"Frank is more of a pragmatist, more willing to be direct, play on the break and wait for opportunities to unveil an array of clinical set-piece routines, whereas Maresca veers towards dogmatism. The Italian comes from the Pep Guardiola school; he prizes dominance of the ball. Chelsea's average of 59.7% possession this season is bettered 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 rankings, ahead of Manchester United and Newcastle but it is telling that their best performances have come in games where they have ceded the initiative. They were excellent with a back five in the Super Cup against Paris Saint-Germain, implemented an outstanding counterpress when they won 2-0 at Manchester City and destroyed Everton with set pieces last Sunday."
Chelsea appointed Enzo Maresca in May 2024 after an extensive search that included talks with Thomas Frank. Maresca's emphasis on positional play and ball dominance aligned with Chelsea's technically gifted squad. Frank, who excelled at Brentford, waited for a top job and later took charge at Tottenham following their managerial change. Frank prefers pragmatic, direct play, quick transitions and a variety of set-piece routines. Spurs have produced their best results when ceding initiative, using a back five, an effective counterpress and set-piece strength. Chelsea's high possession average suggests Spurs may adopt a more conservative, counterattacking approach when hosting Chelsea.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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