Archie Gray: Poor performances will never shake me, I'm grateful to play for Tottenham | OneFootball

In a rare off-day since joining, the teenager struggled against Everton

Tottenham's Archie Gray insists he is not shaken by his difficult afternoon in Sunday's 3-2 defeat to Everton and revealed he spoke to his dad, former Premier League player Andy, for advice after the game.

The 18-year-old has largely been impressive since filling in at centre-back during Spurs' midwinter injury crisis but he struggled at Goodison Park, where he was turned by Dominic Calvert-Lewin for the hosts' opener and scored an own goal which made it 3-0 in first-half stoppage-time.

Asked by reporters in Germany about his performance against Everton, Gray said: "I don't think it'll ever shake me. I don't think any negative in football will ever shake me.

Archie Gray has largely impressed since his move from Leeds

Action Images via Reuters

"It's something I can learn from. I spoke to my dad after the game and he just said you’ve got to learn from these things if you want to be a good footballer. Obviously he was a footballer as well, you’re going to have games like that where you struggle. If you want to be a top, top footballer, you’re going to learn from those games."

Postecoglou believes that Gray will end up playing in midfield but he has been one of the few positives of Spurs' slump with his displays since deputising alongside Radu Dragusin at centre-back, while Ben Davies, Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero have been missing through injury.

"It's a different challenge but like I said in pre-season I'm grateful for every position I get to play in and I still am," Gray said. "Wherever the manager puts me I'm happy to play there and I'll always give my best for the team.

"I've been getting a bit of advice from Radu who I’ve played the most games with at centre back. I speak to Ben a lot, I'd say he's one of my good friends at the club. He's helped me a lot definitely in learning to be a centre-back. Micky and Cuti have helped me, especially along the way, Playing centre-back, it's different for me so they've definitely helped me a lot.

I enjoy it and I think the best type of football us played when you've got to do lot of running and there's a lot of demands, so I enjoy it a lot

Archie Gray on Ange Postecoglou tactics

"Injuries aren't good and for the team they're never a good thing, especially in the toughest part of the season when you've got the most games. It's not a good thing and sometimes you can't help them. We're in a difficult position, but it presents opportunities for players and I'm definitely grateful for being in the team and I'll keep doing my best wherever I'm played. I'll always do my best."

Spurs' injury pile-up has prompted questions of Postecoglou's high-intensity approach but Gray says he enjoys playing the Australian's style.

"I enjoy it and I think the best type of football us played when you've got to do lot of running and there's a lot of demands, so I enjoy it a lot," he said.

Spurs need a result against Hoffenheim to boost their chances of automatic qualification for the Europa League knockouts via a top-eight finish and Gray says the competition is a potential route into the Champions League for Spurs, who are already out of the race for a top-four Premier League finish.

"The Europa League has always been a massive thing for us," said the summer signing from Leeds. "We're in four competitions, that's another thing that's important. There's a lot of games but we want to win every game.

“It's a good way to get into the Champions League and obviously with where we are it will be difficult to get there in the Premier League. We've got an opportunity in the Europa League and hopefully we can take that."