Player Xavi Simons

[Kid Chameleon]

As I said in the summer transfer thread when news broke about our interest in him. After watching the highlight videos back then, I said, I don't see it.
Well, I still don't see it, and what I see is a light easy-to-push kid. To make it simple, he is like another Tel, or Odobert. Looks like Levy was in the "BTGO" store. Why do we keep buying these players? He was in the right level, right place in Germany.

I do recognize that his corners are special though. Very good to be honest.

But!!! I am patient, let's see how it goes in a few weeks.

[ALERT} PLEASE DON'T REPLY TO ARGUE HE IS USED ON THE WRONG POSITION. I AM GIVING AN OPINION OF INDIVIDUAL SKILLS REGARDLESS OF POSITION. I STILL DON'T SEE IT, NOT IN THE YOUTUBE VIDEOS, NOT IN SPURS GAMES.

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There is no getting away from the fact that Simons was not our first choice. There is a reason why the recruitment team wanted Morgan Gibbs-White ahead of him.

There is no point kidding ourselves that we got the better player when we didn't. We settled for an unproven compromise because it was the best we could get. Another "might be all right" signing in the absence of proven quality.

At this point, all we can do is hope for the best. He might be all right after he's had a run of games but it doesn't bode well that he tends to be one of the first players to be subbed for ineffectiveness.

 

[Richard Arlison]

Maybe you're right about duels but it's not a good look if your technically secure player is constantly losing the ball and if he's losing the ball in the middle of the pitch then it's a real problem.

Hate to be that guy but watch this specifically from 1 min in, he just loses the ball too much and it's not because of poor passes - you've just thrown that in because you don't currently like our midfield pairing, that's on him and his decision making if anything.


View: https://x.com/kimmoFC/status/1972043322618519807

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That compilation is pretty much exactly as I described it, trying to make things happen on his own and it not working. A lot of bad passes that he would obviously make usually. The guy had a bad day, he wasn’t dominated physically.

That happens when you are still adjusting to the league. It would even happen to Eriksen from time to time when he was fully adjusted to the league.

 

[Richard Arlison]

There is no getting away from the fact that Simons was not our first choice. There is a reason why the recruitment team wanted Morgan Gibbs-White ahead of him.

There is no point kidding ourselves that we got the better player when we didn't. We settled for an unproven compromise because it was the best we could get. Another "might be all right" signing in the absence of proven quality.

At this point, all we can do is hope for the best. He might be all right after he's had a run of games but it doesn't bode well that he tends to be one of the first players to be subbed for ineffectiveness.

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This is just getting weird now.

People are on a Xavi Simons agenda already after 1 bad game in 3 appearances….

Go ahead, knock yourselves out and have a moan because he’s not MGW, a fringe England player who is playing worse for Forest every week than Xavi did against Wolves.

 

[Shadydan]

That compilation is pretty much exactly as I described it, trying to make things happen on his own and it not working. A lot of bad passes that he would obviously make usually. The guy had a bad day, he wasn’t dominated physically.

That happens when you are still adjusting to the league. It would even happen to Eriksen from time to time when he was fully adjusted to the league.

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Why do you think Frank isn't playing him in the 10?

 

[WillWilliams]

There is no getting away from the fact that Simons was not our first choice. There is a reason why the recruitment team wanted Morgan Gibbs-White ahead of him.

There is no point kidding ourselves that we got the better player when we didn't. We settled for an unproven compromise because it was the best we could get. Another "might be all right" signing in the absence of proven quality.

At this point, all we can do is hope for the best. He might be all right after he's had a run of games but it doesn't bode well that he tends to be one of the first players to be subbed for ineffectiveness.

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MGW and Eze were both experienced premier league options. And older as well. So much more ready to go.

Undoubtedly Simons needs time. Similar I guess to Sonny signing for us back in the day. Even he was older than Simons.
But he took time to adjust and become a 1st choice starter.

People were quite happy to sell him after a season. These quotes all after a full season. Not just a few games.

“Mentally weak, a bit of a bottler”
“He could be an impact sub for us, not much else”
“Habit of avoiding 50/50 duels and getting dispossessed easily is what angers most here”
“Can we please just sell this guy”
“I just don’t see any commitment in the way he plays”.

454 appearances and 173 goals later….. club legend.

Maybe Brennan Johnson has a chance yet!!

 

[Kid Chameleon]

This is just getting weird now.

People are on a Xavi Simons agenda already after 1 bad game in 3 appearances….

Go ahead, knock yourselves out and have a moan because he’s not MGW, a fringe England player who is playing worse for Forest every week than Xavi did against Wolves.

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I haven't got an agenda against any of the players. I just want us to get the results we should be getting against teams we should be beating.

My agenda is that I want Xavi Simons to be the locksmith player of our dreams and the game-changing, statement signing we hoped for.

 

[Kid Chameleon]

MGW and Eze were both experienced premier league options. And older as well. So much more ready to go.

Undoubtedly Simons needs time. Similar I guess to Sonny signing for us back in the day. Even he was older than Simons.
But he took time to adjust and become a 1st choice starter.

People were quite happy to sell him after a season. These quotes all after a full season. Not just a few games.

“Mentally weak, a bit of a bottler”
“He could be an impact sub for us, not much else”
“Habit of avoiding 50/50 duels and getting dispossessed easily is what angers most here”
“Can we please just sell this guy”
“I just don’t see any commitment in the way he plays”.

454 appearances and 173 goals later….. club legend.

Maybe Brennan Johnson has a chance yet!!

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When I first saw Son, I described him as having the passing vision of Modric and the finishing class of Bale.

He didn't quite live up to that but I think it's fair to say that he made his mark.

 

[Deuterz]

Eze looks a far superior player than Xavi Simons.

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Because he is, lol.

I really like Simon’s and was delighted we got him. But he’s a work in progress. He’s significantly younger than Eze. The dumbasses bringing out comparison stat tables between a Bundesliga and premier league player were dumbasses. Eze is much more effective at prem level currently.

Simons could be better though - top ceiling. But we need to play him 10. If he struggles for a while fine but it’s his role. Shunting him out wide is a waste of everyone’s time and we may as well keep him as an impact sub instead.

 

[Don Pedro]

Why do you think Frank isn't playing him in the 10?

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I keep asking myself this. Why do you think?

He did it against Brighton for 30 mins and Doncaster for 60 mins. So why move him back to the left? I'd understand if it was an away game and we wanted to setup more pragmatic with an extra centre mid, but surely Frank wasn't trying to be pragmatic at home to Wolves? Maybe he's trying to manage Simons or something. I didn't get that one tbh.

 

[Deuterz]

MGW and Eze were both experienced premier league options. And older as well. So much more ready to go.

Undoubtedly Simons needs time. Similar I guess to Sonny signing for us back in the day. Even he was older than Simons.
But he took time to adjust and become a 1st choice starter.

People were quite happy to sell him after a season. These quotes all after a full season. Not just a few games.

“Mentally weak, a bit of a bottler”
“He could be an impact sub for us, not much else”
“Habit of avoiding 50/50 duels and getting dispossessed easily is what angers most here”
“Can we please just sell this guy”
“I just don’t see any commitment in the way he plays”.

454 appearances and 173 goals later….. club legend.

Maybe Brennan Johnson has a chance yet!!

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Eze was the guy. MGW would’ve been really nice but it was Eze. He was the player who walks in to the XI and really improved us and became a talisman.

 

[Shadydan]

I keep asking myself this. Why do you think?

He did it against Brighton for 30 mins and Doncaster for 60 mins. So why move him back to the left? I'd understand if it was an away game and we wanted to setup more pragmatic with an extra centre mid, but surely Frank wasn't trying to be pragmatic at home to Wolves? Maybe he's trying to manage Simons or something. I didn't get that one tbh.

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He loses too many duels and I don't think he's physical enough

I think he does need time though, Damsgaard to a while to get going in Frank's team and he eventually locked down that 10 position eventually.

 

[Don Pedro]

Because he is, lol.

I really like Simon’s and was delighted we got him. But he’s a work in progress. He’s significantly younger than Eze. The dumbasses bringing out comparison stat tables between a Bundesliga and premier league player were dumbasses. Eze is much more effective at prem level currently.

Simons could be better though - top ceiling. But we need to play him 10. If he struggles for a while fine but it’s his role. Shunting him out wide is a waste of everyone’s time and we may as well keep him as an impact sub instead.

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Fully agree. Everyone told Harry he was crazy moving Modric centrally. He was seen as "too weak" to play there. Modric spent most of his first season playing off the left and looking quite ineffective. Harry had the balls to move him centrally and Modric became the best midfielder in the league.

BTW the Modric/Simons comparison is irrelevant. 2 totally different players and Modric became a deep play maker while Simons looks to be an out and out 10. But it the same logic. You have to keep playing Simons in the 10 and let him learn the role and get up to speed physically with the prem. He's an experienced kid for his young age. We don't need to protect him just like the way we didn't need to protect modric.

 

[Don Pedro]

He loses too many duels and I don't think he's physical enough

I think he does need time though, Damsgaard to a while to get going in Frank's team and he eventually locked down that 10 position eventually.

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Isn't that very concerning if our marquee signing isn't seen as ready to play in the 10 at home to wolves? I think you are right btw and Frank just doesn't trust him in the 10 yet unless we are chasing a game or playing a lower league team in a cup.

I know Frank is trying to build foundations and make us solid, but I think he can be a little more risk averse. Simons is waisted out wide against low blocks. The Damsgaard comparison is also accurate but how depressing is that? Simons was signed for big money to be one of our marquee players and we're now saying he needs time and comparing him to damsgaard.

 

[Deuterz]

Isn't that very concerning if our marquee signing isn't seen as ready to play in the 10 at home to wolves? I think you are right btw and Frank just doesn't trust him in the 10 yet unless we are chasing a game or playing a lower league team in a cup.

I know Frank is trying to build foundations and make us solid, but I think he can be a little more risk averse. Simons is waisted out wide against low blocks. The Damsgaard comparison is also accurate but how depressing is that? Simons was signed for big money to be one of our marquee players and we're now saying he needs time and comparing him to damsgaard.

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If he’s too lightweight to play 10 then what a pointless signing; right?!

Go sign a top LW who is actually a winger.

Simon’s is a very good 10 and a very average winger.

 

[Shadydan]

Isn't that very concerning if our marquee signing isn't seen as ready to play in the 10 at home to wolves? I think you are right btw and Frank just doesn't trust him in the 10 yet unless we are chasing a game or playing a lower league team in a cup.

I know Frank is trying to build foundations and make us solid, but I think he can be a little more risk averse. Simons is waisted out wide against low blocks. The Damsgaard comparison is also accurate but how depressing is that? Simons was signed for big money to be one of our marquee players and we're now saying he needs time and comparing him to damsgaard.

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I didn't compare him to Damsgaard, he is merely an example of when players need time to settle, if you want to make a comparison then compare him to Wirtz, he's facing the same issues as Xavi.

Simons wasn't first choice, Eze was but we fucked that deal up let's not talk about MGW.

We actually prioritised Prem ready players this Summer for a reason hence why Simons was never our first choice. still we have to give him time to settle in this league and Frank is the right man to get that out of him so patience I guess.

 

[Hotspurpaul]

There is no getting away from the fact that Simons was not our first choice. There is a reason why the recruitment team wanted Morgan Gibbs-White ahead of him.

There is no point kidding ourselves that we got the better player when we didn't. We settled for an unproven compromise because it was the best we could get. Another "might be all right" signing in the absence of proven quality.

At this point, all we can do is hope for the best. He might be all right after he's had a run of games but it doesn't bode well that he tends to be one of the first players to be subbed for ineffectiveness.

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Yeah, i know what you mean....MGW is tearing it up this season.....

 

[Richard Arlison]

Why do you think Frank isn't playing him in the 10?

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Because he’s overly pragmatic with his midfield selections.

 

[Shadydan]

Because he’s overly pragmatic with his midfield selections.

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Must be a reason for this though

As I mentioned before he had Damsgaard playing in his team after a while, he's a playmaker.

 

[Richard Arlison]

Must be a reason for this though

As I mentioned before he had Damsgaard playing in his team after a while, he's a playmaker.

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Yeah the reason is either he’s protecting him a bit or he’s got it in his head that he needs 3 units in CM to “control” the game.

Problem is, we haven’t controlled any games yet because we haven’t had the technical ability in midfield to play through the middle of the park.

There will be growing pains but give him the 10 and give him other technical players like Kudus and Odobert on the wings and he’s going to make us a better team.

 

[Deuterz]

There will be growing pains but give him the 10 and give him other technical players like Kudus and Odobert on the wings and he’s going to make us a better team.

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Sign a proper LW who can take on a man AND score and assist.