Soccer Football - Carabao Cup - Semi Final - First Leg - Tottenham Hotspur v Liverpool - Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, Britain - January 8, 2025 Tottenham Hotspur's Lucas Bergvall celebrates after the match Action Images via Reuters/Paul Childs/ File Photo
LONDON (Reuters) - A pair of 18-year-olds gave Tottenham Hotspur fans reason to believe in a bright future on Wednesday as Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray shone in a 1-0 victory over Liverpool in the first leg of their League Cup semi-final.
Bergvall's first goal for the club, a sublime 86th minute finish, capped an authoritative performance from the Swedish midfielder while Gray impressed once again as a makeshift central defender.
With his squad decimated by injuries, Postecoglou has had to throw Bergvall, Gray and Djed Spence in at the deep end, while 21-year-old goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky made an impressive debut against Liverpool just days after arriving from Slavia Prague.
While Tottenham's season has been chronically inconsistent there are signs that, given time, they can flourish under the Australian coach.
"Name me another Premier League team that's got two 18-year-olds and one playing out of position consistently," Postecoglou told reporters.
"I'm so happy they're at our football club and you know, in two or three years' time, I just pray to God I'm the beneficiary of their talent, mate, because if somebody else is getting it, I won't be happy."
Fans have been critical of Tottenham's transfer policy, which has an emphasis on recruiting young talent rather than paying huge wages to established superstars.
Bergvall, who was signed from Djurgarden for 8.5 million pounds ($10.5 million) a year ago before being loaned back to the club, was "brilliant" against Liverpool and was only going to get better, Postecoglou said.
"I just don't think people really understand the level of performance that these young guys are giving us at the moment," he added.
"We had a goalkeeper on debut. Djed's playing left back, unbelievably well. Lucas is just growing all the time.
"He's got that ability as a footballer to create space for himself. He's got the quality, but he works awfully hard for the team as well.
"I've got no doubt that when we get our players back, the foundations are really strong, with a group of players we can really grow with."
Postecoglou was also full of praise for Kinsky, who looked totally at ease despite making his debut in such a massive game.
"I threw him a mammoth task today to play against the best team arguably in the world at the moment, in a big game, a semi-final. He just handled it awfully well," Postecoglou said.
While they still have to go to Anfield for the second leg next month, Tottenham will head there believing they can reach the final and deliver the club's first silverware since 2008.
"We haven't achieved anything, but I think just that feeling of having a victory against a top opponent in a big game, I'm really pleased for everyone," Postecoglou said.
($1 = 0.8091 pounds)
(Reporting by Martyn Herman; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
