Thomas Frank explains what Archie Gray did that really impressed him and gives Solanke update

Thomas Frank was asked about a range of topics at his press conference on Friday ahead of Tottenham's trip to Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League.

Spursare straight back into action during a week that contained a 3-0 win at West Ham and then a 1-0 Champions League victory against Villarreal. They will now take on Brighton at the Amex Stadium on Saturday afternoon looking to stretch a run under Frank of four wins in five matches, with four clean sheets and one goal conceded.

Frankgave an update on Dominic Solanke's ankle injury as well as the progress of centre-back Kota Takai while answering plenty of questions about Lucas Bergvall, Cristian Romero, Archie Gray and Xavi Simons among others.

Our Tottenham correspondent Alasdair Gold was among those putting the questions to the Spurs head coach. Here's the full transcript from the press conference at Hotspur Way.

Dominic Solanke’s fitness, was it ok to say he might be available for Doncaster next week?

It was okay to say (laughs). The positive thing is he is back on the grass and has been for three or four days. He is progressing forward slowly, but forward. It is too early for tomorrow and Doncaster but the positive thing is that he is on the grass and progressing forward.

How have your first three months been?

I agree with you it has gone so quickly. So many things have happened and it seems like I have been here for longer. But you are also in that moment where constantly things are happening and you are just dealing with it, putting processes in place, structure and all that. We and the team are in a good place but I don’t want to look too far ahead or behind. We need to stay now in the moment and do everything we can to win tomorrow.

When do you look at the league table?

April? I think I looked at the table a couple of times after one of the last games. I remember thinking ‘oh is that team that low or that high?’ because I’m not looking at it. I’m trying to focus on ourselves and our performances and what we can do. It’s so easy to get dragged into something you can’t control. The fans should dream and hope, that is what football is about.

I also dream but I’m a little bit closer to the action so I need to stay level-headed and focused on the next training (session), it needs to be perfect. Like today, it was a very good training (session) with the coaches, the staff and the players. Everything went well and then do what I can to try to win tomorrow.

Cristian Romero seems focused and happy, there are not many better in the world when he's like that, how highly do you rate him?

I rate him super high. I agree with you that he is one of the best centre-backs right now in the world. It clearly helps when you have won the World Cup, Copa America and Europa League final and more things.

But the best are performing consistently week in, week out. Year in, year out. I don’t know Cuti inside out because I have only been here for three months but I have followed him over the years. I definitely see a more mature player and person. Not that he hasn’t been that before. It’s not like it has happened in the last three months. I’m not saying that because he was very good last year and won the World Cup a few years ago.

About that consistency, now I see a player who is very aggressive when he needs to be and is cool and composed when he needs to be. I think he got that rare combination of being super aggressive in a duel and then ‘stand in the box, I need to move two steps, boom do the header.’ That is the top level centre-backs who are doing that.

What kind of personality does Romero have in the dressing room and what do you make of him as a person?

I think he's a great character. He loves his football. He just loves his football. He's like a boy sometimes, just loving playing around out there with the boys. I think that's a big thing. You need to love the game. He clearly does that. When we train, he's focused. He's got that ability.

I think that's a big thing. Also, now he went through set-pieces, stop, start. It's a little bit boring, all that, but he's focused. You can see it in his eyes. He's got that ability, boom, now it's game time. Now it's competing. So great character.

With Lucas Bergvall, what did you think he needed to improve on and what kind of work have you personally done with him to help him improve?

I think it's fair to say that he had a good season last year. He played a lot of minutes that laid the foundation for this season, because in the beginning of the season, he came back from the ankle injury last year that he just needed time to go.

And you can see now he's literally going from strength to strength and has that extra confidence. You can see there was a situation in the second half where he got the ball from Mo [Kudus] in and around the box, just took it forward inside the box. That's the movement you see from a player that has confidence.

I think the coaches and I have been working with him on a couple of things. He's got so much energy that sometimes you need to say, pause, stop, don't run when we have the ball. And find the higher, the more dangerous positions.

For example, the deep run where he scored the goal against West Ham was a big thing. The deep run where he was involved in the own goal against Villarreal. So those deep runs and arriving in a higher position up the pitch is key, I think.

And then he's learning to be more and more clever in the pressure. We need all his energy and enthusiasm in driving the team, but also how does he need to be goal side when he marks in the man to man and how does he need to close the angles and stuff like that.

Fabian Hurzeler was very complimentary towards you this morning in his press conference and said you had a small chat with him in the summer. What do you make of him being 32, such a young age in the Premier League and doing so well as well?

He deserves, likewise, massive praise to be able to, first and foremost, get a job in the Premier League club, then you have done something right. And he's definitely done something right last year with Brighton as well. So, you know, he's young and he's learning every day.

I'm learning every day, but he's clearly, you can see from last season, done well. But also, you know, learn processes, doing all the things right. And now I think he's got a great future ahead of him.

I was thinking myself at 32. Wow, that's a few years ago. So I think I'm still quite young. But, no, it's a great job he's done that, right.

Destiny Udogie has slowly returned to full fitness and made a couple of substitute appearances, what does he offer the team that's maybe a little bit different to the other full-backs?

I think I'm privileged to have four good full-backs, including Ben Davies. But I think it's also fair to say that probably Destiny and Djed and Pedro are a little bit ahead. And those three are performing at a very high level. Destiny has done very well the last two seasons when he's been fully fit.

Pedro has been at just an unbelievable level, I think. And Djed just built last year. Impressive how he lifted his level, and the way he started the season has been super impressive. So, of course, you can say the classic one is that Destiny offers his left foot as a left-back. So some things are a little bit more natural for him in that sense.

I think both him and Djed are a little bit similar. They have that fantastic physicality or ability to go all the time up and down. And that's a fantastic thing to do, also to drive forward.

So, yeah, I'm happy and it's a privilege to have good full-backs.

Why is Destiny's left foot so important?

I think it is very important but I also think just to put it into perspective Djed gives us something else because when you have a right-footer, like we did with Keane Lewis-Potter last year in Brentford, you can then cut in on your right and you almost can play as a winger sometimes. You can cut in and have the strong foot on the inside. But of course the left foot gives some different angles when you play. You can play different angle passes into the six, to the eight, to the nine. And of course, when you're running forward and you're overlapping, it's more natural to your stronger foot, of course.

How long have you known Andreas Georgson and what does he bring to the role?

I think Andreas, I've known him since he was at Brentford when I actually appointed him there, together with Brentford and the other guys there. And then we stayed in contact over the years. And I think he offers a lot to the coaching team. So, you know, we have three assistant coaches, him, Matt Wells and Justin. All three bring different things to the table. The big responsibility for Andreas is obviously set pieces, but also culture. But also he got a different approach, which I think is important in a group, to ask different questions, sometimes extremely annoying. And put me a little bit on the spot but that's good. We need that. I need that. But obviously on the set pieces you can see I think we have a very good foundation to stand on. We can get better, but defensively we look strong, offensively we look strong. So a big credit to him. But also a massive credit to Sean our analyst, but also to the players that really bought into it.

You've said you see Xavi predominantly as a No10...

I see him in both positions. He can play both positions but I agree 10 is a good position as well.

Has playing him on the left been about introducing him to the Premier League more gently than throwing him into the middle?

No I also think it's how we let the team grow and develop. Where we came from in the summer. I was thinking the other day, I don't think I said it, that we last year and the last two seasons, but definitely the last year, it was like Kulusevski, Son, Maddison, Solanke. None of them is available. So it's a completely new front four. Xavi came in late to the picture. Mo came in in pre-season. Dom hasn't been fully fit. We played with Pape and Lucas as the 10. So we're trying to add those layers, you know, game for game.

And right now, our strongest bit in the team is the structure and I think the way we defend, which is also a very offensive way of defending with the high pressure because we win the ball high, we keep initiative, we can be aggressive and intense. And then we are building more into how we can add maybe more offensive players in the future, depending on how players are developing. I also need to say that Lucas is doing quite well in the number 10 position. Different profile than Xavi, but offers something different. We're going to play a lot of games this season.

Archie Gray played a lot of games last season, maybe more than expected. How do you manage his expectations for this season and how do you see his development and what position he’ll play?

I think it is fair to say he mainly played as a centre-back and full-back last season. There were very few as a central midfielder. I like flexible players, I think every coach likes that, I definitely like that and also it gives a little more squad depth at times and more opportunities like different abilities for different games.

I see him more as a midfielder, as an eight or centre-back, I think he can play both. And sometimes you need that little run of games like Lucas gets now and you take the next steps. I must admit Archie really impressed me. He played a very good pre-season friendly against Newcastle and he really grew into the game against Burnley, he was really good in the second half and I like his mentality.

He was not in the squad for West Ham and the day after he trained fantastically. Of course I tried to speak to him and encourage him to train fantastic. Yesterday, fantastic, so that is what you do. He does the bit I like for example from a midfielder where he can twist and turn to go forward, he is very mobile, he is reliable, so I really like Archie. Unfortunately you can only play 11. Can we change the rules? Get a few more on the pitch, it would help a little bit.

Sorry to chase but wondered if you have done your leadership group?

What’s that again?

Your leadership group?

(Turns to press officer) Put a big (sign), I need to do that. Actually that will come. I promise you soon. You have put pressure on me now.

Kota Takai, how is he doing?

He is very close to training with the group. I should know because I got told yesterday and I am pretty sure he will train with the group on Monday, pretty sure.