Roberto De Zerbi has now mentioned three things he wants Xavi Simons to stop doing as the Dutchman struggles in a Tottenham shirt.
It is still early days for Tottenham Hotspur under new boss Roberto De Zerbi, who has barely been at the club for a month.
However, we have still been able to understand a few things about the new boss, who is currently not overly keen on instilling his principles from the off.
De Zerbi’s focus, though, has been on boosting the confidence of his players as they fight to beat the drop to the Championship this season.
Tottenham boss Roberto De Zerbi sends clear message to Xavi Simons
Many players in this Tottenham squad need their confidence boosted, including Xavi Simons, who is yet to hit form in north London.
So far this season, the Dutchman has managed just one goal and four assists in the league, although he has put in a couple of solid displays in the Champions League, including in the clash against Atletico Madrid, where he grabbed a brace.
But Simons was not included in De Zerbi’s starting XI last time out against Sunderland, instead being limited to a brief cameo off the bench.
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De Zerbi has now opened up on what he expects from the midfielder, delivering a blunt assessment when asked what Simons needs to do to earn more minutes.
He told football.london: “He has to score, he has to make assists and to run without the ball. Stop. It’s enough!”
Spurs role for Simons remains uncertain ahead of Brighton
De Zerbi also hinted at how many minutes Simons is likely to get when Tottenham face Brighton this weekend.
Spurs are in desperate need of a victory, as a win against the Seagulls could see them leapfrog West Ham United and move out of the relegation places, at least until the Hammers play on Monday.
De Zerbi is expected to name his strongest XI for the clash, and Simons looks set to start on the bench, with the Tottenham boss saying: “I do not want to change nothing with my players, especially in this part. Character, personality.
“And I think he can be important for us in this moment, I do not know if for 30 minutes or 20 minutes, but I have this opinion about him.”