Tottenham Hotspur already suffered a humbling on Matchday 1 of the 2026/27 Premier League season, getting annihilated 3-0 by Brentford at the Gtech. And they did not fare much better against Newcastle United this weekend, losing 2-0 to a team they should be beating if they want to claim Champions League football again this season.
There are so many holes in the Tottenham squad right now, but one of the most frustrating ones is as the right back position. Tottenham have been starting Archie Gray at right back as Pedro Porro works his way back to fitness, and though Porro was able to start against Newcastle, Gray still played at right back with Porro on the right wing after Savio's late scratch - and with Mohammed Kudus still working himself back from injury.
Just as they were against Brentford on Matchday 1, the results with Gray at right back were predictably poor. Gray just does not have the right feel for the position, and he is a more delicate, tactical player than a workhorse right back, and the difference between Porro and Gray at the position is so jarring.
Tottenham are putting themselves in a bad spot
Gray is too good of a footballer to waste his development at right back, and while that experiment will end most weeks with Pedro Porro back to full strenth and Savio and/or Kudus likely ready for the next weekend's Tottenham Hotspur Premier League clash against new "rivals" Nottingham Forest, it may just pop up again since Roberto De Zerbi and Spurs don't seem to be interested in signing a new backup right back for Porro to replace England's World Cup hero Djed Spence.
That, of course, is a mistake not to sign a new backup right back, but even if Tottenham do not sign anyone, there are still much better options than discouraging Archie Gray's development and wasting him in a worse way than what Ange Postecoglou was doing. Destiny Udogie or even Souza as an inverted fullback for Porro if the latter needs rest or is out is a much better strategy than continuing to play Gray there.
Because not only is it souring Gray's development, it's just not good for Tottenham. Gray is not able to create from right back, and he just isn't natural there. He does not know how to play the position, and his skill set is not conducive to playing fullback. If Spurs continue to start him there, they are only hamstringing themselves.
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