Tottenham Hotspur urged to be patient as Xavi Simons continues to find his feet
Tottenham’s summer signing Xavi Simons is still settling into life at N17 following his high-profile move from RB Leipzig. Many fans expected the Dutchman to make an instant impact at the North London club, placing unrealistic expectations on him from the very first minute. But football rarely works that way, and the 22-year-old is understandably still finding his rhythm with the Lilywhites.
Simons registered an assist on his debut in Spurs’ away win over West Ham United, offering an early glimpse of his quality. Since then, however, he has struggled to make a consistent impact for the team. To be fair to him, that is not entirely his fault, with Thomas Frank still experimenting how to best integrate the Dutchman into his system and unlock his full potential.
The Danish tactician initially deployed Simons on the left wing several times this season — a decision that clearly did not bring out the best in him. Frank even faced some criticism from supporters for playing the 22-year-old out wide, a role that does not suit his strengths. Recognising this, the Spurs boss has since corrected his approach by moving Simons into the No.10 position — a switch that has seen the young attacker thrive almost immediately.
Tottenham need to find a way to get the best out of Xavi Simons
Playing Xavi Simons as a No.10 could very well be the way forward for Thomas Frank and Tottenham this season. The talented midfielder has already shown flashes of brilliance in that role, particularly against Brighton and Leeds United, where he stood out as one of Spurs’ best performers despite not registering a goal or assist.
Reliable journalist Süleyman Öztürk has urged patience when it comes to the Dutchman’s adaptation to English football. Speaking to Voetbal International (via Sport Witness), Ozturk said,
“Xavi Simons is incredibly young. He has a new manager, new teammates. And you also have to consider, what is Xavi Simons’ strength? And at Leipzig, at some point, the team was adjusted for him. But this is a completely different reality. And they expect him to have a bit of a Maddison-like role. But he’s not Maddison.”
The journalist added,
“Maddison is a playmaker. Xavi Simons isn’t a playmaker or any other type of playmaker. And I think the coach still has to figure that out. I think we need to give Xavi Simons time to make that adjustment to the Premier League where you really have much less time to think. And that takes some getting used to.”
Suleyman Ozturk believes that Xavi Simons is still a young player that is trying to settle in a new league this season. The reliable journalist also points out that the Dutchman is not a replacement of James Maddison, mainly because he is not a playmaker. However, Ozturk urges Thomas Frank to find a way to play the 22-year-old to his strengths and give him time to adjust to his new role in the Premier League.
Fans will hope that Simons gets to play in his natural position so that he helps Spurs cross the final hurdle going forward. The ex-RB Leipzig star clearly possesses world-class talent. But the onus is now on Thomas Frank to bring out the best in him and help him reach his true potential.
