Spurs don’t have any fit creative players, and hence, they have had to focus on physicality. Joao Palhinha and Bissouma provide much more physicality than Gray, at the moment.
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While the 20-year-old has an excellent long ball on him, he has difficulty getting out of tight spots, either with dribbling or short passing.
This is a highly important requirement in De Zerbi’s playing style. Hence, the Italian has chosen to trust the likes of Bentancur and Bissouma over Gray, and it has brought results as well.
Gray will still be a big player at Tottenham
It’s important to remember that this phase is not a slight on Gray or his abilities. He is still a very young player, whom Tottenham have been unable to develop properly.
Due to poor squad building and an injury crisis, he has often played out of position at the club, mainly in defense.
However, with few games remaining to avoid relegation, De Zerbi or his coaching staff also cannot be urged to spend time developing young players. They need to get results in any way possible. He has also been justified in his selection with two consecutive wins.
Hence, it’s understandable that Gray has been sidelined under De Zerbi in these games. However, the Englishman will certainly be able to develop much more under the Italian during pre-season.
He has already made 80 senior appearances for Tottenham and will certainly make many more if they avoid relegation.
Also Read: Archie Gray wanted by Premier League rivals if Tottenham get relegated
Not only has Gray shown glimpses of his ability, but he has also shown immense character and fight during his time at Spurs. He was arguably the only bright spot under Thomas Frank and will certainly be a big player under a better coach like De Zerbi.
