Chelsea FC: Predicting & Previewing Starting 11 for Chelsea vs. Bayer Leverkusen

Chelsea go into their first UEFA Champions League home fixture, against Bayer Leverkusen, knowing they haven't been beaten in 23 Champions League group stage games at Stamford Bridge.

Yet they appear to have one eye on the weekend, as André Villas-Boas has said, 

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"You will see some changes to the team against Leverkusen and we will make some wise decisions for Sunday [against Manchester United]." 

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Bayer Leverkusen have already made headlines for slashing their tickets by €20 for their loyal fans traveling to Stamford Bridge.

Former Chelsea player Michael Ballack will return to a ground he once called home.    

Meanwhile Fernando Torres will be questioned by Chelsea management following his criticism of his teammates. 

Did you know Chelsea have won seven of their past nine opening Champions League fixtures? 

Here are my predictions and preview for Chelsea's starting 11 vs. Bayer Leverkusen.  

Goalkeeper: Petr Čech

It will be Petr Čech's 75th UEFA Champions League game, and the four time UEFA Goalkeeper of the Year will look to keep clean sheet. 

Having returned from a four week knee injury at the weekend, Čech would have been left scratching his head as to how an unmarked 6'2" Ji Dong-Won slotted an injury time consolation goal for the Black Cats.

Right Back: José Bosingwa

Was given a chance by manager André Villas-Boas, and has since grabbed it with both hands.

José Bosingwa continues to be a energetic option on the right wing. 

He's always a positive outlet and of the 55 passes he made in the game against Sunderland, only three went backwards.  

Centre Back: John Terry

John Terry has now scored two goals in the past 21 games for Chelsea. That's a better strike rate than Fernando Torres. 

Terry looked like a forward when he followed up and calmly slotted home a goal in the 18th minute against Sunderland. 

I don't see the point in resting centre backs, so for me he's a certain starter for his 78th UEFA Champions League game against Bayer Leverkusen.   

Centre Back: David Luiz

Compare the passing range of David Luiz and Branislav Ivanović.

Not only has Luiz completed more passes, but his range is more expansive. He's succeeded with several audacious Gerard Piqué-esque long passes, not to mention he's accomplished this against Manchester City. 

Ivanović is the more solid defender but, if Chelsea want to trigger more incisive play, manager André Villas-Boas must start Luiz.   

Left Back: Ashley Cole

In terms of the UEFA Champions League games, Ashley Cole is Chelsea's most experienced player with 83 games, six ahead of John Terry.

With no full-time left back to replace Cole it's unlikely he'll be rested, unless Paulo Ferreira comes in, though in recent times he's hardly even played at right back let alone left back.  

Interestingly, Cole has never played in any European games other than the Champions League. 

He continues to be a livewire down the left wing, and had an exceptional game against Sunderland.

He was so involved in the game that he made 76 passes, which is absurd for a defender.

Then again he was basically playing as a midfielder against Sunderland. 

There's no doubt Chelsea have one of the most attack minded wing back pairings in the world.   

Holding Midfielder: John Obi Mikel

I've always wondered what type of player John Obi Mikel would have turned out to be if he was given a chance as an attacking midfielder.

He must have been somewhat decent as an attacking midfielder to collect the Silver Ball during the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championships—ahead of the likes of David Silva, Cesc Fàbregas, Sergio Agüero, Fernando Gago, Falcao and Tranquillo Barnetta.  

Mikel was second only to a 17-year-old called Lionel Messi.  

What then manager José Mourinho saw in training prompted Mikel to be changed into an unimaginative, cautious, "defensive" midfielder.

A more accurate description would be holding midfielder. 

His role in the team is somewhat of an oxymoron, considering he's important when the team plays well.

Yet when the team struggles, he is blamed for slowing down play and being cautious with possession, even though it's his role to retain and distribute possession at a high percentage rate.

Centre Midfielder: Raul Meireles

When Chelsea lined up in a 4-3-3 against Sunderland, I thought  Raul Meireles would play a more forward role, whereas Frank Lampard would play a more distributional role.

Instead, Meireles was the distributor, played slightly deeper than expected and was very industrious.

John Obi Mikel sits deeper, plays with more cautiousness and doesn't demand the ball as Meireles does. 

Assuming Mikel starts against Bayer Leverkusen, Meireles will play a more forward role.    

Centre Midfielder: Frank Lampard

I cannot understand why some Chelsea supporters are demanding for Frank Lampard to be benched. Ironically, some of the same supporters believe Fernando Torres should be given more of a chance. 

One misconception is Lampard is slowing down play, yet, going into the game against Sunderland, who was leading the Premier League in chances created?

Lampard.

If not for Ramires' suspension, perhaps some Chelsea supporters would have been more vocal in Lampard being dropped. 

If he isn't in the starting 11, the reason would be to protect him for the big game against Manchester United. 

Right Forward: Daniel Sturridge

Read what manager André Villas-Boas said about Daniel Sturridge,  

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"The technical staff and I all had the feeling we should bring him in. We have an outstanding player."

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Translation: Sturridge will start against Bayer Leverkusen.    

Centre Forward: Fernando Torres

Here's what Tommy Smyth at ESPNsoccernet said about Fernando Torres' cold spell,  

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"It seems like the game comes to a screeching halt when he gets the ball (...) he's not playing well and he's not scoring and that's the death nail for a striker."

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On current form he was rightly dropped, but some Chelsea supporters still believe he was rotated.

Why would you rotate someone who is so desperate to score a goal, so humiliated after he wasn't even given a role on the bench against minnows Liechtenstein.

Yes the same country who once lost 1-0 to San Marino.

A talking point has emerged regarding whether Torres was right to criticise his teammates.

It's not nice to speak ill of your own teammates and, at the end of the day, it's going to do him harm because he needs those teammates to help him score goals. 

Though he claims he was lost in translation. 

It's now or never because if he is thrown into the deep end like he was against Manchester United in the UEFA Champions League last season, then he's set up to fail.

Torres must start against an inexperienced Bayer Leverkusen backline, and hopefully score. 

Left Forward: Juan Mata

Juan Mata or Florent Malouda?

I'm pretty certain Fernando Torres will benefit more with Mata on his left than Malouda. 

Unlike Mata, I doubt Malouda would go out of his way to ensure Torres scores.

Though Malouda looked good when he came on for a cameo against Sunderland.

For the sake of Torres, manager André Villas-Boas should let the struggling forward play a full game with Mata and Daniel Sturridge.   

Predicted Formation and Starting 11

John Obi Mikel's presence in the 4-1-2-3 ensures Chelsea's shape isn't too top heavy.

Raul Meireles will have a more attacking role rather than sitting deep and distributing as he did against Sunderland. 

It will be interesting to see how David Luiz changes the team's dynamics by carrying the ball out of defence. 

He could be left with egg on his face like Martín Demichelis, or he can emulate Gerard Piqué.

It's a formation that suits Fernando Torres because he is the main man, but the concern is the two centre backs bullying him.

Though that is when Meireles lurking around the box may drag one centre back away from Torres.

Chelsea vs. Bayer Leverkusen | 4-1-2-3 vs. 4-2-1-3

Talk about bad luck for Bayer Leverkusen  

Undisputed first choice goalkeeper René Adler, who is a fine goalkeeper, is out for the foreseeable future nursing a knee injury.

Newly bought reserve goalkeeper David Yelldell goes down with injury.

Youth goalkeeper Fabian Giefer plays one game and then suffers concussion. 

So Bayer Leverkusen were given an emergency loan, with Stuggart's 19-year-old goalkeeper Bernd Leno answering the call.

What's funny is Leverkusen have included seven, yes that's right SEVEN, goalkeepers in their UEFA Champions League squad.

The awkward bit about Leno is that he's been Leverkusen's best player in the Bundesliga so far.

The backline average out to 23-years-old, with two very inexperienced young centre backs in Ömer Toprak and Stefan Reinartz, of which Toprak will be making his European debut. 

I cannot see Michael Ballack edging out Lars Bender who, like his brother Sven, has been so impressive. 

I expect Stefan Kießling to be isolated up front, so really Chelsea need to watch out for André Schürrle.   

Your Opinion

This Bayer Leverkusen could have been so much more dangerous with Arturo Vidal and Tranquillo Barnetta, but it's still a side who shouldn't be underestimated. 

Hopefully for the sake of my predictions, when manager André Villas-Boas says "some changes", he doesn't mean wholesale changes. 

Just a bit of banter. 

Bayer Leverkusen winger Sidney Sam who has been pretty ordinary when I've watched him, said this on Facebook,  

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"Who the fu__ is Chelsea London?"

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Chelsea supporters should taunt back who the fu__ is Sidney Sam?

Please also read Champions League Draw Preview of all the groups involving Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal.