The star needs to quickly find his feet at Tottenham following his high-profile summer switch.
Tottenham shocked the footballing world when they decided to spend around £180m on eight new players during the summer transfer window. It was a clear show of intent from the Lilywhites as they remained keen on backing Thomas Frank for the ongoing season. One of the key players the North Londoners managed to lure to N17 during the business end of the window was highly rated attacker Xavi Simons.
It is fair to say that Simons arrived in North London with plenty of expectations. He even managed to register an assist on his debut for the club against arch rivals West Ham earlier in the campaign. However, since then, the 22-year-old has struggled to find his feet at N17 under Thomas Frank’s guidance. More often than not, the Dutchman has found it difficult to adjust to the demands of the Premier League.
He has shown glimpses of his potential on a few occasions in recent weeks, most notably against Aston Villa in the FA Cup clash earlier this month. Simons displayed his physical strength in the middle of the park and was involved in much of what Tottenham did well during the second half against Unai Emery’s men. However, he has struggled to justify his £52m price tag during the first half of the campaign, having scored just two goals for the North Londoners this season.
Xavi Simons is still struggling to find form for Tottenham
Tottenham fans are growing increasingly frustrated with Thomas Frank’s inability to bring out the best in his players this season. The clearest example of that is Xavi Simons, a player who should ideally be a difference-maker for his side. Instead, the 22-year-old is often forced to play out of position, which limits his ability to influence games when the North Londoners need it the most.
Alasdair Gold has now delivered a scathing verdict on the Dutchman’s time at N17 following his move from RB Leipzig last summer. Writing for Football London, Gold said,
“Xavi Simons remains a work in progress. The Dutchman is as likely to hit a pass out of play as he is to send a clever ball into a team-mate’s path, and similarly he’s as likely to fail to get past the first man as he is to slalom through three or four challenges. The 22-year-old is someone who needs a winning team to ease himself into rather than a struggling side that needs someone to grab games by the scruff of the neck and perform now.”
Gold claims that Xavi Simons remains a work in progress. The Dutchman has failed to find any real rhythm at N17, and his inconsistent performances are clear evidence of that. Fans never quite know what they are going to get from the 22-year-old, and that should not be the case for a player who has cost the club such a hefty fee. Simons is not the only one to blame for his struggles, however, as the squad around him has also failed to produce consistent results in the Premier League.
Xavi Simons is not a player who can single-handedly change the outcome of games for Spurs. The Dutchman needs stability and progress around him so that he can ease himself into matches and make an impact in the final third. None of that has materialised during his time in North London, which is a strong indictment of where the Lilywhites currently stand under Thomas Frank.
Time is running out for Frank to steady the ship at N17 and bring the best out of his players. The same can be said for Simons, who needs to step up if he wants to become one of the standout players at a club that is desperately in need of a hero right now.
