Thomas Frank has been told that Xavi Simons needs to have the Tottenham team built around him - he's undoubtedly got the ability.
That's the verdict from European football guru Andy Brassell, who rated the Dutchman's start to life at Spurs so far at just 4/10.
Xavi Simons for Tottenham Hotspur.
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Simons has struggled to settle into a Tottenham shirt after his big-money moveCredit: Getty
It was successful! Thomas Frank responds to Tottenham fans who booed substitution before instant impact
Manager Frank was booed for once again sacrificing Simons during Saturday's 2-2 draw with Manchester United by subbing him off early.
Spurswere trailing 1-0 in north London when the Dane broughtthe £52million summer signing off for Mathys Tel on 79 minutes.
The latter ultimately scored the equaliser minutes later, with Frank defending his substitution selections from jeering supporters.
However, it was the second successive Premier League match in which Simons was unceremoniously withdrawn with Spurs losing at home.
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The 22-year-old was sent on and then substituted by former Brentford boss Frank after a nightmare in a 1-0 loss to Chelsea.
Jamie O’Hara labelled him as ‘Tottenham’s Antony’, but Brassell agrees with David Bentley that he wants to give him more time.
Simons has only provided two assists and scored none in his 13 appearances for Spurs so far - a far cry from his output in Germany.
The Netherlands international was involved in 16 Bundesliga goals for RB Leipzig last season and 18 in the previous campaign.
Last summer, he had agreed personal terms with Chelsea, but a club-to-club agreement was never struck, and Spurs swooped in after they werehijacked by Arsenalin their bid to get Eberechi Eze.
“Simons is a player who, at various points in his time with Leipzig, looked like the best player in the Bundesliga,” Brassell told talkSPORT.com.
Xavi Simons stats in the Premier League
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Simons is still waiting for his first Premier League goal
Frank defended his decision to take Simons off early against Man United
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Frank defended his decision to take Simons off early against Man UnitedCredit: Getty
“Not consistently, but at times in the spells of games when he was playing well, he looked like the best player in the Bundesliga.
“He has that sort of ability. But like Florian Wirtz, he needs to have the team built around him. And he's not in that position yet.
“I think in the short term, the injury to James Maddison kind of helps him, because how you fit them both in the same team is a bit of a question mark. Obviously, it means that more has to flow through him for the moment.
“Whether Thomas Frank doesn't feel he's physically ready to play all the games, I don't know. Or whether he's not happy about the impression or otherwise that he's making.
“There was the issue with him coming on against Chelsea and then getting taken off again. But he can't be scapegoated for that alone.
“It was a poor Tottenham performance generally.
Simons is waiting to earn the trust of Spurs boss Frank
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Simons is waiting to earn the trust of Spurs boss FrankCredit: Getty
The player admitted his start to life in north London has been below expectations
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The player admitted his start to life in north London has been below expectations
Xavi Simons can't be scapegoated for poor Tottenham home record
“It is very hard when Tottenham are so poor at home in the last year, in the Premier League.
“It's a lot of pressure to say, ‘OK, you're the one who can open other teams up,’ especially as there's no Maddison and [Dejan] Kulusevski at the moment. So it's all on you.
“And there are really no other players who can do that. Otherwise, where's the threat coming from?
“Probably from wide positions. So it's a lot of pressure on Xavi Simons to get that right.
25/26 Premier League Xavi Simons Percentile rank vs Attacking midfielders
xG 0.31 Bottom 22%
Shots on target 1 Bottom 11%
Goals 0 Bottom 3%
Chances created 6 Bottom 46%
xA 0.64 Top 47%
Assists 1 Top 49%
Touches in opp's box 9 Bottom 18%
Stats via FotMob
“He's undoubtedly got the ability to do it. But it just feels to me, and you can see with his reaction, when he's getting taken off, that it matters so much to him.
“He just so badly wants it to happen. And it feels almost as if he's trying a little bit too hard at the moment.”
Simons currently ranks among the worst attacking midfielders in the Premier League in key data, with his one assist coming from a corner.
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He is in the bottom three percentiles for goals scored, the bottom 18 percentiles for touches in the opposition's box, and the bottom 46 percentiles for chances created.
Brassell added: “This is a really big test of Thomas Frank's personal management as much as anything else, I think, to make the most of him and get him to a point where he can help Tottenham unlock those stubborn teams who just won't yield when they come to play at Tottenham.”