Xavi Simons “Didn’t Deserve” Netherlands Start as Gakpo Creates Major Issue

Xavi Simons returned to the Netherlands starting XI with a bang, scoring a superb goal in the 4–0 win over Lithuania — yet the Tottenham Hotspur midfielder still faces criticism over whether he should have started at all. Dutch pundit Anco Jansen, speaking via FC Update and ESPN’s Voetbalpraat, argued that Simons “didn’t deserve” the number-ten role Ronald Koeman handed him, raising fresh debate over where the 22-year-old fits for both club and country.

Simons had not started a match for the national team since September. In the months that followed, he was used sparingly: an 80-minute shift on the right wing against Poland, then bench duty against Lithuania, Malta and Finland. This international break followed a similar pattern — unused against Poland before surprisingly being thrust into the starting XI against Lithuania.

His answer? A brilliant top-corner finish for the Netherlands’ fourth goal. Despite that moment of class, doubts linger. Was this trust earned, or an experiment from Koeman? And how much of the problem stems from positional battles that mirror what he faces at Tottenham?

Jansen did not mince his words. The analyst suggested Simons' form for both Tottenham and the Netherlands did not justify a starting role, describing his first half as “weak” and calling him a “dissonant” presence — alongside Memphis Depay — despite praising the quality of his goal.

Simons’ season has indeed been mixed at Spurs, where Thomas Frank has rotated him across all three attacking midfield positions. That inconsistency has now spilled into the international setup, where Koeman also appears unsure of where to place him.

The question is no longer just should he start, but where does he actually belong?

Liverpool’s Cody Gakpo has long held down the left-side role for the Oranje, and former midfielder Karim El Ahmadi believes that’s a major obstacle for Simons.

El Ahmadi argues that Simons operates best when he is free to drift left — something he simply cannot do with Gakpo occupying that zone. The result? A constrained, predictable version of Simons forced into tight spaces where his natural creativity is stifled.

This mirrors his situation at Tottenham, where the rotation of wide forwards often blocks his preferred movements and reduces his influence.

Having watched Spurs closely this season, Simons’ issue is not form — it’s usage. Both Koeman and Frank fluctuate between giving him a free role and tying him to rigid instructions. In our view, that inconsistency is far more disruptive than anything Simons is doing wrong.

There is also a nuance that often gets overlooked: although some pundits believe Gakpo limits Simons, the Liverpool man remains one of the Netherlands’ most reliable performers. Dropping him is unrealistic, meaning Koeman must rethink how Simons fits around him rather than instead of him.

The criticism also feels oddly timed. Simons scored, created chances, dribbled past defenders and progressed the ball well. If this outing didn’t strengthen his case for more minutes, what will?

Simons’ best performances — for PSG, Leipzig and Tottenham — have come when he can receive the ball between lines and drift diagonally into half-spaces. That role still exists for the Netherlands, but only if Koeman adjusts Gakpo’s movement or switches Simons into a hybrid right-10 position.

Because Simons is one of the few Dutch attackers capable of rapid combination play in congested areas, Koeman may eventually see him as the natural heir in the No. 10 role. But that requires patience, not snap judgments after one shaky half.

Simons will return to Tottenham with renewed confidence and a goal that should strengthen his case for more minutes under Thomas Frank. Spurs face Arsenal on 23 November 2025, and his usage in that match may hint at whether Frank sees him as a long-term central option.

👉 Spurs & Oranje fans — does Simons deserve the No. 10 role, or should Koeman stick with his current structure?