Tottenham urged to fine Xavi Simons after ‘vile’ incident in loss vs Newcastle United
Xavi Simons looked bright in Tottenham’s loss to Newcastle on Tuesday, but is still drawing negative attention.
Spurs were beaten 2-1 by Newcastle in another damaging Premier League loss that has pushed the Lilywhites further towards the relegation zone.
Joe Lewis could sack Thomas Frank following the defeat as boos rang around the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, both at halftime and full-time.
Simons was trying to create chances for the Lilywhites, but had limited options to aim for in the box on many occasions.
However, it was the Dutchman’s dive in the second half that really boiled the blood of Tottenham fans, with plenty on social media now voicing their thoughts.
Tottenham fans call Xavi Simons dive vs Newcastle ‘horrendous’
Simons has been criticised for Spurs by both fans and pundits for often looking lost in games.
The 22-year-old came to N17 for a fee in the region of £51million, and supporters are still waiting to see the best of him, as they know how good he can be due to evidence from his time in Germany.
Frustrations grew over the attacking midfielder when he appeared to be leading a counterattack for the Lilywhites, but instead chose to hit the ground, resulting in him receiving a yellow card for simulation.
Spurs fans gathered on X after the incident to share their displeasure with the young man’s actions, and have even urged Tottenham to fine the player.
One Tottenham fan wrote: “You can blame Gallagher, but Xavi’s dive before is even more vile.”
Another Spurs supporter wrote: “[Pape] Sarr and Xavi should be fined. I hate to see players dive like that.”
However, when looking at his performance overall in detail, it’s clear to see that Simons may just be improving.
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Don’t let Simons’ antics distract you from the truth; look at the stats
It’s hard to pick out many positives from the players, especially when they’re performing under Frank in a side stripped of any confidence.
The Spurs boss could be sacked after the loss, which has taken the Lilywhites down to 16th place, just five points off the relegation zone, and players are struggling to find form.
As highlighted in the Sofascore graphic above, however, Simons was a bright spark against Newcastle in an otherwise dark game.
He totalled an impressive six key passes and won eight of his 12 duels, putting in the work at both ends of the pitch.
On another day, he could and should have had an assist. But he needs to learn when to stay on his feet more, especially in moments where it matters.