(Credit: Getty, Imago)

Evan Shaw

Wed 1 April 2026 10:30, UK

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Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Xavi Simons has found himself in the firing line yet again after the Netherlands’ 1-1 draw with Ecuador on Tuesday night.

The Dutch rounded off their latest round of World Cup preparations with a friendly in Eindhoven in midweek, but they were unable to find a way past their opponents from South America.

Simons started and played 78 minutes as part of a midfield three for Ronald Koeman’s side, who found themselves up against it from the start after Denzel Dumfries was sent off in just the 12th minute.

Several Premier League stars featured in the starting XI for the Dutch, and their media have been quick to criticise the performance of the team after a frustrating evening.

Simons is set to play a crucial role in Tottenham’s battle against relegation, but he was met with familiar concerns after his latest international display.

Xavi Simons torn apart for not wanting to battle

Koeman’s men took the lead in the third minute of the action through Willian Pacho’s early own goal, but it quickly became a fight to stay in the game after Dumfries’ dismissal.

Enner Valencia levelled from the penalty spot in the 24th minute, and the visitors then piled the pressure on to try and find an equaliser in the final hour of the game.

However, Simons is a technically gifted player, and arguably not the kind of star who you want on the pitch when you are playing a man light and have your backs against the wall.

Koeman shared that feeling, as he hooked the Spurs starlet in favour of Luciano Valente in the 78th minute.

Simons has come in for heavy criticism from the national media for his performance, as Voetbal Primeur handed him a 5/10 match rating and referred to him as “unconvincing,” while also noting that he lost many of his duels.

They also labelled his efforts on Tuesday night as further evidence that his involvement with the national team continues to be a “marriage that just doesn’t seem to want to get going.”

Football Oranje were no less sympathetic towards the 22-year-old, as they also handed out a 5/10 rating, while adding that he “doesn’t want to be involved in a battle and struggled to make an impact.”

Simons is not what Tottenham need right now

Tottenham need Roberto De Zerbi to have an immediate impact after he was appointed as their new manager on Tuesday, as they do not have time on their side at the moment.

The Lilywhites have just seven games remaining to save their Premier League status, and they are currently outside the relegation zone by just one point, with West Ham displaying promising form of late.

With that in mind, these reviews on Simons from the Dutch media should be telling De Zerbi everything that he needs to know about the youngster for the coming weeks.

The fact that Simons is not up for a battle has been clear on several occasions during his debut campaign in English football, and that is surely an obvious indication that he cannot be a starter in the relegation run-in.

Spurs will need players who are willing to fight and scrap for every inch of grass in the coming weeks if they are to avoid an embarrassing relegation, and they cannot rely on Simons to do that at the moment.