Tottenham Hotspur fans urged to be patient with summer signing Xavi Simons following his recent struggles
Concerns are growing for Thomas Frank after a disappointing Champions League night where Tottenham Hotspur drew 0-0 with AS Monaco in France.
Spurs, decimated by injuries, travelled to the Principality Stadium to get back to winning ways after losing 2-1 to Aston Villa at home in the Premier League on Sunday. Thomas Frank was forced to make changes at the back due to injuries, whilst he decided to rotate his forward line. This saw summer signing Xavi Simons drop out of the starting XI and Lucas Bergvall start in the No.10 role.
Xavi Simons was introduced in the second half to address the Lilywhites’ lack of guile and invention in the final third, as AS Monaco bossed the game. However, he struggled to get into the game and provide Spurs with the creativity they were lacking to unlock the home side’s defence. The Dutchman lost possession cheaply several times and could not link up well with his fellow attackers in the final third.
Tottenham fans advised to be patient with Xavi Simons
Xavi Simons has failed to hit the ground running at White Hart Lane after his big-money move from RB Leipzig in August. He was brought in as the creative pivot to compensate for injuries to Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison, but with just an assist and no goals registered for Tottenham to date, questions have arisen regarding his integration.
Thomas Frank has shown a great deal of faith in the 22-year-old, which only serves to demonstrate his trust in the player’s abilities, despite his minimal impact and output. He recently admitted that the Netherlands international is adapting well to the demands of Premier League football. The thing is Xavi has not shown promise since returning from the international break, which has led to frustration within the Tottenham fanbase.
Now, Spurs podcast Lilywhite Rose owner John Wenham feels Tottenham supporters will need to be patient when it comes Xavi. He thinks the young playmaker will get a proper chance to prove himself during the upcoming busy schedule.
“I think it’s a case of a young player who has a lot of pressure on him to be an instant success, with the fee that was paid for him and his standing in world football with the clubs that he’s played for,” John Wenham exclusively told Tottenham News.
“He just needs a bit of time to get up to speed, and I’ve seen glimpses that there is an outstanding player. I think his best position will be in the number 10 rather than off the left, but at the moment he’s played off the left a lot because Thomas Frank’s just wanted to get him in the team.
“He was very good on his debut at West Ham. He just needs a run of games. Tottenham have a run of seven games in 21 days or some sort of crazy schedule, so there’s going to be plenty of opportunities for him to feature.
“Once he gets up to speed, I think he’ll be a fantastic signing for the club.”
Xavi needs time to settle
Indeed, Xavi has only arrived in a new country and new league with different playing style in comparison to the Bundesliga. The Netherlands international’s technical ability and spatial prowess, nurtured in the Bundesliga, will take some time to truly shine in the Premier League. He has shown promise in certain games, and that would only become a regularity once the playmaker understands his teammates and the league better.
The 22-year-old is adapting to a new culture, style of play, surroundings and different levels of opposition, and the least the fans can do is give him time, love and support he requires to become an elite player at N17. All in all, the ex-PSG prodigy is an investment for the future, and will certainly come good at some point.
