Posted by Lamin Oo

Chelsea are set to begin their 2011-2012 Champions League campaign at home against the German side Bayer Leverkusen this Tuesday. Ahead of this game, I have done a little bit of research on how Bayer Leverkusen have been doing this season in the Bundesliga. They have had a decent start to their season (L, W, W, D, W) and are ranked 4^th in the league with 10 points from the first 5 games.






Bayer’s goal tally up to this point (6 goals scored in 5 games) has been flattered by their recent 4-1 thrashing of the newly promoted side FC Augsburg. Without that result, Bayer only have 2 goals to their credit and they have failed to scored in 2 occasions in the last 5 games. Attacking left midfielder Sidney Sam and forward Stefan Kieβling have scored 2 goals each and are the current joint top goal scorers for Bayer. Most notably the pair combined to score a neat first goal against FC Augsburg; Kieβling executed a lovely turn and found Sam who finished calmly with his right foot to equalize within minutes of conceding a goal (see video below).


Michal Kadlec also pose considerable goal threat – both have recorded 4 Shots On Goal (the same number of SOGs as Sam and Kieβling) in the league so far. Kadlec, the left back, loves to get forward and shot from long range. He scored the decisive goal against Werder Bremen – finding the back of the net from close range after his initial header was blocked in a corner situation. He also takes free kicks from dangerous positions (think Leighton Baines or Aleksandar Kolarov in the BPL). Against VfB Stuttgart, Kadlec unleashed a 25-yard shot which was parried Stuttgart goalkeeper, but forward Kieβling was there to tap in the loose ball. [Note: In that game, former Chelsea defender Khalid Boulahrouz, who now plays for Stuttgart, got sent off for flipping the referee off (6:33 mins). Below, I’ve provided the link to the video. A must see!]

Although Bayer have kept 3 clean sheets in 5 games, they do have defensive weakness that is masked by brilliant goalkeeping and luck. The goalless draw against Borussia Dortmund was a game full of goal-scoring chances from both teams – real end to end stuff. But great goalkeeping from both sides, especially Leno who pulled out some swift reaction saves, kept the score line at 0-0.


Against Werder Bremen (see picture above), Bayer were lucky not to have conceded a goal as Werder Bremen forward missed a total sitter from about 5 yards out. A low cross from the right was swung dangerously into Bayer’s six-yard box, but Werder Bremen forward, who got to the ball ahead of everyone, shot it over the crossbar.





This game is not going to be a walk in the park for Chelsea. Bayer Leverkusen, who finished 2^nd in the league last season, are going to give Chelsea a decent game. However, I believe that Chelsea are going to win this game. Andre Villas-Boas, of course, will want to win his first Champions League game, but he will also expect Chelsea to build on the improving performance against Sunderland and put on a good show for the fans in a big European night at Stamford Bridge. 

Carefree, wherever you may be...

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