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At the time Chelsea were searching for a successor for Mauricio Pochettino in May 2024, several managers were considered. It was an comprehensive process that saw the club engaging with Thomas Frank before they finally opted for Enzo Maresca.

The feeling was that Maresca’s positional game and focus on possession made him the ideal candidate for Chelsea’s squad of talented individuals. Frank, who had performed brilliantly at Brentford, had to remain patient for his next chance. Not chosen by Manchester United after they dismissed Erik ten Hag, his break arrived when Tottenham brought in the Dane after sacking Ange Postecoglou last summer.

Now, Frank and Maresca face each other, both in high-profile roles. Theirs is not yet a full-fledged rivalry, but they had some tight encounters last season. Frank’s Brentford were unfortunate to suffer a 2-1 loss at Stamford Bridge last December and had the better chances when they tied 0-0 with Chelsea in April.

Those were two decent games, made more intriguing by the divergent approaches between the managers. Frank is considered a adaptable coach, more inclined to be direct, play on the counter-attack, and wait for opportunities to execute an array of effective set-piece routines, whereas Maresca tends towards a strict philosophy. The Italian hails from the Pep Guardiola coaching tree; he emphasizes control of the ball.

Chelsea’s average of 59.7% so far this campaign is bettered only by Liverpool in the Premier League. Frank varies his approach more. Spurs are not naturally a defensive side – they are seventh in the possession table, ahead of Manchester United and Newcastle – but it is notable that their most impressive performances have come in games where they have surrendered the initiative. They were superb with a back five in the Super Cup against Paris Saint-Germain, executed an outstanding pressing game when they won 2-0 at Manchester City, and overwhelmed Everton with set pieces last Sunday.

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

This is a hard game to call. Spurs are five points off first place and undefeated in the Champions League. Chelsea are world champions and advanced to the last eight of the Carabao Cup this week. However, fans of both sides remain skeptical about Frank and Maresca. Spurs supporters have complained about a lack of creativity when the pressure is on their team to attack; Chelsea’s lament about their young side’s immaturity, indiscipline, and difficulties against defensive setups.

The truth is that both managers are performing adequately. Chelsea could slip to 12th if they lose to Spurs, but there is background 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 overlooked.

Still, there is room for improvement, especially when it comes to keeping 11 players on the pitch. Liam Delap’s ludicrous sending off during Wednesday’s Carabao Cup victory against Wolves was Chelsea’s sixth red card in nine games, including Maresca’s banishment from the dugout 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 effective against low blocks. The goals have dried up for João Pedro, and more reliability is required from Chelsea’s young attacking midfielders.

Disappointment grew during last weekend’s 2-1 home defeat 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 confused Maresca. Régis Le Bris had done his homework. Data indicating that it is one win from the six league games when Chelsea’s possession has been at its peak this season indicates that their core identity is being weaponised 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 most possession last season, underscoring a weakness when Maresca’s drive for control is taken to extremes. The risk is slipping into ineffective control, to borrow Arsène Wenger’s term. José Mourinho’s remark 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 routed PSG in the Club World Cup final. Flexibility is a positive attribute. Chelsea have several fast attackers and are dynamic when they have room to attack.

Will Frank give them opportunity? Chelsea punished Postecoglou’s attacking tactics on their last two visits to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Frank will undoubtedly be more strategic. Is a change 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 note that Chelsea have gotten better at offensive set pieces but are conceding too many chances.

Being so long-ball oriented does not necessarily fit with Spurs’ style. But with James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski unavailable, there is a significant creative load on Mohammed Kudus. Xavi Simons, pursued by Chelsea last summer, has not made an impact since joining RB Leipzig. Spurs are predictable in from open situations. Their forwards remain erratic.

But this is one game where the ends may justify the method. Spurs fans will not mind if a cautious approach ends a four-game sequence of defeats against Chelsea. Victory would boost Frank’s time in charge. How he would love to win this duel with Maresca.