Does Thomas Frank trust Xavi Simons?

Xavi Simons' Tottenham career is yet to ignite, but perspective is important. We're merely a couple of months into his period of acclimatisation. His time will come in N17.

The club pivoted to the RB Leipzig playmaker in the summer, having seen their pursuits for Englishmen Morgan Gibbs-White and Eberechi Eze come up frustratingly short. Thus, there were few expectations that Xavi would end up in Lilywhite when the initial links emerged.

Given what we'd endured in the summer, the efficiency at which we moved to secure the Dutchman's signature, amid interest from Chelsea, came as a surprise. Our desperation for a fresh playmaker meant excitement was rife for Xavi, who was paraded in front of Tottenham supporters before our 1-0 defeat to Bournemouth as a creative messiah.

With Son Heung-min following Harry Kane out of the door two years after his pal's exit, Xavi, who entered mainstream football consciousness as a pre-teen in Barcelona, was regarded as the new face of the franchise in N17.

However, the palpable excitement of three months ago has drifted into genuine concern. Xavi's start has been slow, and some are questioning whether the manager, who's been ever so quick to praise Spurs' new No. 7, actually trusts him.

Xavi Simons' time will come in a Tottenham shirt

The 23-year-old has started ten of Spurs' 20 games in all competitions. While a player of Xavi's profile is very much a necessity in a squad devoid of creativity, time is required for the gifted Dutch playmaker for bed into Premier League life.

Some are frustrated that Frank has opted against picking him for the three biggest games of the season up to this point, although Lucas Bergvall's concussion meant Xavi entered the fray early on against Chelsea in far-from-ideal circumstances.

He explained Xavi's omission in a woeful North London Derby as a "tactical decision," curiously preferring Wilson Odobert. However, given how the Dane initially set up on Sunday, Xavi would've been doomed to fail at the Emirates, had he started. Instead, Frank turned to him with Spurs 2-0 down at half-time after 45 minutes of lumping it upfield and confused defensive work. It was an impossible situation for Xavi to salvage, but at least he dared to try and do something while others shirked the responsibility.

There was an expectation that Frank would revert to the Dutch star for a trip to his former home on Wednesday night, but the boss once again left Xavi on the bench against Paris Saint-Germain. This time, though, Frank opted for alternative personnel that allowed his team to impose themselves in a daunting environment. Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray were excellent, but some may wonder whether the club's shiniest new toy would've been able to perform a similar role.

Not only is Xavi a silky and elegant playmaker who can, as Frank said upon his arrival, "unlock defences," but he's also industrious and full of running. Still, I'm not going to complain too much about his absence in the week, given how admirably the midfield performed.

His recent absences aren't necessarily examples of Frank failing to trust Tottenham's £52m summer addition; the manager, whether rightly or wrongly, simply deemed alternative personnel as more suitable for the individual game plans he wished to oversee.

Nevertheless, Frank must recognise that such ploys, even when Spurs excel without the ball, are unsustainable. On another night, we're celebrating a victory in Paris, given how well the first 50 minutes played out, but there has to be a harmonious balance in all phases moving forward, starting this weekend.

The Dane isn't silly. He knows what he has in Xavi, even if the Dutchman's distinct talent has merely flashed outside of his standout performance against Copenhagen earlier this month. I will be shocked if he's not back in the starting XI for the must-win game on Saturday night, with a Fulham side without a Premier League away win this season coming to town.

Ultimately, if Spurs are to evolve under their under-fire manager, Xavi's touches could hold the key.