• The Fighting Cock is a forum for fans of Tottenham Hotspur Football Club. Here you can discuss Spurs latest matches, our squad, tactics and any transfer news surrounding the club. Registration gives you access to all our forums (including 'Off Topic' discussion) and removes most of the adverts (you can remove them all via an account upgrade). You're here now, you might as well...

    Get involved!

Player Xavi Simons

Latest Spurs videos from Sky Sports

Richard Arlison said:
No he was definitely RW but he was coming into that right half space in build up a lot! I haven’t seen the pass maps but I’m willing to bet Romero to Kudus between the lines into that half space was up there with our biggest pass network
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
Kudus tucks in on that side every game, more or less.

This is about Xavi at 10 and how he operated it.

That's the significance.

I'm literally watching the game again now.
 
Richard Arlison said:
He definitely plays on the left side more, I’m not debating that, I’m just saying it’s by design and not just entirely Simons not playing on the right because he doesn’t want to.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
If it's pure design, then it's clearly based on his positional history and preference for playing off of the left.

Which is factual.

Though watching him, it seemed like a natural inclination, today, whilst in 10.

My personal view is his preference is to drop and roam and operate the ball from that space on that side and not the other, specifically.

When you're watching with your eyes, this seems quite clear.

Either way, when he plays 10, expect him not to play a classic 10 role (of his own volition, with Frank's blessing).

I suppose that's my point.

And would still be useful starting on the left if we had another competent 10.

You can see he loves having the game in front of him from that drop-off area.
 
thinktank said:
Watching the game again and even when he starts 10 he likes to drop into the left half-space to pick up and operate.

Deeper as well.

Just naturally drifts over there.

Makes sense when you see his behaviour at RBL.

Talk about him not being able to play left is a dud, really, it's what he does.

But when you start him 10 he's more inclined to keep heading back there to threaten, which suits us.


View: https://x.com/MG09123/status/1946297870165913944
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

When he plays in the so called 10 position he naturally drops into that inside left position. He obviously feels comfortable in there and a right sided player will naturally go there as it gives him the option to drive in towards goal on his stronger foot. It’s also easier to play that pass between right centre back and right back on his stronger foot.
 
Last edited:
thinktank said:
If it's pure design, then it's clearly based on his positional history and preference for playing off of the left.

Which is factual.

Though watching him, it seemed like a natural inclination, today, whilst in 10.

My personal view is his preference is to drop and roam and operate the ball from that space on that side and not the other, specifically.

When you're watching with your eyes, this seems quite clear.

Either way, when he plays 10, expect him not to play a classic 10 role (of his own volition, with Frank's blessing).

I suppose that's my point.

And would still be useful starting on the left if we had another competent 10.

You can see he loves having the game in front of him from that drop-off area.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

I don’t disagree at all. He’s definitely played more central 10 and even further to right for the Netherlands, the goal he scored against England for example…

But I agree for now, he’s going to be in that inside left channel a lot, even when part of the midfield 3 or off the left wing.
 
nicoclaesen said:
When he plays in the so called 10 position he naturally drops into that inside left position. He obviously feels comfortable in there and a right sided player will naturally go there as it gives him the option to drive in towards goal on his stronger foot. It’s also easier to play that pass between right centre back and right back on his stringer foot.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
As history shows.
 
thinktank said:
If it's pure design, then it's clearly based on his positional history and preference for playing off of the left.

Which is factual.

Though watching him, it seemed like a natural inclination, today, whilst in 10.

My personal view is his preference is to drop and roam and operate the ball from that space on that side and not the other, specifically.

When you're watching with your eyes, this seems quite clear.

Either way, when he plays 10, expect him not to play a classic 10 role (of his own volition, with Frank's blessing).

I suppose that's my point.

And would still be useful starting on the left if we had another competent 10.

You can see he loves having the game in front of him from that drop-off area.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
You don’t play central if you play as a ten. You find the space on the blind side of the left centre or right centre midfielder. What that does is cause 3 players to make a decision who gets to him. The full back won’t want to go in because there’s going to be a winger,a centre back doesn’t want to leave his position and leave a hole and the centre midfielder is already out the game if you can get the ball to him quicker.

When we start finding Xavi in that position quicker then we’ll create far more chances. I liked us today but we still need to play at a quicker tempo.
 
Richard Arlison said:
I don’t disagree at all. He’s definitely played more central 10 and even further to right for the Netherlands, the goal he scored against England for example…

But I agree for now, he’s going to be in that inside left channel a lot, even when part of the midfield 3 or off the left wing.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
That's not typical at all, tho.

I think Frank will let him do what he naturally feels is his game and continue to give him that license, as it seems to be what his game has been built on.

He's alert to still zipping back in central, so can be trusted.
 
Was good against Leeds, starting to settle now - not sure about the Rabona but I think now he needs a run in that 10 role.
 
Ballyhack Spur said:
Thought he was great, and the Rabona? I loved that he tried it. Just the kind of player I want to watch.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

Time and a place.

I mean it's great but it almost ended up in a goal for them.

I think had he passed that with this left foot for Romero and it got cut out and they went onto score it wouldn't be so bad but the Rabona thing was just pretty dumb if you ask me.
 
Shadydan said:
Time and a place.

I mean it's great but it almost ended up in a goal for them.

I think had he passed that with this left foot for Romero and it got cut out and they went onto score it wouldn't be so bad but the Rabona thing was just pretty dumb if you ask me.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
It's the perfect time and place when it works. but you have to do it for it to work. He won't pull it off everytime, so you have to allow for when it doesn't as well.. I just like that he has the confidence and ability to have a go.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top