Delap Makes Comeback as Chelsea Look to Address Attacking Problems
Striker Liam Delap is coming back from a thigh problem at a time of need for Chelsea.
The Blues suffered a 2-1 defeat against surprise package Sunderland at their stadium on Saturday, with manager Enzo Maresca citing "limited inventiveness" and his side's crossing being "below standard".
Chelsea's forwards are having difficulty finding the net and key passes as Delap makes his comeback in the Carabao Cup against lowly Wolves on this week (evening kickoff), having been absent for 10 matches since sustaining the injury in the 2-0 win over Fulham in August.
Maresca commented the emerging talent will be slowly integrated "carefully", and the summer signing's comeback is vital for a club facing questions over their mixed results, which has left the national tournaments their most realistic chance of winning a trophy this season.
Delap to Share Load With Joao Pedro
Chelsea brought in Delap from the Championship side for thirty million pounds despite attention from Manchester United, the Magpies and Everton.
Yet the young English striker was second to £55 million acquisition Joao Pedro in the pecking order at this global competition - and with solid justification.
Joao Pedro registered a trio of strikes in three outings as Chelsea claimed the first edition in the United States. The Brazilian forward notched additional strikes and three assists in his opening quartet of league fixtures after joining from Brighton.
More of late, however, Joao Pedro has not scored in his past seven matches. Maresca revealed he is one of a trio of players - along with midfielders Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who at the moment demand to be "protected".
When asked about Joao Pedro's dip in form, Maresca commented: "Definitely the conditioning element is crucial. When you are not 100% it's difficult to compete, particularly in this division."
"Joao Pedro is not a classic center-forward that is going to reach twenty strikes every season. Joao's a excellent footballer, he's going to get goals and provide assists but he's a different kind of nine to those who net 20 to 25 goals every season like the Polish striker, the French superstar or [Erling] Haaland."
Broader Issues in Chelsea's Attack
Chelsea deal with broader problems beyond their attackers and Joao Pedro's goalless run.
Attacker Cole Palmer has completed two games all season and is not anticipated to feature from a groin problem until next month.
Winger Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, signed from Borussia Dortmund for a £52m package, has failed to score and one assist in 10 matches. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40m acquisition from Manchester United, has one score in seven matches and induced an opposition error against Benfica.
Estevao Willian, 18, has impressed since joining from Palmeiras for a fee rising to £51m, but has only two goals and one setup - matching homegrown talent Tyrique George.
Forward Marc Guiu and Seagulls temporary signing Facundo Buonanotte have one score each.
Marc Cucurella, who scored seven from full-back last season, is without a goal this term. Winger Pedro Neto has a single strike and two goal contributions in his past two matches, but prior to that found the net just once in the opening ten matches.
After thirteen games in all competitions no forward has above two scores, with central players Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's joint top scorers with four strikes.
Asked whether a shortage of clinical finishers means responsibility must be shared, Maresca stated: "Definitely, yes. We repeatedly stated that the front five at the front, we need multiple goals per player, in the manner we achieved last campaign."
Maresca has developed approaches to challenge despite attacking inconsistency. Chelsea are runner-up in free-kick and corner scores in the Premier League, one behind Arsenal. In furthermore, the West London club are the first team to have 10 different scorers in the first division this season.
Is the Number Nine Hoodoo About to Lift?
Some Chelsea supporters think the number nine shirt - claimed by Delap in the off-season - is cursed. It had been available since 2023, and players who wore it since the mid-2000s have struggled for goals, including:
- Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - three strikes in 21 games
- Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - 15 scores in 58 appearances
- Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - 30 goals in eighty-two matches
- Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five strikes in nineteen matches
- Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - 24 scores in seventy-two matches
- Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - a single strike in 12 games
- Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): 45 goals in 172 games
- Franco di Santo (2008-10) - failed to score in 16 games
- Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - one score in 25 games
- Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - no goals in twenty matches
A engine room operator and backline player are among those listed, and some would argue Abraham broke the curse with his record, while legendary strikers such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink flourished with the number nine.
But Delap was unmoved when queried about the jinx. "I don't believe [who believes in curses]," he stated at the global competition.
"At the end of the day it's a number on the back of your uniform. It's just a digit that has historically been connected to forwards so it's something that I enjoy and there's no pressure."
