Delap Makes Comeback as Chelsea Aim to Solve Forward Concerns
Striker Liam Delap is coming back from a hamstring injury at a time of need for Chelsea.
The West London club suffered a 2-1 defeat against shock contenders Sunderland at their home ground on the weekend, with manager Enzo Maresca blaming "insufficient imagination" and his team's delivery being "not the best".
Chelsea's attackers are having difficulty finding the net and assists as Delap returns in the EFL Cup against lowly Wolves on Wednesday (19:45 GMT), having sat out 10 fixtures since suffering the setback in the victory over Fulham in the summer.
Maresca stated the young striker will be slowly integrated "slowly", and the recent acquisition's availability is important for a club facing criticism over their inconsistency, which has left the domestic cups their primary hope of securing honors this term.
Delap to Ease Burden On Joao Pedro
Chelsea brought in Delap from the Tractor Boys for thirty million pounds despite interest from Manchester United, the Magpies and Goodison Park team.
Yet the England Under-21s forward was behind £55 million acquisition Joao Pedro in the pecking order at this global competition - and with solid justification.
Joao Pedro scored three goals in three appearances as Chelsea claimed the first edition in the USA. The Brazil striker notched additional strikes and three goal contributions in his first four Premier League games after joining from Brighton.
More lately, however, Joao Pedro has failed to score in his past seven matches. Maresca said he is one of three squad members - along with central players Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who presently require to be "shielded".
When queried about Joao Pedro's dip in form, Maresca commented: "Certainly the physical part is vital. When you are not at peak condition it's challenging to excel, particularly in this competition."
"Joao Pedro is not a number nine that is going to score 20 goals every season. Joao's a superb talent, he's going to score and give assists but he's a different kind of nine to players who get 20 to 25 goals each year like the Bayern legend, [Kylian] Mbappe or [Erling] Haaland."
Wider Problems in Chelsea's Forward Line
Chelsea confront wider issues in addition to their attackers and Joao Pedro's drought.
Forward Cole Palmer has played two full matches all term and is not anticipated to feature from a lower body issue until the winter.
Attacking midfielder Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, acquired from Borussia Dortmund for a fee rising to £52m, has failed to score and a single assist in ten games. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40m acquisition from Manchester United, has a single strike in seven matches and forced an own goal against Benfica.
Estevao Willian, eighteen, has entertained since arriving from Palmeiras for a fee rising to £51m, but has only two goals and a single assist - equaling youth product Tyrique George.
Attacker Marc Guiu and Seagulls temporary signing Facundo Buonanotte have one score each.
Marc Cucurella, who got seven from left-back last season, is without a goal this term. Attacking player Pedro Neto has one score and two assists in his last two games, but before that got only one goal in the initial ten fixtures.
After thirteen fixtures in various cups no attacker has more than two goals, with central players Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's equal leading marksmen with four goals.
Asked whether a shortage of clinical finishers means goals must come from multiple sources, Maresca commented: "Absolutely, yes. We said many times that the quintet of attackers at the front, we need multiple goals per player, in the fashion we managed last season."
Maresca has found ways to challenge despite goal-scoring variability. Chelsea are runner-up in dead-ball situations in the top flight, one less than Arsenal. In furthermore, the Stamford Bridge side are the first team to have 10 different scorers in the top flight this campaign.
Can Chelsea's Striker Jinx End?
Some Chelsea followers feel the number nine shirt - taken by Delap in the off-season - is jinxed. It had been vacant since 2023, and players who sported it since 2006 have had goal droughts, including:
- Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - three goals in 21 games
- Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - fifteen strikes in 58 appearances
- Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - 30 goals in 82 games
- Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five scores in 19 appearances
- Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - twenty-four strikes in 72 games
- Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - one goal in twelve matches
- Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): 45 goals in 172 appearances
- Franco di Santo (2008-10) - no goals in sixteen matches
- Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - one goal in 25 appearances
- Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - zero strikes in 20 appearances
A engine room operator and defender are included in this group, and some would contend Abraham lifted the hoodoo with his achievement, while legendary strikers such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink excelled with the striker's jersey.
But Delap was unconcerned when queried about the curse. "I'm not the type of person [who believes in curses]," he stated at the global competition.
"Ultimately it's a figure on the jersey of your kit. It's just a figure that has historically been connected to attackers so it's something that I enjoy and there's no pressure."
