Chelsea V Valencia: Match Preview

Chelsea host Valencia in the final group game in the series of games in the group stage in the Champion’s league. Chelsea is most probably going all out in the game, having so much staked on the fixture. As such Villas-Boas is most likely going to maintain the high line structure that he has been adopting since the start of the season as an attempt to play the Offside rule and to lend the force of the Midfielders in counter attacks. At first sight there seems to be a few key battles that would be happening.

The first main battle would be that in Chelsea’s third, where the likes of John Terry and David Luiz would be looking to stop their opposing nuber Roberto Soldado, whi is in form, scoring for Valencia in the recent Espanyol game off the bench. He might be a little out of form due to his thigh injury, but he would nonetheless be in form and raring to score goals, with the winner at Espanyol in the weekend. Luiz would have to play fast and be ready to stop the big-sized striker, either in one-to-one fights or by cutting his supply from Jonas Goncalves, who usually plays behind Soldado.

In Midfield, Meireles and Ramires could be starting, and could go against the speed of of Canales and Alba. Chelsea has always dominated midfield with the presence of both Frank Lampard and Michael Essien, but Essien is out due to injury at the start of the season and would be back in the new year, so Frank Lampard would be toiling around the field looking to stop the young and energetic people from Valencia.

In Valencia’s third, Juan mata would be meeting his former club having just making a transfer from Valencia to Chelsea in the last transfer season, and it is left to be seen if the Spaniard would react to the chants of the travelling fans. Up front Drogba could start, making a very much physical presence as compared to the thin Fernando Torres. Torres could come on as an impact substitute late in the game.  However the strikers have to overcome Ruiz who was one of the targets spotted by Chelsea scouts in the summer. He could be much of a threat when not handled properly.

Overall the match would be an all-out between both teams, with too much depending on the result of the game. Villas-Boas would definitely attack with his entire team if possible if it could help him keep his job, and Rocchi would also be itching to get in the knock out stage in the Champion’s League.