Delap Makes Comeback as The Blues Aim to Solve Forward Concerns
Forward Liam Delap is coming back from a hamstring injury at a important period for Chelsea.
The Blues suffered a 2-1 defeat against shock contenders Sunderland at their stadium on recently, with boss Enzo Maresca citing "limited inventiveness" and his side's crossing being "below standard".
Chelsea's forwards are having difficulty finding the net and goal contributions as Delap is back available in the League Cup against lowly Wolves on this week (prime time), having been absent for 10 matches since suffering the setback in the success over Fulham in last month.
Maresca stated the 22-year-old will be phased in "gradually", and the summer signing's comeback is important for a side facing scrutiny over their mixed results, which has left the national tournaments 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 thirty million pounds despite attention from Old Trafford club, the Magpies and the Toffees.
Yet the Three Lions prospect was second to £55 million acquisition Joao Pedro in the selection hierarchy at this recent international tournament - and with good reason.
Joao Pedro found the net three times in three matches as Chelsea claimed the first edition in the USA. The Brazil striker scored another two and three assists in his opening quartet of league fixtures after joining from Brighton.
More of late, however, Joao Pedro has failed to score in his previous seven fixtures. Maresca revealed he is one of three players - along with engine room operators Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who at the moment demand to be "protected".
When queried about Joao Pedro's decline in performance, Maresca commented: "Certainly the fitness aspect is vital. When you are not 100% it's challenging to excel, especially in this division."
"Joao Pedro is not a number nine that is going to score 20 goals every season. Joao's a fantastic player, he's going to get goals and create chances but he's a different kind of nine to those who net 20 to 25 goals annually like the Polish striker, the French superstar or the Norwegian goal machine."
Additional Concerns in Chelsea's Offense
Chelsea face additional challenges beyond their attackers and Joao Pedro's scoreless streak.
Winger Cole Palmer has featured for ninety minutes twice all campaign and is not anticipated to feature from a groin injury until December.
Winger Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, brought in from Borussia Dortmund for a fee rising to £52m, has failed to score and one assist in ten appearances. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40m recruit from Manchester United, has a single strike in seven games and caused an own goal against Benfica.
Estevao Willian, the teenager, has shown promise since moving from Palmeiras for a £51m package, but has merely two scores and a single assist - matching homegrown talent Tyrique George.
Striker Marc Guiu and Seagulls temporary signing Facundo Buonanotte have one goal each.
Marc Cucurella, who scored seven from full-back last term, is without a goal this term. Attacking player Pedro Neto has one score and two assists in his last two games, but prior to that got only one goal in the initial ten fixtures.
After thirteen fixtures in all competitions no attacker has above two scores, with central players Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's equal leading marksmen with four strikes.
Questioned whether a absence of prolific strikers means goals must come from multiple sources, Maresca stated: "Certainly, yes. We frequently mentioned that the five players at the front, we need multiple goals per player, in the fashion we managed last season."
Maresca has found ways to challenge despite offensive unpredictability. Chelsea are second place for dead-ball situations in the Premier League, one behind Arsenal. In furthermore, the Blues are the first team to have ten distinct net-finders in the top flight this season.
Can Chelsea's Striker Jinx End?
Some Chelsea followers feel the number nine shirt - taken by Delap in the off-season - is jinxed. It had been vacant since last year, and players who wore it since 2006 have had goal droughts, including:
- Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - a trio of scores in 21 appearances
- Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - 15 scores in fifty-eight matches
- Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - 30 scores in 82 games
- Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five scores in 19 games
- Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - 24 goals in 72 games
- Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - a single strike in 12 games
- Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): 45 scores in one hundred seventy-two matches
- Franco di Santo (2008-10) - no goals in 16 appearances
- Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - one score in 25 appearances
- Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - zero strikes in twenty matches
A central player and defender are included in this group, and some would contend Abraham broke the curse with his performance, while legendary strikers such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink thrived with nine on their back.
But Delap was unmoved when questioned about the jinx. "I don't believe [who believes in curses]," he said at the global competition.
"At the end of the day it's a figure on the jersey of your uniform. It's just a number that has historically been connected to strikers so it's something that I like and there's no added burden."
