Battle of Styles Looms as Frank and Enzo Maresca Face Off in Developing Competition

At the time Chelsea were searching for a successor for Mauricio Pochettino in May 2024, a number of managers were evaluated. It was an extensive process that saw the club engaging 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 technicians. Frank, who had achieved great success at Brentford, had to wait for his big break. Overlooked by Manchester United after they dismissed Erik ten Hag, his opportunity arrived when Tottenham hired the Dane after firing Ange Postecoglou last summer.

Currently, Frank and Maresca face each other, both in high-profile roles. Their relationship is not currently a established rivalry, but they had some hard-fought matches last season. Frank’s Brentford were unlucky to endure a 2-1 defeat at Stamford Bridge last December and had the better chances when they drew 0-0 with Chelsea in April.

Those were two engaging games, made more fascinating by the tactical differences between the managers. Frank is considered a practical manager, more willing to be direct, play on the break, and wait for chances to execute an variety of effective set-piece routines, whereas Maresca veers towards ideological rigidity. The Italian comes from the Pep Guardiola school; he prizes control of the ball.

Chelsea’s average of 59.7% this season is exceeded only by Liverpool in the Premier League. Frank mixes it up more. Spurs are not instinctively a defensive side – they are seventh in the possession standings, ahead of Manchester United and Newcastle – but it is significant that their best displays have come in games where they have relinquished the control. They were superb with a back five in the Super Cup against Paris Saint-Germain, implemented an exceptional counterpress when they won 2-0 at Manchester City, and overwhelmed Everton with set pieces last Sunday.

Those performances suggest Spurs should play on the counter when they welcome Chelsea. Tottenham, after all, have only one victory from their past seven home league games. The statistics are concerning. 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 period.

This is a tricky game to call. 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. Yet, fans of both sides remain unconvinced about Frank and Maresca. Spurs supporters have expressed frustration about a absence of creativity when the onus is on their team to attack; Chelsea’s complain about their young side’s immaturity, indiscipline, and difficulties against low blocks.

The reality is that both managers are managing reasonably well. Chelsea could slip to 12th if they are defeated to Spurs, but there is mitigating circumstances to their indifferent results. Injuries to Cole Palmer and Levi Colwill have been costly. A disrupted pre-season, resulting from the club reaching the final at the Club World Cup, cannot be ignored.

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

Maresca was angry with Delap, who is banned for the trip to Spurs. But he is also pondering how to make his team more penetrative against defensive teams. The goals have slowed down for João Pedro, and more consistency is necessary from Chelsea’s young wingers.

Frustration mounted during last weekend’s 2-1 home defeat by Sunderland. Chelsea had 68.4% possession, their highest of the season, but their xG was 0.97. Sunderland’s adjustment to a back five baffled Maresca. Régis Le Bris had prepared well. Data indicating that it is only one victory from the six league games when Chelsea’s possession has been at its peak this season suggests that their core identity is being used against them and used to their disadvantage.

This is not a recent issue. It was no wins from the four league games in which Chelsea had their highest possession stats last season, underscoring a weakness when Maresca’s drive for control is taken to the limit. The risk is falling into sterile domination, to borrow Arsène Wenger’s expression. José Mourinho’s comment about the team with the ball having the anxiety also applies here.

Maresca contests this view, but it is worth remembering that Chelsea had 33.5% possession when they delivered their finest performance under the Italian and thrashed PSG in the Club World Cup final. Flexibility is a advantage. Chelsea have a number of fast attackers and are exciting when they have space to attack.

Will Frank give them freedom? Chelsea punished Postecoglou’s attacking tactics on their past two trips to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Frank will surely be smarter. Is a switch to a back five on the cards? Chelsea have conceded from three long throws this season. Spurs could have Kevin Danso launching balls into the box. They will take into account that Chelsea have improved at attacking set pieces but are allowing too many chances.

Being so straightforward does not necessarily fit with Spurs’ style. But with James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski unavailable, there is a heavy creative load on Mohammed Kudus. Xavi Simons, pursued by Chelsea last summer, has not done enough since joining RB Leipzig. Spurs are predictable in open play. Their forwards remain unreliable.

But this is one game where the outcome may validate the approach. Spurs fans will not complain if a defensive approach breaks a four-game sequence of defeats against Chelsea. A win would ignite Frank’s tenure. How he would relish to win this contest with Maresca.