🔗 Share this article

When Chelsea were looking for a successor for Mauricio Pochettino in May 2024, multiple managers were considered. It was an comprehensive process that saw the club holding talks with Thomas Frank before they finally selected Enzo Maresca.

The opinion was that Maresca’s positional game and emphasis on possession rendered him the best fit for Chelsea’s team of skilled players. Frank, who had excelled at Brentford, had to remain patient for his big break. Not chosen by Manchester United after they dismissed Erik ten Hag, his moment arrived when Tottenham appointed the Dane after sacking Ange Postecoglou last summer.

At present, Frank and Maresca face each other, both in major roles. Their relationship is not currently a established rivalry, but they experienced some close encounters last season. Frank’s Brentford were unlucky to suffer a 2-1 loss at Stamford Bridge last December and created the more clear-cut chances when they drew 0-0 with Chelsea in April.

Those were two decent games, made more fascinating by the contrasting styles between the tacticians. Frank is more of a pragmatist, more inclined to be straightforward, play on the break, and wait for opportunities to deploy an range of clinical set-piece strategies, whereas Maresca tends towards ideological rigidity. The Italian comes from the Pep Guardiola school; he values dominance of the ball.

Chelsea’s possession average of 59.7% this season is topped only by Liverpool in the Premier League. Frank mixes it up more. Spurs are not instinctively a defensive side – they are ranked seventh in the possession rankings, ahead of Manchester United and Newcastle – but it is significant that their best performances have come in games where they have surrendered the possession. They were excellent with a five-man defense in the Super Cup against Paris Saint-Germain, executed an outstanding counterpress when they won 2-0 at Manchester City, and dominated Everton with set pieces last Sunday.

Those performances suggest Spurs might adopt a defensive approach when they welcome Chelsea. Tottenham, it must be noted, have one win from their past seven home league games. The numbers are awful. Spurs’ record of 13 points from their last 18 home outings is the poorest of any team to have been in the top flight during that timeframe.

This is a tricky game to read. Spurs are five points off first place and undefeated in the Champions League. Chelsea are Club World Cup winners and reached the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup this week. Nevertheless, 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 immaturity, indiscipline, and difficulties against low blocks.

The situation is that both managers are managing reasonably well. Chelsea could drop to 12th if they lose to Spurs, but there is background to their mixed results. Injuries to Cole Palmer and Levi Colwill have been costly. A disrupted pre-season, caused by the club reaching the final at the Club World Cup, cannot be ignored.

Still, there is potential for progress, especially when it comes to keeping 11 players on the pitch. Liam Delap’s ludicrous red card during Wednesday’s Carabao Cup success against Wolves was Chelsea’s sixth red card in nine games, including Maresca’s dismissal from the dugout during the win over Liverpool.

Maresca was displeased with Delap, who is banned for the visit to Spurs. But he is also pondering how to make his team more effective against defensive teams. The goals have slowed down for João Pedro, and more reliability is required from Chelsea’s young wide players.

Frustration grew during last weekend’s 2-1 home defeat by Sunderland. Chelsea had 68.4% possession, their maximum of the campaign, but their expected goals was 0.97. Sunderland’s switch to a five-man defense baffled Maresca. Régis Le Bris had studied his opponent. Data revealing that it is only one victory from the six league games when Chelsea’s possession has been at its maximum this season suggests that their key approach is being exploited and used to their disadvantage.

This is not a new issue. It was no wins from the four league games in which Chelsea had their most possession last season, emphasizing a weakness when Maresca’s pursuit for control is taken to the limit. The risk is drifting into ineffective control, to borrow Arsène Wenger’s term. José Mourinho’s line about the team with the ball having the worry also applies here.

Maresca differs in opinion, but it is worth noting that Chelsea had 33.5% possession when they delivered their most impressive performance under the Italian and decisively beat PSG in the Club World Cup final. Flexibility is a positive attribute. Chelsea have a number of fast attackers and are pulsating when they have space to attack.

Will Frank give them space? Chelsea exploited Postecoglou’s adventurous tactics on their last two trips to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Frank will surely be smarter. Is a shift to a back five on the cards? 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 gotten better at attacking set pieces but are conceding too many chances.

Being so direct does not necessarily match Spurs’ traditions. But with James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski missing, there is a heavy creative responsibility on Mohammed Kudus. Xavi Simons, targeted by Chelsea last summer, has not done enough since joining RB Leipzig. Spurs are one-dimensional in from open situations. Their forwards remain unreliable.

But this is one game where the outcome may excuse the approach. Spurs fans will not object if a cautious approach halts a four-game losing run against Chelsea. Success would boost Frank’s time in charge. How he would cherish to win this battle with Maresca.