Xavi Simons: Tottenham Boss Thomas Frank Says New Signing’s Struggles Similar to Florian Wirtz’s at Liverpool

Struggles of Newcomers in the Premier League

Tottenham Hotspur’s new signing, Xavi Simons, is experiencing early struggles as he adapts to life in the Premier League. The Dutch forward joined Tottenham from RB Leipzig for a fee of £51 million, but his performances have been underwhelming so far. According to Tottenham manager Thomas Frank, Simons’ difficulties mirror those faced by Liverpool’s Florian Wirtz when he transitioned into the English top flight.

Frank shared his thoughts during a pre-match press conference ahead of Tottenham’s Champions League clash with Monaco on Wednesday, stating: “I think that’s a very good question. Also, a very good comparison with Wirtz, who is also a very good player, just like Xavi.” Both players are new to the Premier League and have yet to score for their respective teams since joining from Bundesliga sides.

Analysing Simons’ Performance

Xavi Simons made his Tottenham debut in an away match against West Ham United. Although he provided an assist on the opening goal, his goal-scoring drought continues. Frank acknowledged the importance of evaluating players over time rather than judging based solely on recent performances: “We are all getting judged every game.

But we also need to see the little bit bigger perspective and see it over time.”

Frank highlighted some positive aspects in Simons’ play, saying, “I think there were some good bits. I worked with him and asked him to be more arriving in the box, which, when I looked back at the game, he did.” Despite not having a standout moment, Frank believes that continuous improvement is key: “Was there a big eye-catching moment? No, but there were good glimpses. So I think it’s constantly going a little bit in the right direction.”

Injury Woes and Squad Absences

Tottenham faces significant absences for their match against Monaco. Defender Cristian Romero, who missed training due to an abductor strain, will not play. Frank confirmed: “It’s an abductor strain.

We will assess it more this week before we come with any timeframe.” The manager expressed confidence in the injury assessment process and downplayed concerns about Romero’s absence.

Destiny Udogie also misses out due to a knee issue that flared up during international duty, while Tottenham stalwart Eric Dier is sidelined with a hamstring injury. The absence of Dier from his former club, where he spent nine-and-a-half years before joining Monaco this summer, was acknowledged by his new coach Sebastien Pocognoli: “Actually, it was more general disappointment to be injured because I felt he really wanted to start the journey with me on the weekend. He was really upset with the injury.”

Paul Pogba, who joined Monaco as a free agent and has yet to feature in a match this season, is training with the squad but not expected to play against Tottenham.

Champions League Ambitions

Tottenham looks forward to continuing their Champions League campaign after facing Aston Villa on Sunday. Despite recent home form struggles, Frank’s team has been performing well away from home, remaining unbeaten in all competitions this season as of the UEFA Super Cup defeat to Paris Saint-Germain.

Frank explained the difference between home and away performance: “I don’t know exactly. It depends on who you are facing – that can be home and away.

I know at home you may play in a specific way and other teams are playing in a specific way against you compared to when you go away.” He added, “But I just think definitely the away form has been very good in terms of what we said before.”

The upcoming match against Monaco is crucial for Tottenham’s Champions League ambitions. With key players missing, Frank’s team will need to rely on consistent play and tactical adjustments to secure a positive result.