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Chelsea Women vs. Leicester: WSL preview, predicted XI

By Caden Charpentier

LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 23: Johanna Rytting Kaneryd of Chelsea looks on during the UEFA Women's Champions League group stage match between Chelsea FC and Paris FC at Stamford Bridge on November 23, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Chloe Knott - Danehouse/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 23: Johanna Rytting Kaneryd of Chelsea looks on during the UEFA Women's Champions League group stage match between Chelsea FC and Paris FC at Stamford Bridge on November 23, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Chloe Knott - Danehouse/Getty Images) /
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MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 22: Hannah Cain, Lena Petermann and Aileen Whelan of Leicester City celebrate after winning the penalty shoot out following the FA Women’s Continental Tyres League Cup match between Manchester City and Leicester City at Joie Stadium on November 22, 2023 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images)
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 22: Hannah Cain, Lena Petermann and Aileen Whelan of Leicester City celebrate after winning the penalty shoot out following the FA Women’s Continental Tyres League Cup match between Manchester City and Leicester City at Joie Stadium on November 22, 2023 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images) /

Since its promotion to the English top-flight, the Foxes have shaved off relegation by five points and two over the last two campaigns respectively. The club has already halved its point total from last season in just seven WSL contests this time around.

Willie Kirk’s side just took down Manchester City on penalties in the Conti Cup group stage in the mid-week. A few weeks prior to that, it held a two-goal lead at the half against Arsenal. Since the former Everton manager scrapped the slate clean last January, City have begun to build something sustainable. The upswing makes a lot of sense. 16 players from last season’s team are not a part of what Kirk’s side are doing right now. 17 if you count Demi Lambourne’s loan to Crystal Palace.

Seven departed to the Barclays Women’s Championship. Nine came in during the summer. None more important than arguably one of the saviors of last season, former Bayern Munich goalkeeper Janina Leitzig. Coming in during the January transfer window, No. 1 still managed to finish tied for fourth in the English top-flight in total clean sheets. The German was frankly a wall. Not against the Blues. She was helpless in that one last May. Leitzig is going to have to be marvelous on the road in order for her side to have any chance at heading into the break with at least a point.

In the attack, the Foxes are led by two players that came in before September rolled around. German forward Lena Petermann, a former Montpellier attacker, and Finish international Jutta Rantala have combined for eight goal contributions through the beginning part of the league campaign.

Belgian international and ex-Lyon player Janice Cayman is also very much a threat going forward. She has found the back of the net in three successive matches across both the league and Conti Cup. Given that her boots are delivering as of late, Kirk should deploy her right behind Petermann as the No. 10, a similar position to the match against the Gunners. In all three of her goals, Cayman made a darting run down the middle from the midfield before directing it past the stop-stopper.

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