Tottenham Hotspur got themselves a comfortable win against West Ham as Thomas Frank’s Lilywhites made a bright return to Premier League action. And there was a lot to celebrate about those three points, but one of the highlights was watching Xavi Simons put up that Spurs crest for the first time.
The North Londoners signed Simons in a £52m transfer in the later days of the transfer window. It was a headline signing not only because of the experience that he has at the top level but also because of the high ceiling that he possesses. He oozes that quality and class, and you could see that every time he touched the ball at London Stadium today.
The Lilywhites supporters around the globe were excited about watching him in Tottenham colours, and you could straight away see why. He looked to have that sharpness to his play that Spurs fans have been asking for in a signing for some time.
And we got an opportunity to have a few of those inward runs from the outside that we are going to see countless times this season. It was one of the most anticipated debuts in recent memory. And Simons did not disappoint.
While you can argue that he didn’t get on the scoresheet, he brought a lot with his consistent movement and then how he was always trying to be that creative outlet every time he got on the ball. Driving into tight spaces while freeing it for others.
Simons has a #10 preference
And while he started on the left flank, he spoke about his preference to play in that #10 role on the pitch. In his post-match interview via BBC, he said:
“I’ve played my whole life in the number 10 position, but in the last two years I’ve developed on the left side. I want to help the team with goals and assists.”
Author Opinion
It is this versatility which can help Thomas Frank when the season goes deep, given that there is no James Maddison right now; Simons looks the obvious candidate to take up that creative responsibility (maybe from the middle, if Frank puts him there). But Frank could also play him off the left, where his ability to drift inside would end up complementing Destiny Udogie’s forward runs on the outside (much like we are watching from Porro and Kudus on the other flank).
What do you make of Simons’ debut vs West Ham? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.