Delap Makes Comeback as Stamford Bridge Side Look to Address Forward Concerns
Striker Liam Delap is returning from a hamstring injury at a time of need for Chelsea.
The Stamford Bridge outfit were beaten 2-1 against unexpected challengers Sunderland at Stamford Bridge on the weekend, with head coach Enzo Maresca blaming "a lack of creativity" and his side's crossing being "subpar".
Chelsea's attackers are finding it hard to score and goal contributions as Delap is back available in the League Cup against lowly Wolves on midweek (19:45 GMT), having missed 10 games since suffering the setback in the success over Fulham in the summer.
Maresca said the young striker will be phased in "gradually", and the summer signing's return is crucial for a side facing criticism over their inconsistency, which has left the domestic cups their most realistic chance of securing honors this season.
Delap to Ease Burden On Joao Pedro
Chelsea signed Delap from Ipswich Town for a £30 million fee despite interest from Old Trafford club, St James' Park side and the Toffees.
Yet the young English striker was below expensive recruit Joao Pedro in the pecking order at this recent international tournament - and with good reason.
Joao Pedro scored three goals in three matches as Chelsea secured the maiden title in the America. The Brazil striker notched additional strikes and three goal contributions in his initial four top-flight matches after moving from the Seagulls.
More recently, however, Joao Pedro has been goalless in his last seven games. Maresca revealed he is one of three squad members - along with central players Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who presently require to be "shielded".
When questioned about Joao Pedro's drop in output, Maresca said: "For sure the conditioning element is vital. When you are not fully fit it's hard to perform, notably in this competition."
"Joao Pedro is not a traditional striker that is going to reach twenty strikes annually. Joao's a fantastic player, he's going to get goals and provide assists but he's a distinctive forward to those who net 20 to 25 goals each year like the Polish striker, the French superstar or [Erling] Haaland."
Additional Concerns in Chelsea's Attack
Chelsea confront broader problems in addition to their strikers and Joao Pedro's scoreless streak.
Forward Cole Palmer has completed two games all season and is not expected return from a groin injury until next month.
Attacking midfielder Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, brought in from Borussia Dortmund for a fee rising to £52m, has failed to score and a single assist in 10 matches. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40m recruit from Manchester United, has one goal in seven outings and forced an own goal against Benfica.
Estevao Willian, eighteen, has impressed since joining from Palmeiras for a potential £51 million deal, but has only two goals and one setup - equaling youth product Tyrique George.
Attacker Marc Guiu and Seagulls temporary signing Facundo Buonanotte have one score each.
Marc Cucurella, who notched seven from defensive position last season, is without a goal this campaign. Winger Pedro Neto has one score and two goal contributions in his last two games, but prior to that got only one goal in the opening ten matches.
After thirteen games in various cups no striker has more than two goals, with engine room operators Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's joint top scorers with four strikes.
Queried whether a absence of prolific strikers means goals must come from multiple sources, Maresca said: "Absolutely, yes. We frequently mentioned that the front five at the attack, we need six, seven, eight, nine, 10 goals each, in the fashion we managed last term."
Maresca has discovered methods to compete despite attacking inconsistency. Chelsea are second place for dead-ball situations in the top flight, one less than Arsenal. In moreover, the Blues are the pioneering side to have ten various goalscorers in the top flight this campaign.
Can Chelsea's Striker Jinx End?
Some Chelsea fans feel the number nine shirt - taken by Delap in the transfer window - is jinxed. It had been vacant since last year, and players who donned it since the mid-2000s have had goal droughts, including:
- Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - three strikes in 21 appearances
- Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - 15 goals in 58 appearances
- Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - 30 goals in 82 games
- Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five goals in 19 appearances
- Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - 24 goals in seventy-two matches
- Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - a single strike in twelve matches
- Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): forty-five strikes in 172 games
- Franco di Santo (2008-10) - no goals in 16 games
- Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - a single strike in 25 appearances
- Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - failed to score in twenty matches
A midfielder and defensive specialist are part of this selection, and some would argue Abraham broke the curse with his performance, while famous attackers such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink thrived with the striker's jersey.
But Delap was unmoved when queried about the hoodoo. "I'm not one [who believes in curses]," he commented 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 forwards so it's something that I like and there's zero expectation."
