Spurs fans have their minds made up on one player after Saturday’s draw against Brighton.
As draws in the Premier League go, this one for Spurs away to Brighton should be considered a good point.
Thomas Frank’s side had to battle their way back into the tie after falling two behind, with one substitute in particular making a significant impact.
Now, fans are calling for the Spurs boss to start him from now on, and in his best position.
Spurs fans urge Thomas Frank to start Xavi Simons in the 10
Xavi Simons was subbed on for Rodrigo Bentancur around the hour mark, and his introduction gave the Spurs attack a new lease of life.
While he definitely could have done better with one or two chances, he brought the creative spark fans have been waiting for since his signing was announced.
Now, there is an outcry from fans for Simons to start in the number 10 role.
The general sentiment is summed up by this fan: “Xavi Simons is just ridiculous man, he HAS to start every week and it has to be centrally.”
Similarly, another fan says: “Xavi Simons playing through the middle makes such a difference to Spurs’ creativity. Needs to be the way forward.”
Spurs haven’t had the best of luck against Brighton in recent seasons, and this fan thanks Simons for saving the day: “Almost the customary loss to Brighton , Xavi came in and changed the game completely. Great signing.”
It keeps going: “Xavi Simons looks far better in the number 10 position than on the wing.”
That he played just 29 minutes and is getting this kind of reaction from fans after a draw says a lot about this young player’s ability.
This is the first time we’ve seen Simons in a central role, and this fan thinks he knows why: “Get the feeling Frank has been building him up to play there rather than thrown straight in.”
Hopefully, we’ll see him there again very soon.
Xavi Simons can nail down his spot with Maddison and Kulusevski out
If Frank heeds the advice of the Spurs faithful, Simons has the chance to make the position his own.
James Maddison is out for the season with an ACL injury, and Dejan Kulusevski is a few months away from a full recovery. The door is open for the Dutchman to become the focal point of the Spurs attack.
There’s no doubting his talent, but he still needs to fully acclimatise to the intensity of the Premier League, and learn the movements of the players in front of him.
Frank had Mikel Damsgaard totting up double-digit assists for Brentford last season. Imagine what he will be able to do with Xavi Simons.
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