Delap Makes Comeback as The Blues Seek to Fix Forward Concerns
Forward Liam Delap is returning from a muscle issue at a crucial moment for Chelsea.
The West London club were beaten 2-1 against shock contenders Sunderland at Stamford Bridge on the weekend, with manager Enzo Maresca attributing "insufficient imagination" and his team's delivery being "not the best".
Chelsea's strikers are struggling for goals and goal contributions as Delap returns in the Carabao Cup against struggling Wolves on Wednesday (19:45 GMT), having been absent for 10 matches since picking up the problem in the victory over Fulham in the summer.
Maresca stated the 22-year-old will be phased in "carefully", and the recent acquisition's comeback is vital for a club facing scrutiny over their mixed results, which has left the national tournaments their best opportunity of winning a trophy this season.
Delap to Take Pressure Off Joao Pedro
Chelsea brought in Delap from Ipswich Town for a £30 million fee despite pursuit by the Red Devils, the Magpies and the Toffees.
Yet the young English striker was below £55m signing Joao Pedro in the selection hierarchy at this global competition - and with solid justification.
Joao Pedro registered a trio of strikes in three appearances as Chelsea won the inaugural tournament in the America. The Brazil striker scored another two and three assists in his first four Premier League games after arriving from Brighton.
More of late, however, Joao Pedro has failed to score in his last seven games. Maresca revealed he is one of three squad members - along with engine room operators Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who presently require to be "protected".
When questioned about Joao Pedro's decline in performance, Maresca commented: "Definitely the conditioning element is crucial. When you are not 100% it's hard to perform, especially in this league."
"Joao Pedro is not a traditional striker that is going to net twenty times each year. Joao's a superb talent, he's going to score and give assists but he's a alternative type of striker to those who net 20 to 25 goals every season like [Robert] Lewandowski, [Kylian] Mbappe or [Erling] Haaland."
Wider Problems in Chelsea's Forward Line
Chelsea confront wider issues in addition to their forwards and Joao Pedro's scoreless streak.
Winger Cole Palmer has played two full matches all term and is unlikely to be back from a lower body issue until next month.
Attacking midfielder Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, acquired from Borussia Dortmund for a fee rising to £52m, has no goals and a single assist in ten appearances. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40m acquisition from Manchester United, has one score in seven games and caused an own goal against Benfica.
Estevao Willian, the teenager, has entertained since moving from Palmeiras for a fee rising to £51m, but has just two strikes and one setup - equaling homegrown talent Tyrique George.
Striker Marc Guiu and loan signing Facundo Buonanotte have a single strike apiece.
Marc Cucurella, who scored seven from defensive position last term, is still to score this campaign. Attacking player Pedro Neto has one score and two setups in his last two games, but before that got only one goal in the opening ten matches.
After 13 matches in various cups no forward has above two scores, with engine room operators Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's shared top goalscorers with four strikes.
Questioned whether a absence of prolific strikers means duties need distributing, Maresca said: "Certainly, yes. We said many times that the front five at the attack, we need numerous strikes from each, in the way we have done last term."
Maresca has found ways to compete despite goal-scoring variability. Chelsea are second for free-kick and corner scores in the top flight, one less than Arsenal. In moreover, the Stamford Bridge side are the initial club to have 10 different scorers in the Premier League this term.
Will Chelsea's Number Nine Curse Be Broken?
Some Chelsea supporters feel the striker's jersey - taken by Delap in the off-season - is cursed. It had been unoccupied since recently, and footballers who wore it since 2006 have struggled for goals, including:
- Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - a trio of scores in twenty-one matches
- Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - 15 goals in 58 appearances
- Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - 30 goals in eighty-two matches
- Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five scores in 19 games
- Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - 24 scores in 72 games
- Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - one goal in twelve matches
- Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): 45 goals in 172 games
- Franco di Santo (2008-10) - zero strikes in 16 games
- Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - one score in twenty-five matches
- Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - zero strikes in 20 appearances
A engine room operator and defensive specialist are included in this group, and some would contend Abraham broke the curse with his achievement, while iconic forwards such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink flourished with the striker's jersey.
But Delap was unfazed when queried about the curse. "I don't believe [who believes in curses]," he stated at the Club World Cup.
"At the end of the day it's a figure on the jersey of your kit. It's just a figure that has traditionally been associated to attackers so it's something that I appreciate and there's zero expectation."
