Delap Back in Action as Chelsea Aim to Solve Forward Concerns
Striker Liam Delap is coming back from a hamstring injury at a important period for Chelsea.
The West London club lost 2-1 against surprise package Sunderland at their stadium on Saturday, with manager Enzo Maresca citing "insufficient imagination" and his team's delivery being "below standard".
Chelsea's attackers are having difficulty finding the net and assists as Delap makes his comeback in the Carabao Cup against struggling Wolves on Wednesday (19:45 GMT), having sat out 10 fixtures since sustaining the injury in the success over Fulham in the summer.
Maresca stated the young striker will be phased in "gradually", and the summer signing's availability is vital for a side facing questions over their inconsistency, which has left the national tournaments their most realistic chance of securing honors this term.
Delap to Share Load With Joao Pedro
Chelsea acquired Delap from Ipswich Town for a £30 million fee despite attention from the Red Devils, Newcastle United and Everton.
Yet the England Under-21s forward was behind expensive recruit Joao Pedro in the team ranking at this recent international tournament - and with good reason.
Joao Pedro registered a trio of strikes in three outings as Chelsea secured the maiden title in the America. The Brazil striker notched additional strikes and three goal contributions in his opening quartet of league fixtures after arriving from Brighton.
More lately, however, Joao Pedro has failed to score in his past seven matches. Maresca revealed he is one of a trio of players - along with central players Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who currently need to be "protected".
When questioned about Joao Pedro's drop in output, Maresca remarked: "Certainly the fitness aspect is important. When you are not at peak condition it's difficult to compete, especially in this league."
"Joao Pedro is not a number nine that is going to score 20 goals annually. Joao's a superb talent, he's going to get goals and give assists but he's a alternative type of striker to players who get 20 to 25 goals every season like the Bayern legend, [Kylian] Mbappe or the City striker."
Wider Problems in Chelsea's Offense
Chelsea confront additional challenges in addition to their attackers and Joao Pedro's drought.
Winger Cole Palmer has completed two games all season and is not expected return from a lower body issue until next month.
Winger Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, brought in from Borussia Dortmund for a £52m package, has no goals and one goal contribution in ten appearances. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40 million signing from Manchester United, has a single strike in seven outings and caused an own goal against Benfica.
Estevao Willian, the teenager, has entertained since joining from Palmeiras for a £51m package, but has just two strikes and one setup - paralleling academy forward Tyrique George.
Attacker Marc Guiu and loan signing Facundo Buonanotte have one score each.
Marc Cucurella, who notched seven from left-back last term, is still to score this campaign. Wide man Pedro Neto has one goal and two setups in his previous two fixtures, but prior to that found the net just once in the opening ten matches.
After 13 matches in every tournament no striker has more than two goals, with engine room operators Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's joint top scorers with four strikes.
Questioned whether a lack of natural goalscorers means goals must come from multiple sources, Maresca said: "Definitely, yes. We repeatedly stated that the five players at the attack, we need multiple goals per player, in the manner we achieved last season."
Maresca has found ways to challenge despite attacking inconsistency. Chelsea are runner-up in set-piece goals in the top flight, trailing by one Arsenal. In moreover, the Stamford Bridge side are the pioneering side to have ten various goalscorers in the Premier League this term.
Is the Number Nine Hoodoo About to Lift?
Some Chelsea fans feel the striker's jersey - taken by Delap in the transfer window - is jinxed. It had been available since 2023, and squad members who donned it since the mid-2000s have struggled for goals, including:
- Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - three strikes in 21 appearances
- Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - 15 scores in fifty-eight matches
- Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - thirty strikes in 82 games
- Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five scores in 19 games
- Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - 24 goals in 72 appearances
- Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - a single strike in 12 games
- Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): 45 scores in one hundred seventy-two matches
- Franco di Santo (2008-10) - no goals in 16 appearances
- Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - one score in 25 appearances
- Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - failed to score in twenty matches
A central player and defender are part of this selection, and some would contend Abraham broke the curse with his performance, while legendary strikers such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink flourished with the number nine.
But Delap was unmoved when questioned about the jinx. "I'm not one [who believes in curses]," he commented at the international tournament.
"At the end of the day it's a figure on the jersey of your kit. It's just a digit that has historically been connected to strikers so it's something that I enjoy and there's zero expectation."
