Matthew Upson drops honest Xavi Simons verdict after watching Tottenham’s win over West Ham

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Tottenham Hotspur played their first London derby of the season, beating West Ham United 3-0.

Goals from Pape Matar Sarr, Lucas Bergvall and Micky van de Ven ensured that Tottenham secured all three points against their fierce rivals.

Before the game, Thomas Frank confirmed that Xavi Simons was ready to play, and the attacking midfielder did just that.

He was unable to score, but he did have a role in the first goal after setting up Sarr.

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Matthew Upson impressed with Xavi Simons debut

While it is early days, Simons is already showing why Tottenham should be glad that they beat Chelsea to his signature in the summer transfer window.

The 22-year-old had a solid debut, with Upson feeling that he showed quality and good understanding on the pitch.

“Decent debut for Simons, in a tricky position,” the former defender said via the Premier League’s official website. “He’s showed moments of quality, understanding and the technical ability to be a good player for Spurs.”

The Dutchman started on the left at the London Stadium, but his natural position is No.10 and the expectation is that he will play there in the future.

During one training session, a coach was heard speaking to Simons, telling him to do “whatever” he wants.

Xavi Simons’ numbers vs West Ham

While Simons managed to provide an assist for Sarr, his overall numbers were good.

For example, according to Sofascore, the Netherlands international managed to complete one key pass and and four long balls. He also registered 50 touches and a pass success rate of 84%.

In Simons, Frank had an excellent attacker to call upon, but one name that he was without for the game at the London Stadium was Dejan Kulusevski.

The Sweden international picked up a serious injury towards the end of last season, but he should return to fitness before the end of the year. Kulusevski recently gave an update on his injury, stating that he hopes to back in two to three months. Until then, Frank will be hoping that Simons and the rest of Spurs’ attackers can continue performing.