Archie Gray | Signs for Spurs

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Piracy on the High Seas.
Probably deserves his own thread on Redcafé, and it's his birthday today, so as good a time as any?
Leeds United fans have voted in their masses, and chosen Archie Gray as their standout player for the month of February. The 2023/24 campaign has been a breakthrough season for the 17 year old, as he continues to put in impressive performances game after game.
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Archie Gray Wins Socios Player of the Month.




Full Name: Archie James Francis Gray
Date of birth: Mar 12, 2006 (18)
Nationality:
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England
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Scotland
Height: 1,85 m
Position: Central Midfield, Right-Back, Defensive Midfield
Squad Number: 22
Foot: Right
Joined: Jul 1, 2023
Contract expires: Jun 30, 2028

Transfermarkt link.
Sofascore link.
 
Never seen him play but looks really good in the clip above. Always have the affinity towards press resistant players ever since Xavi and Iniesta schooled us:mad:. I hoped we would move in this direction with Ten hag instead the bald feck decided us to become a worse version of Mourinho and Ole ball.
 
Sublime natural talent based on that clip. We need to focus heavily on signing players with these technical qualities - like Mainoo - who can keep the ball under pressure. Granted this kid may be too young to make an impact here yet, but could be one of the additions alongside more established ones.
 
He's fantastic. Plays centre mid but was trusted to fill in at right back aged 17. Now our right backs can't get a start. Calm, technically sound, can pick a pass, strong, brave and accurate in the tackle, reliable every week. Only weakness is he's not blessed with that much pace . He's not slow but he's not quick either - sometimes gets found wanting when he's up against pacier wingers.

He's also a Gray though. Nephew of Eddie, son of Andy, grandson of Frank. All of them played for Leeds. Reckon he'd be difficult to get if we went up. From what I heard he had offers from a bunch of clubs including ?City? and Arsenal ?Spurs? during the summer but turned them down on the condition we matched the minimum offered (this is not solid information).

He has a younger brother too - Harry. Plays as a striker for the under 18's (he's 15). So far he's got 5 in 6 and by all accounts is at least as good a prospect as Archie was.
 
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Look quite gifted on technique but seems missing the physique to play EPL yet . He better stays at Leeds for another 2-3 years to pick up the body development and get game time and experience , then move to EPL for the challenge. For his style, moving too early to play EPL games he would pick up lots of injury , David Brooks at Bournemouth was the example .
 
He was quite brilliant against us in the cup. Very composed for a 17 year old.
 
I think Leeds will go up automatically so likely see him in the PL next year either way.
 
Below is taken from October 24th 2023. It's one way I'd like to see Archie Gray introduced into the England set up.

Rasendori said:
Not a fan of that personally. I feel like it needs a minimum of one more player to chip in.

Bellingham often has three midfielders helping him which gives him the freedom to pick and choose when to drop deep and progress play in the first and second phase, and also when to be diligent in his defensive work. Against Osasuna, that was Camavinga, Modric and Valverde and he had an aerial presence in Joselu that acted as a foil for Bellingham's offensive forays. Against Napoli that was Kroos, Valverde and Tchouameni helping their side win the midfield battle. There's a theme of him being supported by multiple midfielders, and he wouldn't quite have that if the profile of the players he was alongside were Rice and Maddison, as the latter also needs that foundation of players helping him in midfield.

With Maddison, not only is he supported by both Sarr and Bissouma in midfield, but there's also the positional play of full backs Udogie and Porro coming infield which greatly enhances Spurs' midfield dynamic.

However, if he did experiment with that midfield trio in the final two qualifiers, I would prefer it, if he utilised Walker differently to how he's currently being utilised, and have him playing more infield to help Declan Rice. Additionally, England would need attacking options in Foden/Grealish or even Cole Palmer to take greater responsibility in helping England dictate the midfield .

Otherwise, the personal preference I was alluding to wouId be to adopt a slightly similar formation to Real Madrid with Saka fulfilling the role of Vincius Junior, and it would allow Bellingham and Maddison to have two players (Rice and one other deeper midfielder) helping out in midfield, and I would tweak the system to include an inverted full back to provide additional assistance. Would like to see more trial and error for Rice's partner, with perhaps Ward Prowse as the poster below me suggested, and I haven't watched Connor Gallagher at club level this season, but the Chelsea fans appear to be bullish on him now. Then after the tournament, take Archie Gray from Leeds under his wing, as a wildcard and really give him some council. Would love to see Rice with Archie Gray in a set up with players full of international experience to help him come into his own.
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Him and his brother are highly rated and both seems very composed for their ages for the little I’ve seen. Only issue is that with the rivalry they might not be future prospects for us. England have a lot of young midfielders now though with different qualities that will push players like Rice and Gallagher over the next few years.
 
He looks a real talent even though he's playing out of position at right back when hes really a CM/DM.
 
Very intelligent player. Only chance we'd have is if Leeds don't make it up, otherwise he'll be there for years until city pick him up to be there fourth choice dm.
 
First call up to the U21's. Not bad for a barely 18 year old championship player. Hope he gets some minutes in his favourite position. He won't disappoint.
 
Ekkie Thump said:
First call up to the U21's. Not bad for a barely 18 year old championship player. Hope he gets some minutes in his favourite position. He won't disappoint.
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Scores 5 minutes into his debut against the giants of Azerbaijan. Starts and finishes a decent move to be fair:
 
Saw his game today, I think we got like 11 lads better than him in our under 14. Im judging based on the performance today, he offers nothing at all, lost the ball so many times, what he's doing well? Back pass, he had like 40 of them where he could at least try to put the ball forward but he played it too safe, not to mention wrong throw ins, let him develop 5 more years then lets talk because obviously he **** himself today.
 
Ffs I hoped there would be a development when I saw this had been bumped
 
£35m Brentford bid accepted

we’ve been linked

i think he’d be a great squad addition as cover for Dalot as an inverted RB.

Thoughts?
 
Shame we possibly wasted some money on Mount, Gray would have been class next to Mainoo.

Leeds & United transfers are tough though.
 
cpresc said:
£35m Brentford bid accepted

we’ve been linked

i think he’d be a great squad addition as cover for Dalot as an inverted RB.

Thoughts?
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Leeds would add another £20m if it was United. He'd have to really force it and put pressure on the club, which I just don't see him doing.
 
Really thought hag would push for him, as he can also do a job at right back while cutting inside to cover midfield.
 
Hope this goes through as really enjoying the Leeds “mind the gap” Utd fan’s meltdown :lol:
 
I guess in 2-3 years he'll become the next Rice and moves to a top club for 80m+
 
I have not seen him enough, but 30m is cheap in today's market for a good talent that would start in the epl.
 

A bit unusual to give the player permission for a medical, but then reject the offer anyway.
 
Offer 40m for him and let him develop as a second rb (he will get tons of games when dalot rests or plays on the left. And can also get game time in mf in the europa, carabao and easier games)
We can sell wan bissaka to offset his cost (only has a year left in his contract and apparently we received a 15mil offer from galatasaray).
Him and Ugarte or another DM and I’m happy with a midfield that will still be developing over the next few windows. Hopefully his Leeds background is not enough to block the move
 


Very happy if this one happens. Well suited to the inverted RB role in the short-term and then move into midfield in the long run.
 
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