Delap Makes Comeback as Stamford Bridge Side Seek to Fix Forward Concerns
Attacker Liam Delap is returning from a hamstring injury at a time of need for Chelsea.
The Stamford Bridge outfit lost 2-1 against shock contenders Sunderland at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, with manager Enzo Maresca citing "a lack of creativity" and his team's delivery being "subpar".
Chelsea's attackers are having difficulty finding the net and assists as Delap makes his comeback in the Carabao Cup against lowly Wolves on midweek (evening kickoff), having sat out 10 fixtures since picking up the problem in the victory over Fulham in August.
Maresca said the 22-year-old will be phased in "carefully", and the recent acquisition's availability is crucial for a team facing scrutiny over their unpredictability, which has left the national tournaments their primary hope of winning a trophy this campaign.
Delap to Share Load With Joao Pedro
Chelsea signed Delap from the Tractor Boys for thirty million pounds despite interest from Old Trafford club, St James' Park side and Everton.
Yet the Three Lions prospect was second to £55m signing Joao Pedro in the selection hierarchy at this recent international tournament - and with good reason.
Joao Pedro found the net three times in three outings as Chelsea won the inaugural tournament in the United States. The Seleção attacker scored another two and three goal contributions in his opening quartet of league fixtures after arriving from Brighton.
More of late, however, Joao Pedro has been goalless in his last seven games. Maresca said he is one of a trio of players - along with central players Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who currently need to be "shielded".
When queried about Joao Pedro's decline in performance, Maresca commented: "Certainly the fitness aspect is vital. When you are not fully fit it's challenging to excel, especially in this competition."
"Joao Pedro is not a classic center-forward that is going to score 20 goals each year. Joao's a fantastic player, he's going to score and create chances but he's a distinctive forward to players who get 20 to 25 goals each year like the Polish striker, the PSG forward or [Erling] Haaland."
Broader Issues in Chelsea's Attack
Chelsea deal with broader problems beyond their attackers and Joao Pedro's drought.
Forward Cole Palmer has completed two games all campaign and is not expected return from a lower body issue until December.
Attacking midfielder Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, acquired from Borussia Dortmund for a potential £52 million deal, has zero strikes and one assist in ten appearances. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40m recruit from Manchester United, has a single strike in seven outings and forced an own goal against Benfica.
Estevao Willian, the teenager, has impressed since joining from Palmeiras for a £51m package, but has only two goals and a single assist - paralleling academy forward Tyrique George.
Forward Marc Guiu and Seagulls temporary signing Facundo Buonanotte have one goal each.
Marc Cucurella, who got seven from defensive position last campaign, is yet to find the net this campaign. Winger Pedro Neto has a single strike and two assists in his past two matches, but prior to that found the net just once in the opening ten matches.
After 13 matches in all competitions no attacker has above two scores, with central players Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's joint top scorers with four goals.
Questioned whether a shortage of clinical finishers means duties need distributing, Maresca said: "Absolutely, yes. We repeatedly stated that the quintet of attackers at the offense, we need six, seven, eight, nine, 10 goals each, in the fashion we managed last season."
Maresca has found ways to challenge despite goal-scoring variability. Chelsea are second place for dead-ball situations in the top flight, trailing by one Arsenal. In furthermore, the West London club are the initial club to have 10 different scorers in the Premier League this campaign.
Can Chelsea's Striker Jinx End?
Some Chelsea followers feel the number nine shirt - taken by Delap in the transfer window - is hexed. It had been vacant since 2023, and squad members who wore it since the mid-2000s have had goal droughts, including:
- Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - three goals in 21 games
- Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - 15 goals in 58 games
- Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - 30 scores in eighty-two matches
- Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five goals in 19 games
- Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - twenty-four strikes in 72 appearances
- Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - one score in 12 appearances
- Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): forty-five strikes in 172 games
- Franco di Santo (2008-10) - no goals in sixteen matches
- Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - a single strike in twenty-five matches
- Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - failed to score in 20 games
A midfielder and defensive specialist are among those listed, and some would suggest Abraham lifted the hoodoo with his performance, while legendary strikers such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink excelled with nine on their back.
But Delap was unconcerned when asked about the curse. "I'm not the type of person [who believes in curses]," he stated at the international tournament.
"Ultimately it's a digit on the shirt of your uniform. It's just a number that has always been related to forwards so it's something that I appreciate and there's zero expectation."
