Delap Back in Action as Chelsea Look to Address Forward Concerns
Striker Liam Delap is recovering from a muscle issue at a time of need for Chelsea.
The Blues suffered a 2-1 defeat against shock contenders Sunderland at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, with manager Enzo Maresca attributing "limited inventiveness" and his squad's passes being "subpar".
Chelsea's attackers are finding it hard to score and key passes as Delap is back available in the League Cup against lowly Wolves on midweek (19:45 GMT), having been absent for 10 matches since suffering the setback in the victory over Fulham in last month.
Maresca said the young striker will be phased in "gradually", and the new recruit's return is important for a team facing questions over their unpredictability, which has left the national tournaments their most realistic chance of claiming silverware this campaign.
Delap to Share Load With Joao Pedro
Chelsea acquired Delap from Ipswich Town for £30m despite interest from the Red Devils, Newcastle United and the Toffees.
Yet the England Under-21s forward was below £55 million acquisition Joao Pedro in the team ranking at this summer's Club World Cup - and with valid cause.
Joao Pedro scored three goals in three outings as Chelsea secured the maiden title in the United States. The Seleção attacker added two more goals and three assists in his first four Premier League games after moving from the Seagulls.
More recently, 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 currently need to be "protected".
When questioned about Joao Pedro's decline in performance, Maresca remarked: "Definitely the fitness aspect is important. When you are not at peak condition it's hard to perform, particularly in this division."
"Joao Pedro is not a classic center-forward that is going to reach twenty strikes annually. Joao's a superb talent, he's going to score and give assists but he's a alternative type of striker to ones that score 20 to 25 goals each year like the Bayern legend, the PSG forward or [Erling] Haaland."
Additional Concerns in Chelsea's Attack
Chelsea deal with broader problems apart from their strikers and Joao Pedro's drought.
Forward Cole Palmer has featured for ninety minutes twice all term and is not expected return from a groin injury until next month.
Wide player Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, acquired from Borussia Dortmund for a fee rising to £52m, has no goals and one goal contribution in ten appearances. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40m recruit 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 fee rising to £51m, but has only two goals and one assist - matching homegrown talent Tyrique George.
Striker Marc Guiu and Seagulls temporary signing Facundo Buonanotte have one score each.
Marc Cucurella, who got seven from full-back last term, is still to score this term. Attacking player Pedro Neto has a single strike and two assists in his last two games, but earlier scored only once in the initial ten fixtures.
After thirteen fixtures in various cups no striker has over two strikes, with central players Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's shared top goalscorers with four.
Queried whether a lack of natural goalscorers means duties need distributing, Maresca commented: "Absolutely, yes. We repeatedly stated that the front five at the attack, we need six, seven, eight, nine, 10 goals each, in the way we have done last term."
Maresca has developed approaches to be competitive despite attacking inconsistency. Chelsea are runner-up in set-piece goals in the Premier League, trailing by one Arsenal. In addition, the Blues are the initial club to have ten distinct net-finders in the first division this term.
Will Chelsea's Number Nine Curse Be Broken?
Some Chelsea followers believe the number nine shirt - claimed by Delap in the summer - is hexed. It had been available since 2023, and footballers who donned it since 2006 have struggled for goals, including:
- Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - three goals in 21 appearances
- Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - fifteen strikes in fifty-eight matches
- Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - 30 scores in eighty-two matches
- Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five scores in 19 games
- Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - 24 scores 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) - zero strikes 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 defensive specialist are part of this selection, and some would contend Abraham broke the curse with his performance, while famous attackers such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink excelled with the number nine.
But Delap was unfazed when queried about the jinx. "I'm not the type of person [who believes in curses]," he stated at the Club World Cup.
"In the final analysis it's a number on the back of your kit. It's just a figure that has traditionally been associated to forwards so it's something that I enjoy and there's no added burden."
