Delap Returns as The Blues Seek to Fix Attacking Problems
Attacker Liam Delap is returning from a muscle issue at a time of need for Chelsea.
The Stamford Bridge outfit lost 2-1 against surprise package Sunderland at their home ground on recently, with head coach Enzo Maresca blaming "limited inventiveness" and his team's delivery being "not the best".
Chelsea's forwards are finding it hard to score and goal contributions as Delap returns in the Carabao Cup against struggling Wolves on midweek (19:45 GMT), having missed 10 games since sustaining the injury in the success over Fulham in the summer.
Maresca stated the young striker will be gradually introduced "carefully", and the new recruit's comeback is important for a club facing criticism over their mixed results, which has left the cup competitions their most realistic chance of winning a trophy this season.
Delap to Share Load With Joao Pedro
Chelsea brought in Delap from Ipswich Town for thirty million pounds despite attention from the Red Devils, St James' Park side and the Toffees.
Yet the England Under-21s forward was below £55m signing Joao Pedro in the pecking order at this summer's Club World Cup - and with valid cause.
Joao Pedro registered a trio of strikes in three appearances as Chelsea won the inaugural tournament in the USA. The Brazil striker notched additional strikes and three goal contributions in his first four Premier League games after moving from the Seagulls.
More of late, however, Joao Pedro has failed to score in his previous seven fixtures. Maresca stated he is one of three players - along with midfielders Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who presently require to be "handled carefully".
When questioned about Joao Pedro's dip in form, Maresca said: "Definitely the physical part is crucial. When you are not at peak condition it's challenging to excel, particularly in this competition."
"Joao Pedro is not a traditional striker that is going to score 20 goals annually. Joao's a fantastic player, he's going to find the net and provide assists but he's a different kind of nine to ones that score 20 to 25 goals annually like the Bayern legend, [Kylian] Mbappe or the Norwegian goal machine."
Wider Problems in Chelsea's Forward Line
Chelsea face broader problems apart from their forwards and Joao Pedro's goalless run.
Winger Cole Palmer has played two full matches all term and is unlikely to be back from a groin problem until next month.
Wide player Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, brought in from Borussia Dortmund for a potential £52 million deal, has failed to score and one assist in ten appearances. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40 million signing from Manchester United, has one goal in seven matches and induced an opposition error against Benfica.
Estevao Willian, eighteen, has entertained since joining from Palmeiras for a potential £51 million deal, but has merely two scores and one setup - paralleling youth product Tyrique George.
Forward Marc Guiu and loan signing Facundo Buonanotte have a single strike apiece.
Marc Cucurella, who notched seven from full-back last campaign, is still to score this season. Attacking player Pedro Neto has a single strike and two assists in his past two matches, but earlier got only one goal in the initial ten fixtures.
After 13 matches in various cups no forward has more than two goals, with central players Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's shared top goalscorers with four goals.
Asked whether a shortage of clinical finishers means responsibility must be shared, Maresca commented: "Absolutely, yes. We frequently mentioned that the five players at the front, we need multiple goals per player, in the manner we achieved last season."
Maresca has discovered methods to challenge despite offensive unpredictability. Chelsea are second for dead-ball situations in the English top division, one behind Arsenal. In furthermore, the Blues are the first team to have ten various goalscorers in the top flight this campaign.
Is the Number Nine Hoodoo About to Lift?
Some Chelsea fans think the number nine shirt - claimed by Delap in the off-season - is hexed. It had been vacant since recently, and players 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) - fifteen strikes in 58 games
- Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - thirty strikes in 82 appearances
- Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five strikes in 19 appearances
- Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - 24 goals in 72 appearances
- Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - one score in 12 appearances
- Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): forty-five strikes in one hundred seventy-two matches
- Franco di Santo (2008-10) - zero strikes in 16 appearances
- Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - one score in 25 games
- Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - no goals in 20 appearances
A midfielder and backline player are included in this group, and some would argue Abraham broke the curse with his performance, while famous attackers such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink excelled with the striker's jersey.
But Delap was unconcerned when queried about the jinx. "I'm not one [who believes in curses]," he commented at the Club World Cup.
"Ultimately it's a number on the back of your uniform. It's just a figure that has always been related to attackers so it's something that I like and there's no pressure."
