Thomas Frank reveals what he is seeing from Xavi Simons in Tottenham training
Tottenham Hotspur are desperate for creativity in attack as new signing Xavi Simons continues to find his feet under Thomas Frank, who has now offered an honest verdict on the youngster’s early development.
Tottenham Hotspur have struggled in attack this season, especially when it comes to creating chances consistently.
Against AS Monaco in the Champions League, Tottenham managed to create just one big chance and recorded an xG of only 0.88.
In the Premier League, the story has been no different. Spurs have created just 13 big chances all campaign, ranking 15th in the league, with only Wolves, Burnley, West Ham, Aston Villa and Fulham having a worse record.
Thomas Frank speaks on Xavi Simons’ progression at Tottenham
There clearly is a creativity problem, one that many anticipated, particularly after the injuries suffered by both James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski.
In response to those setbacks, Tottenham signed Xavi Simons to help maintain their attacking rhythm, but the Dutchman has yet to fully find his stride.
Speaking to the club’s official channel, Thomas Frank has now opened up on Simons’ adaptation and what he expects from the midfielder going forward.
Frank explained that the 22-year-old is still settling into life in north London, but praised his qualities and attitude in training.
He said: “We try to help every player. He has been with us for seven or eight weeks which is a very short time in football. He is adapting every day.
“I liked his personality, the way he played in the first 60 minutes against Villa. He then tired. My demands are more intensity in general. He has the passing, the vision. He trained really well today.”
Tottenham need balance to get the best out of Xavi Simons
We have compared Simons’ first few games with those of James Maddison, and the numbers are certainly night and day apart.
Maddison, in his first eight games for Tottenham, managed two goals and four assists for the Lilywhites. Meanwhile, Simons has not quite hit those heights yet, registering just one assist in the same period.
Of course, other factors come into play, as underlying stats show Spurs are less front-footed when Rodrigo Bentancur and Joao Palhinha play together, which could also affect Simons’ influence in the final third.
For Frank, the key is finding the right balance in midfield, as that could help elevate the levels of players like Simons, who thrive when the game flows through them.
The post Thomas Frank reveals what he is seeing from Xavi Simons in Tottenham training appeared first on Spurs Web.