Of Tottenham’s deep-lying midfielders, they have three options in particular primed for the present and future.
Jack-of-all-trades Archie Gray is one of the few contenders for the club’s in-house player of the year award – should it not go to the fans in true Queens Park Rangers 2012-13 style. Where this Tottenham team has shrunk in charisma and character, Gray has seemed emboldened by their dance with death, turning in his best performances when the chips are down.
Tudor found that Gray worked well in a midfield pivot with Pape Matar Sarr, who, with 137 appearances for Spurs, is among the relative seniors of the squad, despite not turning 24 until next season. Through his three full seasons in the first team, Tottenham have always looked far more functional with Sarr in the XI than out of it, owing to his aggression on both sides of the ball and ability to carry it up the pitch into the final third.
The return of Lucas Bergvall from injury is a timely boost. Like Sarr, the young Swede is capable of beating several players off the dribble, though under Frank this was misconstrued as the characteristics for an attacker. De Zerbi will surely utilise Bergvall in a deeper position.
At his first press conference on Friday, De Zerbi also made mention of his admiration of January signing Conor Gallagher, who is yet to win a Premier League game since joining Spurs. “I want to see again the same Gallagher I loved in Chelsea time,” the Italian revealed.
De Zerbi should only really turn to Yves Bissouma, whose contract is set to expire, and on-loan Joao Palhinha in a state of further emergency. They are not better than the other options listed, nor are they players for the long-term future of the club.
