One pundit has now questioned Xavi Simons’ starting role for both club and country, despite the midfielder scoring his first goal in over two months.
Xavi Simons is yet to find the back of the net in a Tottenham Hotspur shirt, but while on international duty with the Netherlands, he grabbed his side’s fourth with a well-taken finish.
Thomas Frank will be hoping that Simons carries that sharpness back to north London once the international break ends, as Spurs are set to face a big test in the Premier League.
Tottenham play Arsenal in the first north London derby of the season after the pause, and if Simons can deliver a strong performance, then Spurs’ chances of securing a victory will be improved.
Tottenham star Xavi Simons questioned over Netherlands start
Simons‘ poor form has not been limited to Tottenham, with the 22-year-old also struggling to impose himself with his national team.
Before his strike against Lithuania, the Spurs midfielder had found gametime hard to come by for his country, and he earned his first start since September in his latest outing.
After the tie, Anco Jansen questioned why the Tottenham midfielder was handed a starting role, insisting that Simons did not deserve it.
He voiced his concern on ESPN’s Voetbalpraat, as relayed by FC Update, and made it clear that he felt the midfielder had not justified his selection.
“I was already surprised that Simons played,” Jansen said. “In my opinion: he did not deserve it in the Dutch national team, and he did not deserve it at Tottenham either.
“So, I found that quite striking, and then also ‘number ten’. We have often seen him in other positions in the Dutch national team. I thought he had a very weak first half; I thought he was quite a dissonant player, along with Memphis Depay.
“But that goal he scored was magnificent. That is where you saw the quality.”
Spurs and Netherlands searching for Xavi Simons best role
Finding the right position for Simons seems to be a challenge for both international and club managers.
Ronald Koeman has deployed Simons on the right and in the number ten role, while Frank has used the 22-year-old either centrally or on the left.
However, Karim El Ahmadi believes he knows the Dutchman’s best position, and he explained why the left-sided freedom suits Simons more.
“I think he is even better when he has the freedom to move to the left,” he said. Now Cody Gakpo is always there, so he cannot go there often.
“I think that is the biggest problem when Gakpo plays and Simons is in that position. Because I think Simons is good when he has a free role. Now he was in one position and could not get through in tight spaces.”