Chelsea have the chance to make it four wins on the bounce in the Conference League this Thursday when they visit Heidenheim.
The German side also have a perfect record in the league stage of the competition after wins in their opening three games, but their domestic form has been very disappointing. They are already out of the DFB Pokal and are 15th in the Bundesliga ahead of Chelsea’s visit.
Enzo Maresca will make wholesale changes to the team that beat his former employers Leicester City at the weekend, fielding an all-new starting eleven at Heidenheim. Chelsea’s Conference League line-up have proved too hot to deal with this season, with 16 goals and just three conceded in their opening three games in the league stage.
Here’s how Chelsea could line up on thursday.
GK: Filip Jorgensen – Jorgensen continues to play second fiddle to Robert Sánchez despite the Spaniard’s erratic performances. Chelsea’s summer signing has been reliable when used in cup competitions.
RB: Axel Disasi – Disasi hasn’t always shone when offered increasingly rare starts in a Chelsea shirt, but he scored, assisted and kept a clean sheet. 8-0 abuse of the Armenian team Noah before the international parenthesis.
CB: Tosin Adarabioyo – After a free transfer to west London in the summer, Tosin has had to settle for a place in Chelsea’s second-string eleven. He is far from penetrating the solid partnership of Wesley Fofana and Levi Colwill.
CB: Benoit Badiashile – With right-back injuries forcing a reshuffle at the weekend, Badiashile came on in the quarter for the win at the King Power Stadium. He impressed against Jamie Vardy and co in a commanding display.
LB: Renato Vega – Vega made his second and third appearances for Portugal during the international break while impressing in Chelsea’s alternate eleven. The young man’s versatility has been useful for Maresca.
DM: Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall – A four-minute cameo and a warm hug from Leicester fans at the weekend will not have satisfied Dewsbury-Hall. He is performing at a high level in cup competitions but will be frustrated by his lack of it Premier League minutes
DM: Romeo Lavia – Lavia did not start at the weekend, entering the fray late in the game and conceding a penalty. Enzo Fernández’s excellent recent displays may relegate the Belgian to the Conference League line-up.
RW: Tyrique George – The highly rated George started the win over Noah and performed admirably despite others grabbing the headlines. The Conference League could provide the perfect launching pad for the 18-year-old.
AM: Christopher Nkunku – The Frenchman will no doubt be frustrated by his lack of Premier League starts though Nicolas Jackson has proven to be too good to pass up this term. Still, Nkunku has been relentless when it comes to showing up, scoring ten times this season so far.
LW: Mykhailo Mudryk – Mudryk has provided a goal or an assist in all three of Chelsea’s Conference League fixtures and the Ukraine international is using the competition to find invaluable form after a difficult start to his Blues career.
ST: Marc Guiu – The summer signing has rarely been involved this season but has earned a start and scored in the win against Noah. He only lasted the first half in that win and will be looking forward to playing more time in Germany.
