It’s safe to say that the current mood around Tottenham Hotspur is far from uplifting. Despite sitting sixth in the Premier League table, Thomas Frank’s side has struggled to inspire confidence with their recent performances, and the latest home defeat against Chelsea only deepened the growing frustration among supporters.
The team looked lifeless, lacking creativity and urgency, and the player who best summed up their flat display was summer signing Xavi Simons.
The Dutch international arrived with great expectations, heralded as one of Europe’s most promising young attacking talents. Having once been linked with Chelsea and following impressive spells at PSV Eindhoven and RB Leipzig, fans hoped Simons would inject flair and unpredictability into Spurs’ attack.
However, his early days in North London have been disappointing. In twelve appearances so far, he has failed to find the back of the net and has only registered a single assist, which came in his debut against West Ham. For a player of his pedigree and reputation, those numbers are worrying.
Some may argue that Simons simply needs time to adapt to the Premier League, but history suggests otherwise. At RB Leipzig, he made an instant impact, scoring three goals and providing two assists in his first eleven matches before injury halted his progress.
The season before that, he hit even better numbers at PSV, notching four goals and five assists in his first twelve outings. Clearly, he is not a player who typically starts slowly, which raises concerns that his current struggles at Tottenham may stem from something deeper perhaps a tactical mismatch or confidence issue rather than a settling-in period.
With creative options like Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison sidelined, Thomas Frank finds himself short of spark in attack.
However, this situation also opens the door for experimentation and youth integration. Instead of persisting with Simons, Frank could turn to a different kind of solution one that might excite the fans and inject fresh energy into the side.
That solution lies within Hotspur Way’s academy, in the form of the incredibly gifted Luca Williams-Barnett.
At just seventeen, Williams-Barnett is widely regarded as one of the most promising young English talents. Renowned football analyst Ben Mattinson even described him as “one of England’s best talents,” and his numbers back up that reputation.
His performances for Tottenham’s youth teams have been extraordinary, showing a level of maturity, composure, and end product well beyond his years. In his current campaign for the junior sides, he has managed eight goals and seven assists in just eleven appearances averaging over one goal involvement per match.
Last season, his output was equally impressive, with 20 goals and 12 assists in 23 matches. Those statistics underline that he’s outgrown youth football and deserves a real chance to prove himself at senior level.
Of course, promoting a player of his age into the first team carries risk, but it doesn’t have to mean throwing him straight into the starting lineup week after week.
Frank could gradually introduce him as a substitute, especially in lower-pressure matches, allowing him to gain valuable experience and confidence. This approach would not only accelerate his development but also bring something fresh and unpredictable to Spurs’ attacking play.
Choosing to give Williams-Barnett opportunities could also serve another purpose to light a fire under Xavi Simons.
Competition breeds performance, and seeing a hungry teenager threatening his position might push Simons to raise his game. The Dutchman has the ability to be a game-changer; he just needs a reminder that his place isn’t guaranteed.
Ultimately, Tottenham’s current attacking problems won’t be solved overnight, but bold decisions often spark transformation.
By trusting in youth and rewarding form over reputation, Thomas Frank could find the creative spark his side desperately needs.
And for a club that has long prided itself on nurturing homegrown talent, giving a gifted young prospect like Luca Williams-Barnett the stage to shine might be exactly what Spurs need to rediscover their rhythm and fix their Xavi Simons problem in the process.
