Tottenham Hotspur travel to Budapest to face Hungarian side Ferencvaros in their second Europa League clash following a comprehensive victory over Qarabag FK in the opener.
Despite Radu Dragusin receiving an early red card for a hapless last-man tackle against Qarabag, Tottenham held on and won through goals from Brennan Johnson, Pape Matar Sarr, and Dominic Solanke.
Ahead of the game against Ferencvaros, coach Ange Postecoglou has several concerns, especially in defence, which could force him to rotate his team.
Dragusin is suspended thanks to the needless red card. Cristian Romero could be back in the starting line-up after missing the Qarabag game via a suspension.
However, his usual partner in crime, Micky Van de Ven, desperately needs a break after playing more minutes than the manager would have liked.
With Spurs getting stretched in defence, Postecoglou has declared that he could throw midfielder Archie Gray to play centre-back.
“No, I think Archie can play centre-back,” the Australian manager said (via Football London) when asked if he planned to repeat his pre-season experiment, where he played the former Leeds United star in central defence.
“He’s obviously played full-back, played midfield, played probably left-back. He’s a pretty versatile player, and that’s one of the reasons we were really excited to bring him to the club.
“He takes in information well, and with Radu being suspended and Destiny out, we’ll definitely need him at the back. We’ve got a couple of different options about where we use him, but I’d be comfortable using him in any of those areas.”
For Gray, this is a chance to solidify his place in the team and showcase his potential beyond his natural midfield position. A strong performance against Ferencvaros could open doors for him and establish him as a dependable asset for Tottenham.
Moreover, it’s a chance for Gray to learn from experienced defenders like Romero. Playing alongside a seasoned professional can accelerate his development and help him refine his defensive skills.
If he can prove himself capable of holding down the centre-back role, it will give Postecoglou more tactical flexibility and Gray a valuable new string to his bow and another possible route into the first team.