Delap Back in Action as Chelsea Look to Address Attacking Problems
Forward Liam Delap is recovering from a thigh problem at a time of need for Chelsea.
The West London club suffered a 2-1 defeat against unexpected challengers Sunderland at their stadium on the weekend, with boss Enzo Maresca blaming "limited inventiveness" and his squad's passes being "not the best".
Chelsea's forwards are having difficulty finding the net and goal contributions as Delap returns in the Carabao Cup against struggling Wolves on this week (19:45 GMT), having sat out 10 fixtures since picking up the problem in the 2-0 win over Fulham in August.
Maresca commented the young striker will be slowly integrated "slowly", and the summer signing's comeback is vital for a team facing questions over their mixed results, which has left the cup competitions their best opportunity of securing honors this campaign.
Delap to Ease Burden On Joao Pedro
Chelsea brought in Delap from Ipswich Town for thirty million pounds despite interest from Manchester United, Newcastle United and Everton.
Yet the Three Lions prospect was behind £55 million acquisition Joao Pedro in the team ranking at this summer's Club World Cup - and with good reason.
Joao Pedro registered a trio of strikes in three appearances as Chelsea claimed the first edition in the America. The Seleção attacker added two more goals and three setups in his opening quartet of league fixtures after joining from Brighton.
More recently, however, Joao Pedro has failed to score in his last seven games. Maresca said he is one of three squad members - along with central players Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who presently require to be "protected".
When queried about Joao Pedro's dip in form, Maresca said: "Certainly the physical part is important. When you are not 100% it's difficult to compete, notably in this competition."
"Joao Pedro is not a traditional striker that is going to reach twenty strikes annually. Joao's a excellent footballer, he's going to score and provide assists but he's a distinctive forward to ones that score 20 to 25 goals every season like [Robert] Lewandowski, the PSG forward or the City striker."
Broader Issues in Chelsea's Forward Line
Chelsea confront broader problems beyond their attackers and Joao Pedro's drought.
Attacker Cole Palmer has completed two games all term and is not anticipated to feature from a lower body issue until December.
Wide player Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, acquired from Borussia Dortmund for a fee rising to £52m, has no goals and one goal contribution in 10 matches. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40 million signing from Manchester United, has one goal in seven games and forced an own goal against Benfica.
Estevao Willian, 18, has entertained since joining from Palmeiras for a £51m package, but has merely two scores and one setup - matching youth product Tyrique George.
Forward Marc Guiu and Brighton loanee Facundo Buonanotte have a single strike apiece.
Marc Cucurella, who got seven from defensive position last campaign, is still to score this season. Attacking player Pedro Neto has one score and two assists in his last two games, but earlier got only one goal in the opening ten matches.
After 13 matches in every tournament no striker has more than two goals, with central players Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's joint top scorers with four strikes.
Asked whether a shortage of clinical finishers means goals must come from multiple sources, Maresca said: "Definitely, yes. We repeatedly stated that the quintet of attackers at the attack, we need multiple goals per player, in the fashion we managed last term."
Maresca has found ways to challenge despite offensive unpredictability. Chelsea are second for free-kick and corner scores in the English top division, one behind Arsenal. In moreover, the West London club are the initial club to have 10 different scorers in the first division this term.
Is the Number Nine Hoodoo About to Lift?
Some Chelsea followers think the striker's jersey - assigned to Delap in the transfer window - is cursed. It had been available since last year, and players who sported it since the mid-2000s have struggled for goals, 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 strikes in nineteen matches
- Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - 24 scores in 72 appearances
- 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 sixteen matches
- Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - one score in twenty-five matches
- Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - failed to score in twenty matches
A midfielder and defensive specialist are part of this selection, and some would suggest Abraham lifted the hoodoo with his record, while iconic forwards such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink excelled with the number nine.
But Delap was unmoved when asked about the hoodoo. "I'm not one [who believes in curses]," he stated at the Club World Cup.
"In the final analysis it's a digit on the shirt of your uniform. It's just a figure that has always been related to forwards so it's something that I enjoy and there's zero expectation."
