Xavi Simons will need to showcase his physical strength to shine at Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur were in dire need of bringing in a new attacking midfielder in the summer window after Morgan Gibbs-White had been pushed to stay at Nottingham Forest and Eberechi Eze chose to pursue his dream move to Arsenal. And this is where the decision-makers at Hotspur Way pivoted and found a way to bring in Xavi Simons from RB Leipzig in a high‑profile deal.
His singing came as a massive boost of confidence among the supporters given his abilities and sky-high potential. We saw a fair deal of that potential when he was donning that Leipzig badge last season, where his output was in double digits with goals and assists (11 goals and eight assists).
Xavi Simons “is becoming an uncomfortable problem to solve”
But since boarding that flight to the English shows, the Dutch phenomenon has found it difficult to replicate his output for his new employers. He has only had one assist to his name (in 10 appearances). And suddenly there have been questions raised about his adaptation to the rapid and physical way of the game in the Premier League.
We have known the English top tier to be a difficult league which has been dominated by faster tempo and stronger duels. And for a player of Xavi Simons’ build, it does pose a challenge.
See, having that flair and technique will get you noticed in England. But the English supporters value that consistency more alongside big lungs and resilience. And Simons is yet to show signs that he has that.
And reports have started surfacing about these problems. There has been an article in the Evening Standard stating that Simons “is becoming an uncomfortable problem to solve” for Tottenham.
Dutch journalist gives honest assessment about Simons
And Dutch journalist Johan Derksen has come through with a blunt assessment about the Dutchman and his limited output. He argued that his countryman lacks that needed physical strength to become a feature in the Premier League. Speaking on the Groeten uit Grolloo podcast (as relayed by Sport Witness), he said:
“He’s a great player who often used his tricks in the Netherlands. He also performed well in Germany, but in England, they are much stronger physically. If you look at the English league and switch to a different league, it’s completely different.
“You can see that he can’t keep up with the speed of action and is physically weaker. While Tijjani Reijnders doesn’t have that problem; he’s already one of the leading players at Manchester City.”
“In the past, a lightweight with good technique could easily hold his own. Technique is no longer the only thing you need to contribute; you also need physical strength at the top level,”
TTLB Opinion
Most of the fans would agree with Derksen’s assessment of Simons. But it’s only been a few months, and he is still adapting to a lot on and off the pitch. Moreover, the fact that Thomas Frank is willing to express faith in the Dutch maestro shows that Tottenham believes in the long‑term value that he brings to the roster.
What do you make of the aforementioned comments on Xavi Simons? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
