Clash Of Styles Awaits As Frank And Maresca Face Off In Growing Rivalry

A fewer managers were successful nan moving erstwhile Chelsea were looking for a replacement for Mauricio Pochettino successful May 2024. It was an extended process and progressive nan nine talking to Thomas Frank earlier they settled connected Enzo Maresca.

The emotion was that Maresca’s positional crippled and attraction connected possession made him astir suited to Chelsea’s squad of technicians. Frank, who had performed brilliantly astatine Brentford, had to hold for his adjacent opportunity. Overlooked by Manchester United aft they fired Erik 10 Hag, it arrived erstwhile Tottenham hired nan Dane aft sacking Ange Postecoglou past summer.

Now Frank and Maresca meet pinch some successful large jobs. Theirs is not a rivalry yet but they had immoderate adjacent duels past season. Frank’s Brentford were unfortunate to lose 2-1 astatine Stamford Bridge past December and had nan amended chances erstwhile they drew 0-0 pinch Chelsea successful April.

Those were 2 decent games, made much absorbing because of nan tactical differences betwixt nan coaches. Frank is much of a pragmatist, much consenting to beryllium direct, play connected nan break and hold for opportunities to unveil an array of objective set-piece routines, whereas Maresca veers towards dogmatism. The Italian comes from nan Pep Guardiola school; he prizes power of nan ball.

Chelsea’s mean of 59.7% possession this play is bettered only by Liverpool successful nan Premier League. Frank mixes it up more. Spurs are not instinctively a protect broadside – they are seventh successful nan possession rankings, up of Manchester United and Newcastle – but it is telling that their champion performances person travel successful games wherever they person ceded nan initiative. They were fantabulous pinch a backmost 5 successful nan Super Cup against Paris Saint-Germain, implemented an outstanding counterpress erstwhile they won 2-0 astatine Manchester City and destroyed Everton pinch group pieces past Sunday.

Those experiences propose Spurs should beryllium backmost erstwhile they big Chelsea. Tottenham, aft all, person 1 triumph from their past 7 location convention games. The numbers are awful. Spurs’ grounds of 13 points from their past 18 location outings is nan worst of immoderate squad to person been successful nan apical formation passim that period.

This is simply a difficult crippled to read. Spurs are 5 points disconnected first spot and unbeaten successful nan Champions League. Chelsea are world champions and reached nan quarter-finals of nan Carabao Cup this week. However, fans of some sides stay unconvinced by Frank and Maresca. Spurs supporters person grumbled astir a deficiency of productivity erstwhile nan onus is connected their squad to attack; Chelsea’s moan astir their young side’s immaturity, indiscipline and toils against debased blocks.

The reality is that some managers are doing fine. Chelsea could gaffe to 12th if they suffer to Spurs but location is discourse to their indifferent results. Injuries to Cole Palmer and Levi Colwill person taken a toll. A disrupted pre-season, caused by nan nine going each nan measurement astatine nan Club World Cup, cannot beryllium overlooked.

Chelsea person won their past 4 convention games against Tottenham, including 4-3 astatine nan Tottenham Hotspur Stadium past season. Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian

Yet location is room for improvement, particularly erstwhile it comes to keeping 11 players connected nan pitch. Liam Delap’s ludicrous dismissal during Wednesday’s Carabao Cup triumph against Wolves was Chelsea’s sixth reddish paper successful 9 games, including Maresca’s banishment from nan touchline during nan triumph complete Liverpool.

Maresca was furious pinch Delap, who is banned for nan travel to Spurs. But he is besides pondering really to make his squad much incisive against debased blocks. The goals person dried up for João Pedro and much consistency is required from Chelsea’s young wide players.

Frustration mounted during past weekend’s 2-1 location conclusion by Sunderland. Chelsea had 68.4% possession, their highest of nan campaign, but their xG was 0.97. Sunderland’s move to a backmost 5 flummoxed Maresca. Régis Le Bris had done his homework. Statistics showing it is 1 triumph from nan six convention games erstwhile Chelsea’s possession has been astatine its highest this play suggests their halfway personality is being weaponised and turned connected them.

This is not a caller issue. It was nary wins from nan 4 convention games successful which Chelsea had their astir possession past season, highlighting a weakness erstwhile Maresca’s quest for power is taken to extremes. The threat is drifting into sterile domination, to get Arsène Wenger’s phrase. José Mourinho’s statement astir nan squad pinch nan shot having nan fearfulness besides comes to mind.

Maresca disagrees but it is worthy recalling that Chelsea had 33.5% possession erstwhile they produced their champion capacity nether nan Italian and thrashed PSG successful nan Club World Cup final. Variety is simply a strength. Chelsea person plentifulness of accelerated attackers and are pulsating erstwhile they person abstraction to attack.

Will Frank assistance them freedom? Chelsea punished Postecoglou’s gung-ho strategies connected their past 2 trips to nan Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Frank will surely beryllium smarter. Is a move to a backmost 5 connected nan cards? Chelsea person conceded from 3 agelong throws this season. Spurs could person Kevin Danso chucking balls into nan box. They will statement that Chelsea person improved astatine violative group pieces but are conceding excessively galore chances.

Being truthful nonstop does not needfully fresh pinch Spurs’ traditions. But pinch James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski missing location is simply a dense imaginative load connected Mohammed Kudus. Xavi Simons, targeted by Chelsea past summer, has not done capable since joining from RB Leipzig. Spurs are predictable successful unfastened play. Their forwards stay inconsistent.

But this is 1 crippled wherever nan ends whitethorn warrant nan means. Spurs fans will not mind if a protect attack ends a four-game losing tally against Chelsea. Victory would ignite Frank’s reign. How he would emotion to triumph this duel pinch Maresca.