Delap Makes Comeback as Chelsea Seek to Fix Attacking Problems
Attacker Liam Delap is recovering 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 recently, with head coach Enzo Maresca citing "limited inventiveness" and his side's crossing being "below standard".
Chelsea's attackers are finding it hard to score and assists as Delap returns in the League Cup against lowly Wolves on Wednesday (evening kickoff), having been absent for 10 matches since suffering the setback in the success over Fulham in last month.
Maresca said the 22-year-old will be gradually introduced "carefully", and the summer signing's return is important for a team facing scrutiny over their inconsistency, which has left the national tournaments their most realistic chance of claiming silverware this season.
Delap to Take Pressure Off Joao Pedro
Chelsea brought in Delap from the Championship side for £30m despite pursuit by Manchester United, Newcastle United and Everton.
Yet the young English striker was behind expensive recruit Joao Pedro in the pecking order at this summer's Club World Cup - and with good reason.
Joao Pedro found the net three times in three matches as Chelsea claimed the first edition in the America. The Seleção attacker scored another two and three goal contributions in his opening quartet of league fixtures after arriving from Brighton.
More lately, however, Joao Pedro has been goalless in his past seven matches. Maresca stated he is one of a trio of players - along with engine room operators Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who presently require to be "shielded".
When asked about Joao Pedro's drop in output, Maresca remarked: "For sure the conditioning element is important. When you are not at peak condition it's difficult to compete, particularly in this league."
"Joao Pedro is not a traditional striker that is going to score 20 goals each year. Joao's a fantastic player, he's going to score and provide assists but he's a different kind of nine to players who get 20 to 25 goals every season like the Bayern legend, the French superstar or the Norwegian goal machine."
Additional Concerns in Chelsea's Attack
Chelsea face wider issues apart from their attackers and Joao Pedro's scoreless streak.
Forward Cole Palmer has played two full matches all term and is unlikely to be back from a groin injury until next month.
Wide player Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, brought in from Borussia Dortmund for a fee rising to £52m, has zero strikes and one assist in 10 matches. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40m recruit from Manchester United, has one score in seven games and induced an opposition error against Benfica.
Estevao Willian, 18, has impressed since arriving from Palmeiras for a £51m package, but has merely two scores and one setup - paralleling homegrown talent Tyrique George.
Attacker Marc Guiu and loan signing Facundo Buonanotte have a single strike apiece.
Marc Cucurella, who notched seven from full-back last campaign, is without a goal this campaign. Winger Pedro Neto has a single strike and two setups in his previous two fixtures, but earlier got only one goal in the opening ten matches.
After 13 matches in various cups no attacker has above two scores, with engine room operators Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's shared top goalscorers with four goals.
Asked whether a lack of natural goalscorers means duties need distributing, Maresca commented: "Absolutely, yes. We said many times that the five players at the attack, we need multiple goals per player, in the fashion we managed last season."
Maresca has developed approaches to compete despite goal-scoring variability. Chelsea are second place for free-kick and corner scores in the English top division, trailing by one Arsenal. In furthermore, the West London club are the first team to have ten distinct net-finders in the first division this term.
Will Chelsea's Number Nine Curse Be Broken?
Some Chelsea fans feel the center-forward number - assigned to Delap in the off-season - is jinxed. It had been unoccupied since recently, and footballers who donned it since 2006 have struggled for goals, including:
- Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - a trio of scores in 21 games
- Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - 15 goals in 58 appearances
- Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - thirty strikes in eighty-two matches
- Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five strikes in nineteen matches
- Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - twenty-four strikes in 72 appearances
- Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - one score in twelve matches
- Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): 45 scores in 172 appearances
- Franco di Santo (2008-10) - zero strikes in 16 games
- Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - one score in twenty-five matches
- Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - failed to score in 20 games
A midfielder and defender are included in this group, and some would suggest Abraham broke the curse with his performance, while legendary strikers such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink flourished with the striker's jersey.
But Delap was unmoved when queried about the hoodoo. "I don't believe [who believes in curses]," he commented 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 always been related to attackers so it's something that I enjoy and there's zero expectation."
