Delap Back in Action as The Blues Aim to Solve Forward Concerns
Forward Liam Delap is coming back from a muscle issue at a important period for Chelsea.
The Blues lost 2-1 against shock contenders Sunderland at their stadium on the weekend, with boss Enzo Maresca attributing "a lack of creativity" and his team's delivery being "not the best".
Chelsea's strikers are finding it hard to score and assists as Delap is back available in the Carabao Cup against struggling Wolves on Wednesday (19:45 GMT), having sat out 10 fixtures since picking up the problem in the success over Fulham in the summer.
Maresca commented the young striker will be phased in "slowly", and the recent acquisition's comeback is important for a club facing questions over their unpredictability, which has left the cup competitions their primary hope of winning a trophy this campaign.
Delap to Share Load With Joao Pedro
Chelsea brought in Delap from the Tractor Boys for a £30 million fee despite interest from Manchester United, St James' Park side and the Toffees.
Yet the England Under-21s forward was behind £55 million acquisition Joao Pedro in the selection hierarchy at this summer's Club World Cup - and with solid justification.
Joao Pedro registered a trio of strikes in three appearances as Chelsea won the inaugural tournament in the America. The Brazilian forward scored another two and three setups in his opening quartet of league fixtures after arriving from Brighton.
More of late, however, Joao Pedro has failed to score in his past seven matches. Maresca stated he is one of three squad members - along with midfielders Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who presently require to be "handled carefully".
When asked about Joao Pedro's drop in output, Maresca commented: "For sure the physical part is crucial. When you are not 100% it's difficult to compete, notably in this league."
"Joao Pedro is not a number nine that is going to reach twenty strikes every season. Joao's a excellent footballer, he's going to score and give assists but he's a distinctive forward to ones that score 20 to 25 goals each year like [Robert] Lewandowski, the PSG forward or the City striker."
Additional Concerns in Chelsea's Offense
Chelsea face broader problems beyond their forwards and Joao Pedro's drought.
Forward Cole Palmer has featured for ninety minutes twice all term and is not anticipated to feature from a lower body issue 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 £40m acquisition from Manchester United, has one score in seven matches and induced an opposition error against Benfica.
Estevao Willian, the teenager, has shown promise since moving from Palmeiras for a fee rising to £51m, but has only two goals and one setup - matching academy forward Tyrique George.
Forward Marc Guiu and loan signing Facundo Buonanotte have a single strike apiece.
Marc Cucurella, who got seven from full-back last term, is without a goal this season. Winger Pedro Neto has one score and two goal contributions in his past two matches, but before that got only one goal in the initial ten fixtures.
After thirteen games in all competitions no striker has more than two goals, with engine room operators Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's joint top scorers with four.
Queried whether a absence of prolific strikers means goals must come from multiple sources, Maresca commented: "Certainly, yes. We frequently mentioned that the five players at the attack, we need multiple goals per player, in the way we have done last campaign."
Maresca has found ways to be competitive despite goal-scoring variability. Chelsea are second for free-kick and corner scores in the English top division, trailing by one Arsenal. In addition, the Stamford Bridge side are the pioneering side to have ten distinct net-finders in the Premier League this season.
Is the Number Nine Hoodoo About to Lift?
Some Chelsea supporters think the number nine shirt - assigned to Delap in the off-season - is hexed. It had been vacant since 2023, and players who donned it since 2006 have had goal droughts, including:
- Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - three strikes in twenty-one matches
- Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - 15 scores in 58 games
- Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - 30 goals in eighty-two matches
- Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five scores in 19 games
- Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - 24 goals in 72 games
- Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - one goal in twelve matches
- Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): 45 goals in 172 appearances
- Franco di Santo (2008-10) - failed to score in 16 games
- Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - one goal in twenty-five matches
- Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - failed to score in 20 games
A engine room operator and backline player are included in this group, and some would argue Abraham ended the jinx with his achievement, while legendary strikers such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink flourished with nine on their back.
But Delap was unmoved when asked about the jinx. "I'm not the type of person [who believes in curses]," he stated at the Club World Cup.
"Ultimately it's a figure on the jersey of your uniform. It's just a figure that has traditionally been associated to attackers so it's something that I appreciate and there's no pressure."
