Tottenham Hotspur player, Xavi Simons, had another challenging evening as Spurs drew with Wolves. The North London club was on the brink of handing Wolves their first win of the season due to a lackluster performance from Thomas Frank’s team. However, Joao Palhinha salvaged a 1-1 draw at home to Vitor Pereira’s side with a late strike at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
The game was particularly difficult for Tottenham Hotspur’s top creative players who were noticeably off pace. Among them, Xavi Simons stood out for his struggles throughout the match. This comes as part of an ongoing adjustment period for Simons who recently made his switch to the Premier League.
Thomas Frank on Xavi Simon's Performance
Thomas Frank believes that Simons is still adapting to his new surroundings and this has led to inconsistent performances so far. While he impressed on his debut against West Ham and showed promise in his cameo against Brighton, there have been matches where he has struggled significantly - such as this recent one against Wolves.
Thomas Frank, Brentford manager, said:
“I think that’s fair to say, I think he had some good actions, also carrying the ball forward and had to be fouled three or four times. But I think there were a lot of situations where he was not quite as sharp, I think that’s fair to say, and he would say that himself. But I think it’s natural, he’s coming into a new team, a new league and trying to find that rhythm is difficult.”
Simons’ stats from the match highlight what a challenging evening it was for him, h e lost possession 23 times, completed just three of his 11 crosses and won only five of his 13 duels.
These figures underline how much he struggled during this particular game and indicate areas where improvement is needed. Frank admitted that he is still getting acquainted with Simons as a player while trying to balance out his Tottenham team simultaneously. The new Spurs boss expressed interest in fitting Joao Palhinha, Rodrigo Bentancur and Lucas Bergvall into his team, having been impressed by all three so far this season.
While Xavi Simons' performance in the recent match against Wolves was less than ideal, it's important to remember that he is still adapting to a new league and team. As Thomas Frank continues to work out the balance of his Tottenham team, fans can hope for improved performances from Simons and the rest of the squad in future matches.
