Tottenham will be looking to make it three wins from three in the Europa League on Thursday night, but Ange Postecoglou should still be able to give these three young players a chance to start the game against AZ Alkmaar.
Right-back role for Archie Gray
It may be early days in his Spurs career, but Archie Gray has already filled in across the entire back four, and in his more natural central midfield role.
Ange Postecoglou clearly loves the youngster’s versatility, but he should not be tempted to play Gray out of his comfort zone this time around, and should instead put him in at right-back.
Pedro Porro could do with the break, and Gray has actually not had much of a chance to show what he can do in that position for Spurs.
He excelled there for Leeds United last season, and it would be great to see him showcase his credentials as an inverted full-back for the clash with AZ Alkmaar.
Give Lucas Bergvall freedom in the middle
Sadly, Lucas Bergvall‘s Europa League journey so far has been disappointing. He was dragged off early in the first half of the opener against Qarabag to compensate for Radu Dragusin’s red card, leaving the young Swede visibly upset.
He got a chance to make up for that with the second game against Ferencvaros, but Bergvall appeared to be trying too hard to impress and instead looked clumsy and nervous on the ball.
Hopefully, it can be a case of third-time lucky for the teenager, who should be given the opportunity to start against Alkmaar. If he takes on the number 8 role in the middle of the park, Bergvall should be allowed suitable freedom to roam around dangerous areas and try to create chances for the team.
Mikey Moore could be a gamble
Yes, Heung-min Son is back fit and appears to be firing on all cylinders after a dazzling display against West Ham at the weekend. It’s highly likely the Spurs skipper will start against AZ Alkmaar on Thursday, and let’s be honest, Postecoglou would be crazy to drop Brennan Johnson with the form he’s in.
Still, we’d love to see Mikey Moore get another start in the Europa League after his starring role in the win over Ferencvaros. The prodigious talent was exhilarating to watch in Hungary thanks to his eagerness to carry the ball and take on his man, and that directness could be useful against our Dutch opponents.
It is far more likely that Moore will be introduced later into the game, hopefully when the Lilywhites are already winning, but either way, the introduction of the youngster in front of the home crowd will generate an incredible buzz around the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Until we know more about the line-up, why not check out the player values for the Spurs squad, or how much each Tottenham player is paid?