Tottenham finally rediscovered some spark on home turf as Xavi Simons delivered a dazzling performance in a 2–0 victory over Brentford, giving Thomas Frank a triumphant reunion with the club he once led. After weeks of frustration and a winless run stretching across five games, Spurs supporters were treated to a display full of energy, incision, and long-absent conviction — with Simons at the centre of almost everything.
Making his first start in close to a month, the £51m summer signing produced the kind of showing Tottenham had been longing to see. His quick, clever movement repeatedly disrupted Brentford’s defensive shape, and midway through the first half he carved out the breakthrough. After drifting into space, he slid the ball across the box for Richarlison to tuck home, finishing a sweeping Spurs move and opening the gates for the confident football that followed.
Simons then lifted the stadium further just before the interval. Beginning his run at halfway, he skipped between challenges, surged towards goal, and capped it off with an assured finish for his long-awaited first Tottenham goal. It was a moment that felt both cathartic and symbolic — a young talent finally shaking off his early-season struggles and stamping himself on the game from his preferred central role.
Brentford, meanwhile, endured another bruising afternoon on their travels. Keith Andrews, who succeeded Frank in the summer, saw his side fall to a seventh defeat in eight away league games. Their first-half display lacked sharpness and aggression, repeatedly allowing Spurs to play through and around them. Although Brentford steadied themselves after the break, they never truly threatened to turn the match around.
For Frank, this result felt like a much-needed reset. After months of inconsistent home form — only three league wins in their previous 21 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium — Spurs finally played with the purpose and structure he has been demanding. Their seven shots on target marked a season-high, and the fluidity in wide areas, matched with aggression out of possession, offered a template Frank will hope to build on.
Simons’ performance, though, was the undeniable headline. No player attempted more shots, hit the target more often, or influenced Spurs’ forward patterns as consistently. This was the version of the Dutch playmaker supporters expected when he arrived from Paris: sharp between the lines, brave on the ball, and decisive in the final third.
Even Frank admitted afterwards that this felt like a turning point — not only for the player, but perhaps for the squad as a whole. The pressure that had engulfed recent home games momentarily lifted, replaced by a sense of possibility and optimism.
Brentford will return to the training ground searching for answers, but for Spurs the takeaway was clear: with Simons thriving, their attacks have far greater rhythm, ambition, and bite. And if this is the spark that ignites a broader revival, fans may look back on this win as the afternoon Tottenham finally woke up.
