Three things we learned from Tottenham draw as Simons makes case for new role | OneFootball

Thomas Frank has some thinking to do after a strong substitute shift from Xavi Simons

Your matchday briefing on Tottenham, featuring team news and expert analysis from Matt Verri

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There is something about the Amex Stadium that brings out Tottenham’s chaotic side.

It will go down as a good result for Spurs, who had shipped seven goals across their two defeats on the south coast in the last two seasons.

After Yankuba Minteh and Yasin Ayari had put Brighton in charge, Richarlison halved the deficit before half-time and an own goal from Jan Paul van Hecke late on levelled things up.

At the end of a week in which Spurs beat West Ham and began their Champions League campaign with a win over Villarreal, Frank will surely be satisfied.

Simons makes his mark

After two appearances on the left wing, Simons got his chance off the bench in the No10 role. After this display, that is where he should stay.

Within ten minutes of coming on, the Dutchman had offered more than he did against Villarreal or West Ham. Having fired one shot wide and had another well saved by Bart Verbruggen, Simons then dragged an effort past the post when picked out in the box. He should have done better but the signs were encouraging.

He was central to Spurs’ push for an equaliser and the visitors looked far more dangerous for it, with this by far Simons’ best showing in a Spurs shirt.

He slid a nice pass through to Lucas Bergvall which almost created a chance, and Simons then drove from deep, cruising past the Brighton midfielders. Richarlison was played in but the Brazilian’s effort was comfortably saved.

Frank has been keen to emphasise that Simons can play on the left or at No10, but on this evidence it is centrally where he can thrive. It is where he looks best and it is where Spurs need him.

Defensive stability goes missing

There has been a regular theme to Frank’s recent press conferences. Whether he’s been prompted or not, the Spurs boss has spoken of the defensive structure he’s put in place and how that has been a key priority since he arrived in north London at the start of the summer.

With good reason, too. Ahead of their trip to the Amex, Spurs had conceded only goal this season and kept four clean sheets in five matches.

This was a break from that pattern, with Spurs conceding twice in the first half and looking incredibly vulnerable. Every Brighton counter-attack felt like it could lead to a goal.

The man-marking did not pin Brighton in but rather left huge gaps for the hosts to exploit and they did just that. Brighton’s first goal came when Micky van de Ven pushed well into the Seagulls’ half to press, didn’t get the ball and Yankuba Minteh broke into the space he had left.

So often in those scenarios it is Van de Ven bailing Spurs out of trouble, but he was too far out of position. There was nearly a repeat later in the half, when only a great challenge from Destiny Udogie stopped Brighton running clear for 3-0.

There were less worrying moments for Spurs after the break as they dominated the ball, but the first-half showing will concern Frank.

Odobert fails to take chance

It was a shock to see Wilson Odobert in the starting lineup, but there was little surprise in what he produced in his 70 minutes on the pitch.

Making his first start of the season, there were some promising signs early on for Odobert when Destiny Udogie regularly flew forward on the overlap and the winger picked him out. It felt like Udogie’s threat could bring out the best in Odobert.

That did not materialise, though. Odobert’s decision-making in the final third was poor and there was no conviction when his moments came.

The ball dropped to him in the box just before the half-hour mark and it was as clear an opening as Spurs had managed up to that point. It was a wild swing of the boot from Odobert and he sliced it well wide of the far post.

His best passage of play came after the break, when he beat his man on the outside and drilled a low cross into the box which Bergvall nearly turned in.

However, there was not enough of that. Frank has tried Brennan Johnson, Simons, Mathys Tel and now Odobert on that wing this season but he appears no closer to finding a consistent performer on the left.