Thomas Frank might opt to bench Xavi Simons for upcoming games after yet another uninspiring display against Everton
Tottenham extended their impressive away run in the Premier League after securing all three points against a resilient Everton side. The Lilywhites dominated proceedings from start to finish, with most of the squad executing the game plan to perfection. Micky van de Ven’s brace and Pape Matar Sarr’s late strike ensured the North London club climbed back to third in the Premier League table.
However, despite the positive result at Merseyside, one concern emerged among Spurs fans at the Hill Dickinson Stadium. Summer signing Xavi Simons struggled once again to make an impact under Thomas Frank. The Dutchman looked off the pace and failed to influence the game in the final third, appearing lost for large spells of the match.
His misplaced square pass across Tottenham’s backline nearly gifted Everton an opportunity to score, as the hosts looked to pounce on the mistake. Fortunately for Spurs, the chance came to nothing, sparing the 22-year-old further embarrassment. Simons showed little urgency and was often outmuscled in midfield, forcing Thomas Frank to withdraw him around the hour mark.
Xavi Simons struggling to turn his fortunes around at Tottenham
Xavi Simons has just not been able to get going for Tottenham this season. The Dutchman arrived from RB Leipzig in the summer with high expectations, and it is fair to say that he has not done much to live up to them. He has looked like a shadow of himself and there are some growing concerns around N17 that Thomas Frank may run out of patience with him if he does not step up in the coming days.
Following his uninspiring performance against Everton, Jamie O’Hara has now slammed Simons for his lack of impact at N17. Taking to X, O’Hara said,
“Not sure Xavi Simons can be moaning about coming off, done well to come out for the second half, it’s not happening for him at all, he needs to sharpen up his play, has too many touches. He’s got 70 mins it’s not a charity match, be better and make it happen.”
O’Hara remained unimpressed with Simons’ outing against the Toffees, slamming the Dutchman for taking too many touches on the ball and not doing enough in the final third of the pitch. The pundit also claimed that the 22-year-old would need to sharpen up his game if he was to maintain his place in the starting eleven going forward.
With fixtures coming thick and fast, Thomas Frank cannot afford to field out-of-form players on a regular basis. Xavi Simons now needs to step up and justify the club’s investment in him over the summer. With other players waiting for their chance, the Dutchman will have to make his mark in front of goal sooner rather than later to avoid slipping down the pecking order.
