Simons has bigger ceiling than players Levy wanted before him

Xavi Simons’ presence is slowly beginning to affect Tottenham Hotspur, because it was evident throughout the membership’s latest win over Brentford.

Dutch sensation Xavi Simons didn’t discover himself at Hotspur Option to sit on the bench at N17 and watch others outline his story. The La Masia academy graduate made an extremely anticipated transfer to Tottenham Hotspur from RB Leipzig. He arrived because the Lilywhites’ marquee signing.

The followers had been all anticipating him to be the inventive livewire given his potential and be mild to the brand new period in north London.

However as a substitute the 22-year-old has been restricted to solely seven Premier League begins since his transfer to Tottenham. He was additionally on bench for the fourth recreation in a row within the North Londoners 2-2 draw at Newcastle the place Cristian Romero churned up a 12-year-old goalscoring file at Tottenham for second time this season.

Whereas Morgan Gibbs-White is lighting up desires at Anfield and Eberechi Eze is tearing up derbies in crimson, Thomas Frank is leaving probably the most gifted playmakers within the continent on the sideline.

The expertise that he possess isn’t a doubt. We’ve seen him tear up leagues repeatedly for years. He absolutely has extra capability than Gibbs-White and extra aptitude than Eze may probably have. However now the query is whether or not the under-fire Dane head coach on the helm at N17 can construct a construction and roster the place his expertise can lastly breathe.

Why Xavi Simons is an unfair comparability

If we stroll again to the Lilywhites’ plans in the summertime, they inform a narrative of their very own. Nottingham Forest midfielder Gibbs-White was the primary alternative at N17. He was a goal that Daniel Levy was pushing laborious to signal with the North Londoners, even agreeing to non-public phrases with him, however just for Forest to dam the transfer and tie him right down to a brand new deal in what turned a extremely controversial switch final summer season.

In Gibbs-White, Tottenham noticed extra of a protected possibility. Somebody who’s already accustomed to the Premier League. You’d be assured that you simply’re going to get an eight-on-ten efficiency from him nearly each week.

However then Tottenham had been compelled to pivot to Eberechi Eze. Now Eze gave you one thing related, an English top-tier confirmed high quality who would are available and make a direct affect. With him, you bought an assurance that he can carry the attacking duties on his shoulder, given how he had finished the identical at Crystal Palace for years earlier than his eventual Arsenal switch.

However then Arsenal stepped in and secured his signature.

And now Tottenham had been compelled to pivot to Simons. Now let me get this straight: the Dutchman was by no means the fallback possibility if we’re talking by way of pure uncooked high quality. However he’s a really totally different type of wager.

Simons is youthful however extra explosive and extra unstable. Although he does have a excessive ceiling and has that capability, he’s extra of a creator. However the factor is that everybody is aware of that Gibbs-White and Eze would ship items instantly.

With Simons, the factor is he has a greater ceiling if his improvement is dealt with appropriately.

But when we take a look at the early months, it has solely underlined what Tottenham followers knew. Gibbs-White has been phenomenal for Forest, whereas Eze was only in the near past named Arsenal’s participant of the month for November. Whereas for Simons, he has barely been given the platform to point out why Tottenham selected him.

Xavi Simons confirmed us a glimpse of his skills final weekend

The person who inherited Son’s notorious quantity 7 jersey confirmed us a glimpse of what the South Korean used to do repeatedly donning that Lilywhites jersey. He loved a splendid efficiency on the weekend towards Brentford. He notched up a purpose and an help to high off what was his greatest efficiency for Tottenham since signing for the membership.

He loved an 8.8 ranking because the 22-year-old boasted 4 pictures, of which 2 had been on course, complemented by 9 defensive contributions. The 22-year-old additionally gained 4 of his 7 floor duels, which reveals how he’s adapting to the bodily aspect of the league. (through. Fotmob)

It was a efficiency that many Tottenham supporters would hope opens the doorways to him feeling like himself once more, enjoying with that confidence which made him stand out in a number of top-tier leagues throughout Europe.

Simons has the expertise to be Tottenham’s subsequent poster boy

Whereas the scepticism surrounding him is at odds with the best way Gibbs-White and Eze have been performing for his or her respective employers, that’s how the membership pitched his switch. After lacking out on Gibbs-White and Eze, Tottenham offered Simons as the subsequent star of the undertaking at Hotspur Means. He was alleged to be a participant who may develop into the attacking face of the group within the post-Harry Kane period.

And he nonetheless can. Talking in pure skill phrases, that concept nonetheless holds true. Provided that Simons has a really excessive ceiling, it’s nearly him discovering that stride.

The Dutchman is sort of succesful when receiving below stress, whereas his carrying skills by way of the area are additionally elite. Then he has that imaginative and prescient to slide by way of a go into runners. He additionally has that charisma and swagger which the followers at Hotspur Means usually reply to.

Simons is somebody who has the capability to show a flat night time below the lights into one thing electrical. He can energy by way of areas with one burst by way of midfield (like we noticed towards Brentford).

However in the mean time now we have solely seen flashes of that at Tottenham. There may be this hole between the promise that he has and the performances that he has been placing on the pitch. However he does have all of the potential in him to turn into a cornerstone that he was all the time meant to be…