What the Dutch press are saying about Tottenham star Xavi Simons after draw vs Poland
Tottenham fans would have had the chance to watch Xavi Simons in action when the Netherlands took on Poland.
Simons' arrival at Tottenham in the final days of the summer window took the football world by surprise.
The Lilywhites were keen on him at the beginning of the summer, but decided to pursue other targets. But their return to the charge represents a shift at Tottenham into one where the North London club are willing to invest in world class players.
As such, Tottenham fans would have been keen to watch Simons take to the international stage before his official debut for Spurs.
Xavi Simons struggles to exert himself against Poland
It is expected that Simons will start for Frank at Tottenham once club football resumes once again.
As well as an investment for the future, Simons is seen as a replacement for James Maddison, who is sidelined for Spurs with an ACL injury. But the midfielder struggled to find his best form for the Netherlands in their 1-1 draw over Poland.
- Simons was deployed on the right wing for his 79 minutes played
- From two shots taken not one was on target
- The attacking midfielder was dispossessed twice and failed to register a successful dribble
Following the game on Thursday, 4 September, Football Orange described Simons as having "no presence on the right", and handed him a 5.5/10 rating after struggling to impact the game.
Meanwhile, Voetbal Primeur also rated Simons' performance as a five and a half. They observed that on paper, he was a right-winger, but in practice, he was a second striker. This experiment did not work so well, and Simons had "little to nothing to crumble in the milk."
Thomas Frank already knows what not to do with Xavi Simons
Judging by his performance against Poland, Simons is not cut out to play on the right wing nor as a second striker.
His best position remains as a 10 behind a striker or on the left flank. But what Simons truly needs to succeed at Spurs is the licence to fluctuate between the two positions.
With Mohammed Kudus and Brennan Johnson as solid options for the right flank, the Dutchman will not need to worry about being shifted there anytime soon.
But with the days ticking down until Premier League football commences once again, Thomas Frank should hesitate before repeating Ronald Koeman's failed experiment.
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