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Tottenham are yet to see the best of Xavi Simons this season, but his latest outing in a different role for the Netherlands hints at something Spurs may need to look at more closely.
The international break will soon come to an end, after which focus will shift fully to club football in the next few months.
Tottenham Hotspur are yet to hit full gear under Thomas Frank, and the Spurs boss will be hoping for much better when his players return from international duty.
Tottenham players have been involved in several international fixtures already. Xavi Simons, who has struggled in a Spurs shirt, has equally been involved for the Netherlands, and he put in a top performance in his latest outing.
Xavi Simons stats and midfield role with the Netherlands
The Dutchman saw his national side come up against Lithuania on Monday night, and he was one of the stars of the show in a game where he looked far more assured than he has in recent outings for Tottenham.
He was used in the centre midfield position in a 4-2-3-1 formation, playing as one of the eights alongside Tijani Reijnders, and the role seemed to suit him as he found more freedom to link play and arrive in good areas.
Simons put in a top performance, scoring a goal and earning an 8.0 rating from FotMob, having played 78 minutes of football.
Not only did he score, but his overall play was good, and the numbers below capture the level of his display.
Xavi Simons vs Lithuania stats
| Passes completed | 39/43 (91%) |
| Big chances created | 1 |
| Touches | 60 |
| Touches in opposition box | 4 |
| Successful dribbles | 2/3 (67%) |
| Passes into final third | 6 |
| Accurate crosses | 1/1 (100%) |
| Accurate long balls | 1/1 (100%) |
Tottenham expectations for Xavi Simons ahead of return
Putting in such a top display before returning to Tottenham will do Simons’ confidence a lot of good as he prepares to rejoin a squad that needs greater consistency in the middle of the park.
The Dutchman has struggled in a Tottenham shirt, with good games hard to pinpoint since he joined Spurs in the summer, and although he has had to adapt, the season is about to reach the halfway point, so the pressure to lift his performances will only increase.
Simons is one of three players we believe need to step up when Tottenham make a trip to the Emirates after the break, as Spurs will require far more cutting-edge and control in midfield.
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