Bergvall and Gray hold the key to Thomas Frank’s new Tottenham blueprint

Tottenham Hotspur have spent weeks looking fractured, unsure of their identity and desperate for direction. Yet in Paris — in a wild 5–3 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain — Spurs finally looked like a team with a plan. And crucially, that plan revolved around two teenagers: Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray.

Conceding five normally signals disaster. But after the humiliation of the 4–1 north London derby loss to Arsenal and Guglielmo Vicario publicly questioning his teammates’ “fight”, the bar for positivity was incredibly low. Spurs’ energy and intent against PSG felt like something new — perhaps even the outline of Thomas Frank’s long-awaited blueprint.

Frank rolled out a fresh 4-2-2-2 system, pairing Richarlison and Randal Kolo Muani up front with a turbo-charged midfield four behind them: Gray, Bergvall, Pape Matar Sarr and Rodrigo Bentancur. The message was clear. Be brave. Press high. Run relentlessly.

“If anyone’s followed me just a tiny bit, they know that’s what I want,” Frank said. “Aggressiveness, dynamism, going man to man even against PSG.”

And for the first time in weeks, Spurs delivered exactly that.

What stood out most from Tottenham’s display was the youthful verve of Gray and Bergvall. The pair were relentless from the opening whistle, setting the press, hounding PSG’s midfielders, and offering a degree of mobility Spurs have severely lacked this season.

Their combination play also offered moments of genuine quality. Twice, Bergvall released Gray down the left with clever back-heels — and one of them produced Spurs’ opening goal. In an otherwise chaotic match, that sequence symbolised what Spurs could become if the youngsters are given consistent minutes.

From my experience analysing emerging midfielders in the Premier League, what Gray and Bergvall showed was rare: tempo control combined with fearlessness off the ball. Tottenham have spent most of the season stuck between gears — too passive under pressure, too slow in transitions. The teenagers changed that dynamic instantly.

Although some supporters argue Spurs need seniority in central areas, the nuance is that Gray and Bergvall offer something the squad currently lacks: vertical ball carrying, intensity and belief.

The goodwill from Paris would evaporate instantly if Frank reverts to a more conservative midfield against Fulham. Spurs fans know it. Frank knows it. Saturday’s Premier League match at home is framed as a real test of whether this new identity is the start of something or simply a European one-off.

Selecting João Palhinha and Bentancur as a pairing — as Frank has done previously — would send the wrong message: caution over ambition. That is not what this squad needs.

The growing consensus among supporters is that Gray and Bergvall must stay in the team. They are raw, yes, and mistakes will happen. But those risks are outweighed by what their presence unlocks: confidence, tempo, aggression and connectivity.

In our view, the lesson from Paris is simple. Spurs play with more conviction when they trust their runners — not when they over-defend space. Frank has talked repeatedly about learning on the job. This is the biggest lesson yet.

Analysing Spurs’ shape more closely, several key improvements were clear:

Gray and Bergvall interchanged intelligently, closing passing lanes and stepping into pressure without leaving huge voids behind them. Tottenham’s midfield hasn’t looked this coordinated in months.

Sarr and Bentancur tucked inside rather than hugging the touchline, allowing Spurs to crowd the central zones and challenge PSG’s build-up. That compactness protected the defence better than expected.

The front two repeatedly ran channels, forcing PSG’s centre-backs backwards and creating pockets of space for the teenagers to drive into.

Although Spurs still conceded five, the structure was far more coherent than the scoreline suggests. PSG’s finishing was elite; Spurs’ intensity was encouraging.

Although some analysts argue that Spurs need experience to stabilise their season, it’s worth questioning whether veterans have provided that stability at all. What Tottenham have lacked is identity — not age.

From my experience covering young Premier League midfielders, moments like Bergvall and Gray produced are foundational. They force managers to rethink hierarchies. They lift teammates. They energise fanbases.

And crucially, they align perfectly with what Frank says he wants Spurs to be: aggressive, fearless, unpredictable.

Yes, there will be mistakes. But Spurs have suffered far more this season from playing within themselves than from taking risks. The Paris performance must be an inflection point — not an anomaly.

Tottenham host Fulham on Saturday, a game they must win to turn encouragement into momentum. The key question: will Thomas Frank stick with the youthful template that worked in Paris, or retreat to caution? Spurs fans already know which answer they want.

👉 Should Gray and Bergvall start every week under Thomas Frank — or is rotation still needed?