When Chelsea began searching for a successor to Mauricio Pochettino in May 2024, several candidates were assessed during a long and detailed recruitment process. Among those spoken to was Thomas Frank, yet the club ultimately opted for Enzo Maresca.
Chelsea’s hierarchy felt Maresca was the better fit, largely because of his positional philosophy and commitment to possession football, which aligned with a squad packed with technically gifted players. Frank, despite excelling at Brentford, had to be patient. After Manchester United passed on him following Erik ten Hag’s dismissal, his opportunity arrived when Tottenham turned to the Danish coach after parting ways with Ange Postecoglou last summer.
Now, Frank and Maresca face each other having both stepped into high-profile roles. While it would be premature to label their relationship a rivalry, their teams were involved in tight contests last season. Brentford were unlucky to fall 2-1 at Stamford Bridge in December and arguably created the better chances in a 0-0 draw with Chelsea in April.
Those encounters were notable not just for their competitiveness but also for the stark contrast in tactical approaches. Frank tends to be flexible and results-driven, happy to defend deep, break quickly, and exploit meticulously prepared set pieces. Maresca, by contrast, leans toward a more rigid ideology rooted in Pep Guardiola’s principles, prioritising control and sustained possession.
Chelsea’s average possession of 59.7% this season is surpassed only by Liverpool in the Premier League. Frank’s Tottenham operate differently. While Spurs are not naturally defensive — ranking seventh for possession, ahead of Manchester United and Newcastle — their strongest displays have come when they have willingly surrendered control. They impressed with a back five in the Super Cup against Paris Saint-Germain, executed a fierce counterpress in a 2-0 win at Manchester City, and dismantled Everton through set pieces last weekend.
Those examples suggest Tottenham may benefit from a more conservative approach when Chelsea visit. Their home form has been alarming: just one victory in the last seven league matches at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. In fact, collecting only 13 points from their previous 18 home games is the poorest record among teams continuously present in the top flight during that stretch.
Predicting the outcome is far from straightforward. Spurs sit five points off the summit and remain unbeaten in the Champions League. Chelsea, meanwhile, are reigning world champions and progressed to the Carabao Cup quarter-finals this week. Yet dissatisfaction lingers among both fanbases. Tottenham supporters have voiced concerns over creativity when their side must dominate games, while Chelsea followers are frustrated by their youthful squad’s inconsistency, discipline issues, and struggles against compact defences.
In truth, both managers are performing reasonably well. Chelsea could drop as low as 12th with defeat, but mitigating factors abound. Injuries to Cole Palmer and Levi Colwill have been significant, and a disrupted pre-season — the result of an extended Club World Cup campaign — has played its part. Even so, discipline remains a concern. Liam Delap’s astonishing red card against Wolves on Wednesday marked Chelsea’s sixth dismissal in nine matches, a run that also includes Maresca himself being sent off during the victory over Liverpool.
Maresca was incensed by Delap’s sending-off, which rules the striker out of the trip to north London. At the same time, the Chelsea boss is wrestling with how to improve penetration against deep defensive blocks. João Pedro’s scoring has dried up, and the young wide players must deliver greater reliability.
Chelsea’s frustration was evident in last weekend’s 2-1 loss at home to Sunderland. Despite enjoying 68.4% possession — their highest figure this season — they generated an expected goals total of just 0.97. Sunderland’s switch to a back five, masterminded by Régis Le Bris, effectively neutralised Maresca’s system. Data shows Chelsea have won only one of the six league matches in which they’ve dominated possession this season, suggesting opponents are increasingly using Chelsea’s identity against them.
This pattern is familiar. Last season, Chelsea failed to win any of the four league games where they monopolised the ball the most, underlining how excessive control can become counterproductive. The risk is falling into what Arsène Wenger once described as “sterile domination,” a notion echoed by José Mourinho’s idea that possession can breed anxiety rather than confidence.
Maresca may dispute that interpretation, but it’s telling that Chelsea’s most complete performance under him came with just 33.5% possession — a crushing victory over PSG in the Club World Cup final. Adaptability matters, and Chelsea’s pacey attackers are devastating when given space.
Whether Frank allows them that freedom remains to be seen. Chelsea have already capitalised on Postecoglou’s aggressive tactics in recent visits to this stadium, and Frank is unlikely to repeat those mistakes. A back five could be an option. Chelsea have already conceded three goals from long throws this season, an area Spurs could target through Kevin Danso. While Chelsea have improved offensively at set plays, they remain vulnerable defensively.
Such direct tactics may jar with Tottenham’s traditional identity, but injuries to James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski have left creativity heavily dependent on Mohammed Kudus. Xavi Simons, a Chelsea target last summer, has yet to make a decisive impact since arriving from RB Leipzig. Spurs can look predictable in open play, and their forwards lack consistency.
Still, pragmatism may prevail. Spurs supporters are unlikely to complain if a cautious strategy finally halts a four-match losing streak against Chelsea. A win would provide a major lift to Frank’s tenure — and few things would please him more than outmanoeuvring Maresca on this stage.