Tottenham Hotspur took the lead in short time against Aston Villa at the weekend, and Thomas Frank’s clear impetus on fast starts is an exciting addition indeed.
But Spurs failed to make that early advantage count as Unai Emery’s Villa gained momentum and left with the spoils in the Premier League. Tottenham’s wretched home form drags on.
Evident is the deep creative issue the Lilywhites are struggling to uproot at the moment. But there’s much room for optimism, with James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski working hard to return from their long-term injuries.
(1) Crystal Palace
12
17.1
(2) Man United
11
14.9
(3) Man City
17
14.4
(4) Arsenal
15
13.6
(5) Liverpool
14
13.6
(14) Tottenham
14
8.3
Such midfielders are the playmaking stars in north London, true, but Xavi Simons was signed as a difference-maker, and he’s failing to inspire thus far.
Xavi Simons' Spurs career so far
Simons, 22, joined Tottenham from RB Leipzig this summer for around £51m. The Netherlands international has long been regarded among the brightest talents of his age bracket, and he posted 22 goals and 24 assists across two seasons in Germany.
But the English game is a tough one, and across eight fixtures in a Tottenham shirt so far, Simons has yet to open his account, assisting once, on his debut against West Ham United.
He’s a tenacious little player but needs to get up to speed with the pace and rigorousness of the Premier League, and find his footing from a creative standpoint too.
Considering the injured midfielders working hard to return could threaten Simons’ starting berth in the coming months, there’s a case to be made that Frank will utilise the one-time Barcelona academy star from a wider berth.
But with Mikey Moore currently out on loan with Rangers, that spot may well be taken in the years to come.
The Spurs teenager coming for Mikey Moore's shirt number
Moore is still only 18, but already he has featured 21 times for Tottenham’s senior set-up, scoring once and assisting two goals. Scouts have lauded him for his “world-class” potential, and he had a big fan in Ange Postecoglou.
Last season, en route to Tottenham’s Europa League triumph, the teenager bagged his first senior goal against IF Elfsborg, drawing all the plaudits.
Hailed as a “superstar” of a prospect by journalist Fabrizio Romano, Moore’s dynamic approach to his game will serve him well as his physical development continues, and though he’s struggled on loan with Rangers this term, that is more of a reflection of the sinking ship that is Ibrox, embroiled in so many problems this season.
The England U19 captain, with seven goals from 13 games, operates across the frontline, but the left channel is ostensibly the position he is most naturally suited to, with his electric pace and ability to leave defenders munching dust lending itself to the role.
And, while he has yet to establish himself as a prolific force on the senior stage, Moore’s staggering returns on the development scene have created quite the noise around his name. In the U18 Premier League, for example, the diminutive forward posted 17 goals and 12 assists across just 22 appearances.
Tottenham U18
24
19 (13)
Tottenham
21
1 (2)
Rangers
7
0 (1)
Tottenham U21
5
2 (2)
Tottenham U19
5
0 (0)
Already, the fleet-footed talent ranks among the top 16% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues this season for assists per 90, data courtesy of FBref, and this natural-born creativity is something Tottenham could clearly add to their ranks right now, especially with Simons flattering to deceive.
Simons is an immensely talented attacking midfielder, and he will surely come good, but Moore is a one-of-a-kind talent, striking that balance between entertaining, showpiece football and the intelligent and calculated approach needed to steer through the many grittier moments of a campaign.
Youth scout Jacek Kulig has hailed Moore as “one of the most talented players of his generation in Europe”, and there’s no question that Spurs expect him to play a pivotal role under Frank’s wing in the years to come.
Last season, former Spurs boss Postecoglou had said he’s “very mature for a 17-year-old”, able to grasp the different facets of multi-positional play while retaining prolificness at youth level.
Maddison has even made the rather bold claim of Moore being Neymar-esque when carrying the ball down the wing, artful and elegant but also in full control.
This current campaign will teach him a thing or two about adversity, with Rangers having won just one of their opening eight Premiership matches, languishing some 13 points behind surprise league leaders Hearts.
Of course, there’s nothing to say that Simons and Moore couldn’t operate in harmony in the Tottenham attack, but, as acknowledged already, Kulusevski and Maddison are currently recovering on the sidelines.
The success of Spurs’ Swedish star when shuffled into a central creative berth underscores the size of the task in front of Simons, who was criticised by football.london for his ‘poor’ performance against Aston Villa at the weekend, hit with a 5/10 match rating.
All told, Frank has still made a steady start to life at the Tottenham helm, but he has several creases to iron out, and if Simons continues to struggle in his creative role, Moore might just return and find a pathway toward the starting line-up.
He has already been billed as a teenage talent with the potential to feature on the Premier League billboards, and that will soon be put to the test under Frank’s leadership.