Here are our Tottenham talking points after their 2-0 victory against Brentford in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon
What a difference a week and a playmaker on the pitch makes at Tottenham Hotspur. Seven days ago and the romance between the Spurs fans and their players on the pitch was on the rocks. However, just when it looked a divorce might be in the offing, so the spark was rekindled in the rain both in Newcastle and finally back in N17.
It has been a week of contrasts. Last Saturday when the players gathered in a huddle before leaving the pitch unified, they did so to boos from their own supporters. Fast forward seven days and as they gathered together this time, the fans also rose as one and applauded them off the pitch.
Last week, Guglielmo Vicario was booed twice when he touched the ball after an early mistake with one clearance mockingly cheered. This time his name was met by a roar from the majority of the 60,759 crowd when it was read out with the team before kick-off.
It was a tale once more of two first half goals making the difference. Last week it was Fulham's early strikes that stoked the fury, while this time Tottenham found their attacking groove to reignite the passion and the supporters finally loved a day out in N17 again.
Everything revolved around Xavi Simons. The Dutchman was never Thomas Frank's first choice in the summer - Morgan Gibbs-White was the clear objection of his affections - and that fact has certainly lingered in the air in recent weeks.
Xavi's move from RB Leipzig cost Tottenham a hefty £51.8million in the summer amid excitement at beating Chelsea to his signature, yet he had started on the bench for the previous four matches.
That came despite the north London side having failed to win a single game since his arrival when Xavi was named among the substitutes.
In his pre-match press conference on Thursday Thomas Frank was asked about Xavi repeatedly and he used the word attitude three times.
"Xavi has trained fantastic the last five or six times we really could train. Very good attitude on the training pitch. I like that a lot," he said first.
Then came "as long as he's the same like Matty [Tel], train well, good attitude, then we're getting closer and closer".
Next was the similar "as long as the player trains well, keep the right attitude, keep doing the right thing, step by step, we will see him flourish. I'm not in doubt of that".
It's worth noting that after the game Frank said Xavi is a '24/7 pro', so it was perhaps only a suggestion that Xavi had simply not taken his benching well at first or that the Dane was just looking for a reaction from him.
Either way, the reason for the Dutchman's purchase and need was clear on Saturday afternoon.
This Tottenham team have been screaming out for a playmaker and it's no coincidence that in each of the past four matches Xavi has started on the bench so Frank's side had failed to register a single first half shot on target.
The Dane needed the Dutchman more than he would probably care to admit. In a team missing Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison, Xavi's ability to pick out a pass and break the lines by spinning away from opponents is like gold dust.
His inclusion sparked the team and the crowd to life from the opening moments of the encounter with Tottenham's play crisp and quick, instantly penning Brentford back into their own third of the pitch.
Everything went through Xavi in his central number 10 role ahead of the 'sitters' as Frank called them - Rodrigo Bentancur and 19-year-old Archie Gray. The 'Xavi sitters' did the dirty work to allow the 22-year-old to flourish with one-twos galore, flicks and dribbles and finally Spurs had an unpredictability to their play that has been sorely lacking for much of this season.
The team is playing every three days right now but it did not show in their performance, with five changes made and players pressing high, snapping into challenges, covering each other's runs and showing grit with creativity.
The fans responded and Tottenham were together once more. The reward came after 25 minutes with Pedro Porro curling a ball down the right over the Brentford defence and into Xavi's run.
The Dutchman took it on and cushioned a perfect pass across the six-yard box and into Richarlison's stride for him to lash home. It was the 28-year-old's fourth goal in six games and a crucial blow personally against the man at the other end of the pitch - Igor Thiago - in the battle of the Brazilian strikers looking to impress in a World Cup year.
Xavi's first goal for Tottenham then came in the 43rd minute. His loose touch initially lost the ball in the Spurs half and brought a tackle that was almost a dangerous one, had he not pulled back his foot at the last moment.
The young midfielder jumped up quickly and got a better judged foot in to get the ball back. The pitch then opened up ahead of him like a parting of the seas and the Netherlands international just ran and ran, with the Brentford players terrified of touching him as they watched on in fear.
When Xavi emerged into the visitors' penalty area he slid a shot inside the left-hand post and beyond the grasp of Caoimhin Kelleher.
The Dutchman's relief was clear as he sprinted around the goal and stood on an advertising hoarding, with Djed Spence holding his back, Xavi enjoying the adoration of the fans who have called for him each week.
"They always told me, especially in Spain, with the ball it's all good, but after that you have to be aggressive and try to win the balls, and that's what I tried today, so I'm really happy," said Xavi of his goal.
"I think maybe it's the start of something beautiful that's coming. Obviously, when I signed here, I already had that in my head, but things happen in life and you have to go through it, and that's what happened."
He added of the physicality of the Premier League: "Obviously you have to deal with it, but as well you have to get the rhythm of games, playing a lot of minutes, and then it will take in a good shape, especially with the ball.
"I think the Premier League is another level above every league with respect, but physically as well, it's really hard."
The young Dutchman admitted he felt the love from the fans but has done so since he first put pen to paper on his move from Germany.
"If I'm honest, I always feel that. You want to perform always, but I think the most important thing for me is the daily basis," he said. "I'm a guy that has a lot of dedication and I know what I want to achieve in my career, so every day I'm putting in that work, and I knew that the day would come, and I think today is a beautiful start for everyone."
His compatriot Micky van de Ven, who was also superb on the day, had high praise for his team-mate in a club interview that contained a couple of clearly edited moments in answers that only raise eyebrows over what might have not made the cut.
"An unbelievable performance from Xavi. I think with the goal and assist it was really important today, and also I think he brought the creativity in the midfield," said the Dutch speedster.
"He's such a great technical player, and we can all see that. I think people underestimate a bit how the Premier League is, and if you come from another league, of course, with all respect to other leagues, because other leagues are also really intense and really good level with a lot of quality players, but the Premier League physically and how it goes up and down is just different.
"And everybody knows Xavi has a lot of qualities, and everybody can see it. I think this is really important for him today as well, it's really important. Of course, he knew people would be on him and everything, you know what people say about players who come into the Premier League for a big amount of money, people will be on you, and he knows that as well, so I think today he did a really good job.
"I knew already that he has the quality to play in the Premier League and to become a key player for us, and I think he showed that today by himself."
Frank would have known that Xavi's performance would have only increased the questions about those four matches on the bench. The two men shared a little moment at the final whistle as the Spurs boss checked the slightly limping Dutchman was okay and seemed to get a positive answer before they put an arm around each other.
Frank recalled what he said to Xavi at that moment: "Well done, really great response, good performance."
The Dane's praise for the midfielder after the game was strong if not gushing, and more of the angle that he wants to see more of this going forward.
"Yeah, definitely [this can be the breakthrough performance for him]. I think every player needs that extra good performance, so I'm happy for him," Frank told football.london. "He's been working very hard. He's a top pro, he's so determined, he wants it so badly in every aspect of his game. And it's just a little bit of adaptation, also that the team is a little bit out of sync.
"And now it was more, for example, Kudos after a great start, a little dip because of the little injury, and a lot better today as Xavi is in a good place. Kolo is in a better place, Richy. So everything just coming more and more together, so now we need to build on it."
He added of the summer signing's first goal for the club: "I think every player needs that extra bit of confidence. That comes from his performance, the team's performance. I think that assist and the goal gave him that extra bit of lightness in his step, and his touches and everything. For him, it was also an all-round very good performance.
"That's what I believed from the beginning, that Xavi can produce that out of nothing. Everything just needs a little bit of adaptation sometimes, with everything, him, the team, everything. This was a very good step. Now it's the next thing to do it again and again and again. But, yeah, very happy for him."
With confidence brimming from the first half for Xavi and the team, Spurs continued to push on against Frank's former employers in the second period.
Djed Spence seized on to a loose ball after a slick passing move but was denied in a one-vs-one by Kelleher. Then strong Tottenham pressing led to a low shot from Mohammed Kudus that the Brentford stopper held on to.
The defence were also desperate to do their bit at the other end to keep their first clean sheet in the Premier League since the win at Everton on October 23.
Van de Ven raced over in trademark style to launch into an inch-perfect tackle to deny Thiago at the last moment in front of Spurs' goal.
When Cristian Romero did exactly the same to the same player 10 minutes later, the Tottenham captain celebrated with a roar and bumped chests with Van de Ven before both launched a verbal volley at Kudus.
The Ghana international had been showboating somewhat before knocking the ball out play in his own half, giving Brentford the chance to take a quick free-kick and break into the hosts' box. It was dangerous. Concede and the final minutes would have got nervy.
"We just want to keep a clean sheet with the back line, I think that's the most important part," said Van de Ven of that incident. "So every time someone is doing, I wouldn't call it strange things, but you know what I mean, we need to be on them, we need to keep them awake, we need everybody to keep them awake, and make sure we get the three points.
"Just keep defending like we did the whole game, and I think that's important in these moments."
Both centre-backs were rocks on the day although Romero did have a reckless moment of his own in the first half as he continued his personal mission to taunt or crunch Brazilians by launching into a scissors tackle on Thiago.
It looked horrendous but VAR decided it was not reckless enough to upgrade the referee Robert Jones' yellow card.
The bookings are becoming a regular thing again in Romero's world. The World Cup winner now has seven, having been carded in both matches since returning from a one game suspension for collecting five.
That means if the Argentine receives three yellow cards in any of Spurs' next 17 Premier League matches then he will be issued a two-match ban.
Spurs finished off the match with another flurry of chances. Wilson Odobert had a shot saved and Mohammed Kudus thought he'd scored from the follow-up - and even asked for a ball boy's chair in preparation for his celebration - only for the goal to be ruled off for an Odobert offside.
It was another game in which Kudus did so much good work. His legs sometimes look like they're controlled independently from his body, such is his ability to remain on his feet even when his upper half looks like it's about to hit the floor.
The Ghanaian topped the Spurs stats for duels won (9), ball recoveries made (8), completed take-ons (5) and chances created (2), yet there still feels so much more to come from him. With his ability and skill, he should be grabbing goals and assists in almost every match.
He has the tools to become one of the Premier League's best if he can find that clinical edge more often at the end of the skills.
Ghana's failure to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations at least has a positive for the north London club as Spurs will not lose Kudus in the weeks ahead to the tournament. That means he and Xavi have the time to continue to build what has the makings of a thrilling relationship on the pitch if the Dutchman plays centrally more often.
That's the kind of exciting dynamic Frank needs to construct his team around. This was so much better from Spurs with 15 shots at goal and seven on target and some swift, one-touch passing moves and players looking to shoot rather than walk the ball into the net.
Substitute Pape Matar Sarr almost scored a third goal for the hosts late on from Spence's low cross, only for the ball to get stuck under his feet, giving time for Kelleher to set himself and save, before the keeper stopped the follow-up from Porro.
There were positives all over the pitch with Spence coming alive in the second half and Porro back to his best at home after a wretched display against Fulham.
Bentancur grew into the game with important interceptions after a bit of poor control early in the game. Alongside him Gray was neat and tidy in everything he did and weighed in with some important sliding challenges.
"I think he did well," said Frank of the teenager. "I must say there were a few others who shone maybe more, but for example, when Djed Spence was bombarding forward, he was very disciplined at a young age to be there on that side, taking care of that left defending position.
"I think he handled all the tricky situations with the ball, got out of it. He was always a good support. He covered ground very well. So I think it was a very solid performance."
Richarlison scored again in a battling display and Kolo Muani continues to impress with his awareness, touch, pressing and ability to beat a man, showing he's a dangerous winger as well as a front man.
There was a worrying sight post game though as the Frenchman had seemed to pull up just before coming off and could be seen limping out of the dressing room as the players left to go home.
Frank will not want injuries to derail Spurs just as they are finding their groove. Destiny Udogie missed the game with what the Spurs boss told football.london was "a soft tissue injury, unfortunately, against Newcastle".
The Dane said the injury should keep the Italian out for "not too long, not too long, yeah" which sounded about as convincing as you would expect at a club that does not do quick recoveries.
Frank had told football.london after the Newcastle draw that Udogie was fine despite it being pointed out that he was limping heavily and then in his pre-match press conference declared that everyone was fine and available. Udogie, who cannot get a long injury-free run under his belt, was seemingly not.
Someone else who is not available and is unlikely to wear a Spurs shirt again is Yves Bissouma.
Tottenham have launched an investigation into claims that the 29-year-old has been filmed once again inhaling a balloon full of nitrous oxide laughing gas at a party last month, with a video reportedly sent to a woman who had been invited to join him there.
It comes 16 months after Bissouma received a one-game suspension from the club after footage was posted of him inhaling such a balloon, which comes with a horrendous, long list of side effects including nerve damage, brain problems and hallucinations. It is illegal to supply the Class C drug.
A Spurs spokesman said of the latest claims: "We are looking into the events and it will be dealt with as an internal matter."
The reports have emerged in a week when Bissouma removed everything to do with Tottenham from his Instagram page. He has been pictured recently working in the gym in a Fenerbahce shirt gifted to him, following his ankle injury on Mali duty, which came within minutes of his return to action from a knee injury.
Bissouma looks set to join that long list of players with all of the talent in the world but none of the dedication and discipline to fully realise it.
Spurs had sent him to the FIFA Medical Centre of Excellence in Qatar to continue his rehabilitation and he was reportedly due back on the pitch in the next few weeks, but it would be a huge surprise if he ever plays in a Tottenham shirt again. The midfielder's contract is winding to its close and there are more deserving midfielders ahead of him.
The former Brighton man will be hoping to go to the Africa Cup of Nations with Mali later this month and Spurs will be praying he puts himself in the shop window and someone comes in for him in January.
Bissouma though will not be Frank's concern. The Dane's concern is winning matches and getting Spurs to play good football in doing so and Saturday's victory, only Tottenham's fourth home league victory in 22 matches stretching back to last year, was a start.
"You work hard on things and sometimes it just suddenly clicks," the 52-year-old told football.london. "The team has been a little bit out of sync in some stages. Today a lot more players were on the same page at the same time throughout the game. I think we looked such a threat going forward. Great chances, played with pace, tempo, penetration, unpredictable.
"So I like that, it's everything we like to be, but also being aggressive in the pressure, and still have that clean sheet mentality. We gave four shots away, which is very good against a Brentford team that is very difficult to handle when they play behind with their directness and their set-pieces, so overall just a complete performance, I would say."
Frank and the players also had the Tottenham fans back onside and enjoying an afternoon again inside their own stadium.
"The Spurs fans are great fans. Sometimes there's ups, sometimes there are downs in football and life, but I like how the team responded. I like how the whole stadium, the fans responded," said Frank.
"Maybe it was me, but I noticed when Vicario's name was announced [before kick-off], I think an extra high roar. I love that. That makes me warm inside because that's where you support your player, because no one, like no one, should be talking bad about our players.
"The fans should feel like that. No one. They should protect them and I think today there was a fantastic energy between both the team and the fans."
As Frank said Xavi must now make his display a consistent thing, so the Spurs head coach and his decision-making will be held to the same standard.
His team selection and his tactics were spot on from the start and for once he didn't have to scramble to alter his best-laid plans after things had gone wrong.
"We worked very hard on the structure, how we want the structure to be, with which position we wanted," said the Lilywhites head coach. "Xavi and Mo and Richy and Kolo and also the two sitters and how we pushed Djed a little bit higher. That, and then I think more of the players were more in form, sharper together. All that, I think, helped today.
"We had a very good training session yesterday. it just looked, again, more right. I think the team in general on paper looked right."
It did and this was a day when everybody had relieved smiles on their faces as they went out into the Saturday night, from Frank to the players and the fans.
One the club's most famous smiling faces returns on Tuesday night as Son Heung-min gets to say his proper goodbye to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium at half-time in the Champions League match against Slavia Prague.
It will be a night of emotion and it needs to be one of good football and another home victory if the tide is truly going to start turning in Frank's favour.
