Archie Gray has finally made his first start for Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday night after leaving Leeds United and Ethan Ampadu has heaped praise on the teenage midfielder.
The 18-year-old played 90 minutes for Ange Postecoglou’s side in the third round of the Carabao Cup last night as Spurs came from behind late to win 2-1 against last term’s FA Cup semi-finalists Coventry City.
Goals from former Leeds loanee Djed Spence and then Brennan Johnson secured a 2-1 win for Gray and Spurs. While he was solid, Gray was outshone by Spence after the latter came on for Spurs at half-time.
Gray’s move to Spurs in the summer comes after a wonderful first season in the senior team at Leeds in which the England U21 star played 52 times in all competitions, both in midfield and at right-back.
Ampadu says Gray is “fearless” following move to Tottenham
It is a big hole that Gray has left behind. Arguably the best right-back in last season’s Championship and one of the best midfielders, too. Leeds have since replaced him with Jayden Bogle and two midfielders.
Ao Tanaka and Joe Rothwell have come in, but the chances of them being anything like Gray is limited. Ampadu highlighted his attributes in a recent interview with Sky Sports following his move to Spurs.
“He’s top. Not just as a player but as a person, and his family. When you play with him you forget he’s a young lad, he’s fearless. I don’t think football fazes him, everyone gets nervous but nothing fazes him.
“He plays the game how it is and that’s one of his best attributes that no matter what the game requires, no matter what situation he’s in in the game, he just does it,” Ampadu said in an interview about Gray.
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What Stuart Dallas told Gray following the play-off final
Had Leeds beaten Southampton in the play-off final, it is much more likely that Gray would have stayed at Leeds. The same for new West Ham and Brighton stars Crysencio Summerville and Georginio Rutter.
But Southampton won 1-0 and are back in the Premier League while Leeds have been left to fight it out in England’s second tier for a second year. Dallas told Gray after the final it would make him a better player.
“I said to him after the game that these games will make you a better player, it’ll help you as a player and help you grow. I mean, you can see that now,” Dallas said when sharing what he told Gray after the final.