Paul Merson believes that Archie Gray should continue to start every game even when Tottenham Hotspur’s injured players return.
Archie Gray steps up amidst injury crisis
Tottenham Hotspur’s season has been plagued by countless injuries, severely limiting the depth of Postecoglou’s squad.
One area that has suffered the most is the defence, which has been constantly reshuffled due to the absence of Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven.
This situation has led Ange Postecoglou to turn to Archie Gray—a player naturally suited to midfield—since making the switch, the young defender has slotted in seamlessly.
Paul Merson offers praise to makeshift Tottenham defender Archie Gray
With Tottenham’s injured players now returning, Paul Merson has urged Ange Postecoglou to stick with the 18-year-old midfielder.
The football pundit believes that the youngster has done enough to be given more game time even when Tottenham’s first-team players are fit and ready to play.
He said on Skysports: “When all these players are fit, I hope Gray plays. I think he has been an absolute credit—the young lad.
“I mean, I don’t know him at all, but from a distance, he turns up every week, plays out of position, and plays in a struggling team at the moment with a worrying number of injuries—and yet he plays every week.
“He isn’t one of those who goes, ‘Hmm, you know what, I might sit this one out.’ But don’t get me wrong, there are players like that. Everybody will have played with players like that—when things aren’t going well, they step back.
“But he turns up every week. I hope he plays when everybody is fit because, honestly, the kid’s been an absolute credit—playing in a position that isn’t his, yet still showing up. Every single week.”
Archie Gray’s starts by position this season
For a young player who only recently made the jump from the Championship to the Premier League, Gray has featured extensively for Spurs this season.
The midfielder-turned-defender has played a total of 32 games for the Lilywhites—a significant number, considering he was probably meant to be eased into the team.
Of those 32 appearances, 16 have come at centre-back, seven at right-back, five at left-back, and just two in midfield—his natural position. What makes this even more remarkable is that he has spent only 29 minutes in midfield all season.
| Position | Appearances | Minutes Played |
|---|---|---|
| Centre-back | 16 | 1,391 |
| Right-back | 7 | 542 |
| Left-back | 5 | 362 |
| Midfield | 2 | 29 |
| Total | 32 | 2,324 |
With van de Ven and Cristian Romero expected to miss the next two weeks before they make their return to the first-team, Archie Gray’s minutes at centre-back will only increase.
He has certainly stepped up, displaying maturity well beyond his years. If anything, he has given Postecoglou plenty to think about when his injured players return, as Gray’s performances suggest he deserves to keep his place in the team.