Xavi Simons will watch Tottenham Hotspur’s next three Premier League fixtures from the sidelines, so Thomas Frank must identify the players in his squad who are capable of replacing him.
Xavi Simons has not proven himself to be the signing Tottenham Hotspur were hoping for. However, he has visibly improved over the past couple of months.
The Netherlands international was a joy to watch in the recent 2-0 victory over Brentford, as he registered both a goal and an assist in the first half.
Unfortunately, Simons’ performance against Liverpool last Saturday was nothing short of a nightmare, as he was shown a straight red card after just 33 minutes.
There are not really any players available to Thomas Frank who can do what Simons does, but here are three potential contenders to fill the 22-year-old’s boots in his absence.
Lucas Bergvall should move straight into the Tottenham first team
If Frank moves back to a traditional 4-2-3-1 formation against Crystal Palace, Lucas Bergvall should have no problem making the starting lineup.
The Swede has already impressed with his energy, and he looks more threatening in attack this season.
Spurs will need Bergvall to be using his exceptional dribbling as a means of creating chances, and it would be good to see him arrive in shooting positions more often too.
Mathys Tel could be given another chance for Spurs
Should Frank continue with the setup he used against Liverpool, Mathys Tel could come into the team as one of the Tottenham frontmen.
The France under-21 international has been frozen out of the side, but he has delivered a couple of promising performances this season.
Tel is tied with Simons for goals across all competitions at Spurs, but he has made fewer appearances. Perhaps he needs another opportunity and a more consistent run of games to find his best form.
Wilson Odobert needs to display end product
Wilson Odobert will not directly replace Simons in the attacking midfield position, but he could compensate for the loss of the Dutchman.
The left winger often looks bright when he starts, making good dribbles and injecting life into the team.
However, Odobert has struggled to impress in the final third, managing to showcase a good end product on only a handful of occasions. Hopefully, he is working on his final balls in order to become the creative spark who could offer what Simons would usually contribute.
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