Tottenham Hotspur’s latest defeat against Chelsea in the Premier League was one of the worst of the Thomas Frank era, with the fans starting to get frustrated after the latest showing.
The Dane’s side have huge expectations to impress, especially after their European triumph last season and £100m+ spending spree sanctioned by the hierarchy.
However, his men fell to a 1-0 defeat against their city rivals last night, producing a measly xG of just 0.05 – the lowest in the club’s top-flight history since records began.
Such a result was the third time the Lilywhites fell to a defeat in the league, with all their losses coming on home soil – showcasing the struggles endured over the last few weeks.
However, one player massively failed to deliver in North London, which has led to numerous supporters voicing their concern over the form of one first-team member.
The stats behind Xavi Simons’ struggles at Spurs
Xavi Simons joined Spurs in a £52m transfer during the summer transfer window, with real expectations from the fanbase to provide the needed quality in the number ten position.
The Dutch international’s tally of 19 combined goals and assists last campaign only fuelled the excitement in North London, but his form over recent weeks has been nothing short of embarrassing.
He’s made a total of 12 appearances across all competitions to date, but he’s only been able to notch a single assist and has yet to find the back of the net since his big-money transfer.
Simons was named as a substitute for the defeat against Chelsea, but he was called upon just minutes into the encounter after Lucas Bergvall suffered a concussion.
He featured for a total of 66 minutes, but was hugely wasteful with the ball at his feet – as seen by his tally of 14 times possession lost from his total of 55 touches.
The 22-year-old also only registered two passes into the final third, subsequently failing to create any chances for his teammates – further showcasing his lack of impact against the Blues.
As a result of his showing, Simons was subsequently substituted in the 73rd minute, with the Dutchman enduring a moment to forget after being replaced despite being brought on himself.
However, despite the showing from the attacker midfielder, one of his teammates also had an evening to forget, with the talent now needing to be on borrowed time under Frank.
The Spurs star who should be on borrowed time under Frank
The 17th-placed Premier League finish under Ange Postecoglou last season was unacceptable for Spurs supporters and understandably so, given the huge money spent in recent years.
Frank has been the man tasked with turning the ship around in North London, with the Dane’s side showing glimpses but often letting dismal displays get the better of them.
Their tally of three league defeats in just five top-flight matches showcases the problem at present, especially considering their unbeaten record away from home – which is the best record of any side in the division.
It’s becoming apparent that the 51-year-old is still unsure of his best starting eleven, with numerous different partnerships being utilised within attacking areas of the pitch.
The centre-forward department has been one that has been brought into question, with the central midfield area also one that’s up in the air, as seen by Simons’ lack of form.
Rodrigo Bentancur is just one of the Lilywhites players who has been a regular starter since Frank’s arrival – as seen by his tally of eight starts in the first ten outings in the Premier League.
The Uruguayan international was selected to start against Chelsea alongside Joao Palhinha in a deeper role, with the duo often struggling to feature alongside one another.
However, the former of the duo once again failed to deliver in North London, showcasing why he should be on borrowed time under the current management team.
The 28-year-old featured for just an hour of the defeat, even being lucky not to have seen red for his ankle-high and late challenge on Blues star Reece James.
During his display, he only achieved a total of 39 touches, losing the ball on nine occasions – matching Simons in being wasteful when in possession in North London.
He also failed to complete any of his attempted dribbles, and was unable to create any chances – further showcasing his inability to impress with the ball at his feet.
Minutes played
60
Touches
39
Passes completed
83%
Possession lost
9x
Dribbles completed
0
Chances created
0
Interceptions made
1
Duels lost
50%
Out of possession, he was just as ineffective, only making one interception and losing 50% of the duels he entered – leading to one journalist describing him as “terrible”.
After such a showing, it must be clear to Frank that he can’t rely upon Bentancur to produce the goods in midfield – especially in a trio with Palhinha and Simons alongside him.
He must be on borrowed time in North London, with the manager needing to consider other options at the heart of the side if they’re to be successful and transform their dismal home form.
