Delap Returns as The Blues Seek to Fix Striker Issues
Attacker Liam Delap is coming back from a hamstring injury at a important period for Chelsea.
The Blues lost 2-1 against unexpected challengers Sunderland at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, with boss Enzo Maresca citing "insufficient imagination" and his team's delivery being "below standard".
Chelsea's forwards are having difficulty finding the net and goal contributions as Delap makes his comeback in the EFL Cup against lowly Wolves on this week (prime time), having been absent for 10 matches since sustaining the injury in the 2-0 win over Fulham in the summer.
Maresca said the 22-year-old will be slowly integrated "carefully", and the summer signing's comeback is important for a club facing criticism over their mixed results, which has left the domestic cups their primary hope of claiming silverware this term.
Delap to Share Load With Joao Pedro
Chelsea brought in Delap from Ipswich Town for thirty million pounds despite pursuit by the Red Devils, St James' Park side and Goodison Park team.
Yet the young English striker was behind £55 million acquisition 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 secured the maiden title in the United States. The Seleção attacker notched additional strikes and three assists in his initial four top-flight matches after arriving from Brighton.
More of late, however, Joao Pedro has not scored in his previous seven fixtures. Maresca said he is one of three players - along with engine room operators Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who presently require to be "protected".
When queried about Joao Pedro's dip in form, Maresca commented: "For sure the conditioning element is crucial. When you are not at peak condition it's hard to perform, notably in this league."
"Joao Pedro is not a number nine that is going to net twenty times annually. Joao's a fantastic player, he's going to find the net and provide assists but he's a distinctive forward to those who net 20 to 25 goals annually like [Robert] Lewandowski, [Kylian] Mbappe or the Norwegian goal machine."
Additional Concerns in Chelsea's Forward Line
Chelsea deal with broader problems apart from their forwards and Joao Pedro's drought.
Attacker Cole Palmer has completed two games all term and is not anticipated to feature from a groin injury until next month.
Winger Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, acquired from Borussia Dortmund for a potential £52 million deal, has no goals and one assist in 10 matches. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40 million signing from Manchester United, has a single strike in seven outings and forced an own goal against Benfica.
Estevao Willian, 18, has entertained since joining from Palmeiras for a potential £51 million deal, but has just two strikes and one setup - equaling academy forward Tyrique George.
Forward Marc Guiu and Seagulls temporary signing Facundo Buonanotte have one goal each.
Marc Cucurella, who got seven from full-back last season, is without a goal this campaign. Wide man Pedro Neto has a single strike and two assists in his last two games, but prior to that scored only once in the initial ten fixtures.
After 13 matches in every tournament no attacker has more than two goals, with engine room operators Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's equal leading marksmen with four.
Questioned whether a lack of natural goalscorers means goals must come from multiple sources, Maresca stated: "Certainly, yes. We frequently mentioned that the five players at the offense, we need six, seven, eight, nine, 10 goals each, in the manner we achieved last season."
Maresca has developed approaches to be competitive despite attacking inconsistency. Chelsea are runner-up in free-kick and corner scores in the English top division, one behind Arsenal. In moreover, the Stamford Bridge side are the pioneering side to have ten distinct net-finders in the first division this term.
Is the Number Nine Hoodoo About to Lift?
Some Chelsea followers feel the striker's jersey - assigned to Delap in the transfer window - is cursed. It had been unoccupied since recently, and players who wore it since the mid-2000s have had goal droughts, including:
- Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - three goals in twenty-one matches
- Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - fifteen strikes in 58 appearances
- Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - thirty strikes in eighty-two matches
- Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five strikes in 19 games
- Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - 24 goals in seventy-two matches
- Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - one score in 12 appearances
- Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): 45 scores in 172 games
- Franco di Santo (2008-10) - no goals in 16 appearances
- Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - a single strike in twenty-five matches
- Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - no goals in 20 games
A engine room operator and backline player are among those listed, and some would argue Abraham ended the jinx with his performance, while legendary strikers such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink excelled with nine on their back.
But Delap was unconcerned when queried about the jinx. "I don't believe [who believes in curses]," he stated at the global competition.
"In the final analysis it's a digit on the shirt of your kit. It's just a digit that has traditionally been associated to attackers so it's something that I enjoy and there's zero expectation."
