Xavi Simons’ underlying stats in Tottenham’s Champions League game against Slavia Prague show the midfielder is growing in confidence, but one stat reveals where the midfielder must work on.
Two victories on the bounce are a welcome improvement for Thomas Frank and his Tottenham Hotspur side, who look to be hitting form at the right time.
We are in the busy stages of the season, where games are coming thick and fast, making every victory all the more important.
Not only are they back-to-back wins, but it is also two on the spin at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, a ground Tottenham have struggled at this season.
Xavi Simons, after putting in a player of the match display last time out in the Premier League, looked like a man determined to impress again, and he did so, grabbing a goal against Slavia Prague in the Champions League.
Xavi Simons Champions League stats for Tottenham vs Slavia Prague
That was Simons’ first Champions League goal, and what a month it has been for the Dutchman, who ended his barren spell in a Spurs shirt at the weekend on Saturday.
This time it was from the spot, but Tottenham fans will be pleased with what they are seeing from the 22-year-old, who was outstanding in his overall play.
The underlying numbers back this up, as Xavi Simons received an 8.1 FotMob rating against Prague. The attacking midfielder was sharp and looked to get on the scoresheet, taking three shots at goal.
He had a passing accuracy of 85 per cent, having completed 35 of his 41 passes. He had 70 touches across the ninety minutes, six of those coming in the opposition box, while also looking to put Spurs on the front foot with six passes into the final third.
| Metric | Number |
|---|---|
| Goals | 1 (penalty) |
| Shots attempted | 3 |
| Player rating | 8.1 |
| Pass accuracy | 85% |
| Completed passes | 35/41 |
| Total touches | 70 |
| Touches in opposition box | 6 |
| Passes into final third | 6 |
| Duels lost | 12 |
Simons must improve one key area of his game
The 51 million pound signing is definitely playing with confidence, as his general play is much better now that he has managed a goal, compared to the period when he was on a drought.
The Dutch international mentioned last time out in the Premier League that he hoped to build on his first Spurs goal, and his grabbing another on Tuesday is an encouraging sign.
Simons, a luxury but good player, as Troy Deeney described him, needs to keep improving, especially with his off-the-ball play.
In the game against Prague, Xavi Simons lost the most duels (12) in the match and in the Premier League, where it is more physical, that could prove costly