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At the time Chelsea were searching for a successor for Mauricio Pochettino in May 2024, a number of managers were evaluated. It was an comprehensive process that saw the club holding talks with Thomas Frank before they ultimately chose Enzo Maresca.

The feeling was that Maresca’s tactical system and focus on possession positioned him as the ideal candidate for Chelsea’s squad of talented individuals. Frank, who had performed brilliantly at Brentford, had to remain patient for his next opportunity. Passed over by Manchester United after they let go of Erik ten Hag, his opportunity came when Tottenham brought in the Dane after sacking Ange Postecoglou last summer.

At present, Frank and Maresca meet, both in prestigious roles. Their relationship is not yet a full-fledged rivalry, but they experienced some tight 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 interesting by the contrasting styles between the managers. Frank is more of a adaptable coach, more likely to be direct, play on the break, and wait for chances to deploy an range of deadly set-piece strategies, whereas Maresca tends towards dogmatism. The Italian hails from the Pep Guardiola philosophy; he emphasizes dominance of the ball.

Chelsea’s average of 59.7% this season is topped only by Liverpool in the Premier League. Frank mixes it up more. Spurs are not inherently a defensively-minded side – they are seventh in the possession table, ahead of Manchester United and Newcastle – but it is notable that their best showings have come in games where they have ceded the possession. They were excellent with a defensive setup in the Super Cup against Paris Saint-Germain, implemented an outstanding pressing game when they won 2-0 at Manchester City, and overwhelmed Everton with set pieces last Sunday.

Those results indicate Spurs ought to play on the counter when they welcome Chelsea. Tottenham, it must be noted, 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 matches is the lowest 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 unbeaten in the Champions League. Chelsea are world champions and advanced to 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 shortage of creativity when the onus is on their team to attack; Chelsea’s complain about their young side’s immaturity, lack of discipline, and struggles against defensive setups.

The reality is that both managers are managing reasonably well. Chelsea could drop to 12th if they are defeated to Spurs, but there is background to their mixed results. Injuries to Cole Palmer and Levi Colwill have taken a toll. A disrupted pre-season, resulting from the club going all the way at the Club World Cup, cannot be dismissed.

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

Maresca was furious with Delap, who is banned for the trip to Spurs. But he is also pondering how to make his team more incisive against defensive teams. The goals have decreased for João Pedro, and more reliability is necessary from Chelsea’s young wide players.

Frustration mounted during last weekend’s 2-1 home loss by Sunderland. Chelsea had 68.4% possession, their maximum of the season, but their expected goals was 0.97. Sunderland’s change to a five-man defense confused Maresca. Régis Le Bris had done his homework. Data revealing that it is only one victory from the six league games when Chelsea’s possession has been at its peak this season indicates that their core identity is being used against them and turned on them.

This is not a new issue. It was no wins from the four league games in which Chelsea had their most possession last season, underscoring a vulnerability when Maresca’s drive for control is taken to extremes. The danger is falling into ineffective control, to borrow Arsène Wenger’s phrase. José Mourinho’s line about the team with the ball having the worry also comes to mind.

Maresca contests this view, but it is worth remembering that Chelsea had 33.5% possession when they produced their best performance under the Italian and thrashed PSG in the Club World Cup final. Adaptability is a positive attribute. Chelsea have a number of fast attackers and are dynamic when they have space to attack.

Will Frank allow them space? Chelsea took advantage of Postecoglou’s gung-ho tactics on their past two trips to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Frank will certainly be more cautious. 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 chucking balls into the box. They will note that Chelsea have gotten better at offensive 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 significant creative burden on Mohammed Kudus. Xavi Simons, courted by Chelsea last summer, has not performed to expectations since joining RB Leipzig. Spurs are lacking variety in open play. Their forwards remain erratic.

But this is one game where the result may excuse the method. Spurs fans will not mind if a defensive approach halts a four-game losing run against Chelsea. A win would energize Frank’s time in charge. How he would cherish to win this contest with Maresca.