Delap Returns as Stamford Bridge Side Seek to Fix Forward Concerns
Striker Liam Delap is returning from a muscle issue at a crucial moment for Chelsea.
The Stamford Bridge outfit lost 2-1 against shock contenders Sunderland at their stadium on Saturday, with manager Enzo Maresca attributing "limited inventiveness" and his side's crossing being "not the best".
Chelsea's forwards are finding it hard to score and assists as Delap makes his comeback in the Carabao Cup against lowly Wolves on Wednesday (19:45 GMT), having sat out 10 fixtures since sustaining the injury in the 2-0 win over Fulham in the summer.
Maresca commented the 22-year-old will be phased in "carefully", and the recent acquisition's comeback is crucial for a club facing scrutiny over their mixed results, which has left the domestic cups their best opportunity of winning a trophy this campaign.
Delap to Share Load With Joao Pedro
Chelsea signed Delap from the Championship side for a £30 million fee despite interest from the Red Devils, St James' Park side and Everton.
Yet the England Under-21s forward was behind £55 million acquisition Joao Pedro in the selection hierarchy at this global competition - and with good reason.
Joao Pedro found the net three times in three outings as Chelsea secured the maiden title in the United States. The Brazil striker notched additional strikes and three goal contributions in his opening quartet of league fixtures after joining from Brighton.
More lately, however, Joao Pedro has been goalless in his past seven matches. Maresca said he is one of three players - along with midfielders Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who presently require to be "shielded".
When questioned about Joao Pedro's drop in output, Maresca commented: "Definitely the conditioning element is crucial. When you are not fully fit it's challenging to excel, especially in this league."
"Joao Pedro is not a classic center-forward that is going to score 20 goals every season. Joao's a superb talent, he's going to get goals and create chances but he's a alternative type of striker to players who get 20 to 25 goals annually like the Bayern legend, the French superstar or the City striker."
Additional Concerns in Chelsea's Attack
Chelsea face broader problems beyond their strikers and Joao Pedro's goalless run.
Attacker Cole Palmer has featured for ninety minutes twice all season and is unlikely to be back from a groin problem until next month.
Winger Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, brought in from Borussia Dortmund for a £52m package, has zero strikes and one goal contribution in ten games. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40 million signing from Manchester United, has one score in seven matches and induced an opposition error against Benfica.
Estevao Willian, eighteen, has entertained since joining from Palmeiras for a £51m package, but has merely two scores and one setup - matching academy forward Tyrique George.
Striker Marc Guiu and Brighton loanee Facundo Buonanotte have one goal each.
Marc Cucurella, who got seven from left-back last campaign, is still to score this term. Winger Pedro Neto has one goal and two goal contributions in his past two matches, but earlier scored only once in the initial ten fixtures.
After 13 matches in every tournament no attacker has over two strikes, with central players Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's shared top goalscorers with four strikes.
Asked whether a lack of natural goalscorers means responsibility must be shared, Maresca said: "Definitely, yes. We frequently mentioned that the front five at the attack, we need numerous strikes from each, in the fashion we managed last term."
Maresca has discovered methods to challenge despite attacking inconsistency. Chelsea are runner-up in set-piece goals in the Premier League, one less than Arsenal. In moreover, the Blues are the initial club to have ten distinct net-finders in the first division this season.
Will Chelsea's Number Nine Curse Be Broken?
Some Chelsea followers feel the striker's jersey - taken by Delap in the summer - is jinxed. It had been vacant since last year, and players who donned it since the mid-2000s have struggled for goals, including:
- Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - three goals in 21 games
- Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - 15 scores in 58 appearances
- Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - 30 goals in 82 appearances
- Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five strikes in nineteen matches
- Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - twenty-four strikes in 72 games
- Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - one goal in 12 appearances
- Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): 45 goals in 172 games
- Franco di Santo (2008-10) - no goals in 16 appearances
- Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - one goal in 25 games
- Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - zero strikes in 20 games
A central player and defensive specialist are among those listed, and some would contend Abraham broke the curse with his record, while famous attackers such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink flourished with nine on their back.
But Delap was unfazed when asked about the curse. "I'm not the type of person [who believes in curses]," he said at the Club World Cup.
"Ultimately it's a number on the back of your kit. It's just a digit that has historically been connected to attackers so it's something that I like and there's no added burden."
