Former Leeds United player Archie Gray made his first start for Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday, helping them secure a 2-1 victory over Coventry in the EFL Cup.
The 18-year-old, who had come off the bench in his first two appearances, played the full 90 minutes in the match. Gray had an impressive performance, making two clearances and two tackles.
He touched the ball 71 times, completed 49 of 54 passes, and boasted a 91 percent pass completion rate. In addition, Gray won five of seven duels and lost possession just seven times.
Despite the performance, Tottenham escaped with two late goals in the second half to avoid a disastrous defeat. Nonetheless, this result isn’t calming the frustration that pundits have over this squad.
Jamie O’Hara takes another dig at Archie Gray
Since last Sunday’s North London Derby loss to Arsenal, talkSPORT pundit Jamie O’Hara hasn’t missed an opportunity to criticize Spurs for their recruiting strategy this past summer.
O’Hara has made it known that he’s not a fan of Tottenham’s pursuit of players from the bottom half of the Premier League table and the Championship. On Thursday, he made it clear that this transfer strategy wasn’t the right one after Spurs escaped with the win over Coventry.
“I thought we’d be all right,” O’Hara said while going back and forth with a caller on talkSPORT. “I think [Dominic] Solanke could be a good player for us. Archie Gray was the best player in the Championship…
“I’d love to see Spurs sign someone from Atlético Madrid or Barcelona or Sporting Lisbon, sign some top players that are playing at the top level. I am getting a little bit sick and tired of signing players from Championship clubs who no one else really wants.”
Should Tottenham’s season begin to spiral out of control, Gray will undoubtedly face direct and indirect criticism from pundits and fans.
The former Leeds player, who turned 18 this year, is only beginning his career, and this toxic environment could be a significant problem for his development if Spurs continue to flounder in the Premier League and narrowly win against clubs they’re favored over in the domestic cup competitions.
