🔗 Share this article

When Chelsea were searching for a successor for Mauricio Pochettino in May 2024, multiple managers were evaluated. This was an comprehensive process that saw the club engaging with Thomas Frank before they finally chose Enzo Maresca.

The opinion was that Maresca’s positional game and focus on possession positioned him as the best fit for Chelsea’s roster of skilled players. Frank, who had performed brilliantly at Brentford, had to wait for his next opportunity. Overlooked by Manchester United after they parted ways with Erik ten Hag, his opportunity arrived when Tottenham appointed the Danish manager after firing Ange Postecoglou last summer.

Currently, Frank and Maresca meet, both holding prestigious roles. Theirs is not yet a established rivalry, but they experienced some close encounters last season. Frank’s Brentford were unlucky to endure a 2-1 defeat at Stamford Bridge last December and created the more clear-cut chances when they tied 0-0 with Chelsea in April.

Those were two decent games, made more fascinating by the divergent approaches between the tacticians. Frank is considered a pragmatist, more inclined to be straightforward, play on the break, and wait for chances to unveil an array of deadly set-piece routines, whereas Maresca leans towards dogmatism. The Italian is a product of the Pep Guardiola philosophy; he emphasizes dominance of the ball.

Chelsea’s possession average of 59.7% this season is topped only by Liverpool in the Premier League. Frank adapts his tactics more. Spurs are not naturally a defensive side – they are seventh in the possession standings, ahead of Manchester United and Newcastle – but it is significant that their best showings have come in games where they have ceded the possession. They were excellent with a back five in the Super Cup against Paris Saint-Germain, executed an impressive pressing game when they won 2-0 at Manchester City, and overwhelmed Everton with set pieces last Sunday.

Those performances indicate Spurs should play on the counter when they host Chelsea. Tottenham, it must be noted, have only one victory from their last seven home league games. The statistics are awful. Spurs’ return of 13 points from their past 18 home outings is the poorest of any team to have been in the top flight during that period.

This is a hard game to read. Spurs are five points off first place and undefeated in the Champions League. Chelsea are world champions and reached the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup this week. However, fans of both sides remain unconvinced about Frank and Maresca. Spurs supporters have grumbled about a lack of creativity when the responsibility is on their team to attack; Chelsea’s moan about their young side’s inexperience, lack of discipline, and toils against defensive setups.

The situation is that both managers are managing reasonably well. Chelsea could slip to 12th if they are defeated to Spurs, but there is context to their indifferent results. Injuries to Cole Palmer and Levi Colwill have taken a toll. A disrupted pre-season, due to the club reaching the final at the Club World Cup, cannot be ignored.

Yet, there is scope for development, especially when it comes to maintaining 11 players on the pitch. Liam Delap’s unnecessary sending off during Wednesday’s Carabao Cup win against Wolves was Chelsea’s sixth such red card in nine games, including Maresca’s removal from the touchline during the win over Liverpool.

Maresca was angry with Delap, who is suspended for the trip to Spurs. But he is also pondering how to make his team more penetrative against defensive teams. The goals have dried up for João Pedro, and more steadiness is required from Chelsea’s young wide players.

Frustration built during last weekend’s 2-1 home loss by Sunderland. Chelsea had 68.4% possession, their peak of the campaign, but their expected goals was 0.97. Sunderland’s switch to a back five flummoxed Maresca. Régis Le Bris had prepared well. Data revealing that it is one win from the six league games when Chelsea’s possession has been at its highest this season suggests that their key approach is being used against them and turned on them.

This is not a recent issue. It was no wins from the four league games in which Chelsea had their most possession last season, highlighting a flaw when Maresca’s quest for control is taken to extremes. The risk is falling into unproductive possession, to borrow Arsène Wenger’s term. José Mourinho’s line about the team with the ball having the anxiety also applies here.

Maresca contests this view, but it is worth noting that Chelsea had 33.5% possession when they produced their best performance under the Italian and thrashed PSG in the Club World Cup final. Variety is a strength. Chelsea have plenty of fast attackers and are exciting when they have space to attack.

Will Frank allow them space? Chelsea exploited Postecoglou’s adventurous tactics on their last two trips to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Frank will undoubtedly be smarter. Is a shift to a back five possible? Chelsea have allowed goals from three long throws this season. Spurs could have Kevin Danso throwing balls into the box. They will observe that Chelsea have improved at offensive set pieces but are conceding too many chances.

Being so direct does not necessarily match Spurs’ history. But with James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski absent, there is a considerable creative responsibility on Mohammed Kudus. Xavi Simons, pursued by Chelsea last summer, has not made an impact since arriving from RB Leipzig. Spurs are lacking variety in general play. Their forwards remain inconsistent.

But this is one game where the ends may validate the approach. Spurs fans will not object if a defensive approach halts a four-game losing run against Chelsea. Victory would ignite Frank’s time in charge. How he would cherish to win this contest with Maresca.