'Will not sit back'- Frank playing mind games with Enzo Maresca as Tottenham prepare for Chelsea test

Thomas Frank has put in this structure, which is compact and defensively balanced, making it very difficult to get past and put in a high xG shot. But going into the game against the Blues, the former Brentford head coach is not hiding behind tactics. Instead of being ahead of the game, he made one thing quite clear to the visitors: that his Tottenham is coming to press and not park the bus.

And while many neutral fans may find this on the blurry lines, Tottenham fans will know exactly what Frank is referring to. Since the Dane has taken over the proceedings at Chelsea, the Lilywhites have been fearless in how they go about their system. Especially when playing the likes of City, where they showed that high-energy approach to blow Pep’s side out of the water.

Speaking ahead of the game in his press conference, he said (via. BeanymanSports):

“We will not sit back. We will. I think it’s very clear. I don’t say maybe you haven’t seen our games against Villa.

“I think, for example, we were very aggressive running forward, pressing forward, so I think we’ve done that in every single game, so, uh, that will not change.”

TTLB Opinion

We have seen many Chelsea fans and media lashing into Maresca of late for playing too much possession without penetration. And Frank saying something along the lines of high lines and presses is more on the mind games side from Frank. This way he is not only trying to set the tone of a more public view but also planting this seed of concern in Chelsea’s camp, who would have been in their drawing room worrying a bit too much about penetrating through Tottenham’s compact structure.

But despite if these are mind games or Frank laying a part of his tactical blueprint in the open, one thing is for sure:his men are going to take the field to play and not to hide. Now it remains to be seen how Chelsea prepares going into the game.