Liverpool may have picked the wrong £113m star as Wirtz–Salah dilemma and new transfer strategy emerge
It feels like most fans haven’t been watching Simons closely, or maybe we all forgot that pundits once called him Tottenham’s new Son.
The stats actually back up why Spurs boss Thomas Frank thinks there’s a “very good comparison” between Xavi Simons and Florian Wirtz. Both new arrivals at Liverpool and Tottenham have struggled so far. Imagine stars in their former club trying so hard in the premier league like this.
Though I also predict they might not find it easy like they do in the Germans league. Simons, who cost Spurs more than £50 million in the summer, has only managed one assist so far. Liverpool’s £115 million man Wirtz also sits on a single assist.
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Both players arrived in England after impressing in the Bundesliga, where Simons was directly involved in 17 goals last season and Wirtz had 23.
According to Tottenham manager Frank, the difficulties both are having adjusting to life in England are comparable. “I think that’s a very good question,” he stated.
It’s also a great analogy to Wirtz, who is a really good player like Xavi. “A very talented player is approaching a new city, club, and country. It’s part of the process of settling in.
“Every game, we are all being evaluated. However, we also need to see it across time and from a little larger perspective.
“I’m constantly searching for hints and fragments of what we’re working on. For instance, I believe there were some positive aspects, Xavi.
When I looked back at the game, I saw that he had done what I had wanted him to do—be more arriving in the box. Was there a particularly striking moment? No, although some nice glimmers were seen.
Therefore, I believe it is continuously moving slightly in the right way. Their troubles are not the only similarity between the two; they both come from Bundesliga systems where they were key players.
Simons was the centre of the offence for RB Leipzig in the Bundesliga, mostly moving out to the left to retrieve the ball. He was able to float wherever he pleased.
He averaged two crucial passes and 68 touches per game, according to SofaScore. That translates to 41.2 touches per game for Tottenham in the Premier League, mostly closer to the left flank than he is accustomed to, and 1.2 crucial passes.
Although Wirtz is actually making 1.9 key passes per game, his average of 73.4 touches per game and 1.8 key passes per game at Bayer Leverkusen has significantly decreased to 46.8 in the Premier League, indicating that the attackers aren’t taking advantage of their opportunities.
However, if he were to receive more touches, Liverpool’s attack would have more chances to capitalise on what he is contributing. Though they are both trying their best but I think what’s happening is the main reason most fans believe premier league is the most competitive league.
According to a fans named shatta on x when Tottenham wanted to get Simon signed: “Though this lad is already being hailed as the next son in tottenham and he’s doing well in Leipzig, but let’s wait and see if he will succeed in the premier league.
In my opinion, I think instead of picking up the ball in his favourite spot towards the left of the final third as he did when playing in Germany, Wirtz must spread himself thinner and drop deeper, picking it up in different places along the pitch’s breadth.
Both men are obviously capable of succeeding in new situations, but the fact that they are no longer the main guys isn’t helping them, and it’s difficult to get that status when there are famous people around and they take the things they are accustomed to having for themselves.
