Delap Back in Action as Stamford Bridge Side Aim to Solve Attacking Problems
Striker Liam Delap is recovering from a hamstring injury at a time of need for Chelsea.
The Blues lost 2-1 against surprise package Sunderland at their stadium on recently, with head coach Enzo Maresca blaming "a lack of creativity" and his squad's passes being "not the best".
Chelsea's attackers are struggling for goals and key passes as Delap makes his comeback in the EFL Cup against lowly Wolves on midweek (evening kickoff), having been absent for 10 matches since picking up the problem in the 2-0 win over Fulham in the summer.
Maresca stated the emerging talent will be slowly integrated "carefully", and the recent acquisition's comeback is important for a club facing scrutiny over their inconsistency, which has left the national tournaments their most realistic chance of claiming silverware this term.
Delap to Share Load With Joao Pedro
Chelsea signed Delap from Ipswich Town for £30m despite attention from Manchester United, St James' Park side and Goodison Park team.
Yet the young English striker was behind £55m signing Joao Pedro in the selection hierarchy at this recent international tournament - and with valid cause.
Joao Pedro registered a trio of strikes in three appearances as Chelsea claimed the first edition in the United States. The Brazil striker notched additional strikes and three setups in his opening quartet of league fixtures after joining from Brighton.
More recently, however, Joao Pedro has been goalless in his past seven matches. Maresca said he is one of a trio of players - along with central players Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who presently require to be "protected".
When questioned about Joao Pedro's drop in output, Maresca remarked: "Certainly the conditioning element is crucial. When you are not fully fit it's hard to perform, especially in this league."
"Joao Pedro is not a classic center-forward that is going to net twenty times each year. Joao's a fantastic player, he's going to find the net and create chances but he's a distinctive forward to ones that score 20 to 25 goals every season like [Robert] Lewandowski, the French superstar or the City striker."
Additional Concerns in Chelsea's Forward Line
Chelsea confront wider issues beyond their strikers and Joao Pedro's drought.
Attacker Cole Palmer has completed two games all campaign and is not anticipated to feature from a groin problem until next month.
Wide player Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, acquired from Borussia Dortmund for a fee rising to £52m, has no goals and one assist in 10 matches. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40 million signing from Manchester United, has a single strike in seven matches and forced an own goal against Benfica.
Estevao Willian, the teenager, has shown promise since arriving from Palmeiras for a potential £51 million deal, but has merely two scores and one assist - equaling youth product Tyrique George.
Attacker Marc Guiu and Brighton loanee Facundo Buonanotte have one goal each.
Marc Cucurella, who scored seven from left-back last campaign, is still to score this term. Winger Pedro Neto has one goal and two goal contributions in his previous two fixtures, but prior to that scored only once in the opening ten matches.
After thirteen games in various cups no attacker has more than two goals, with midfielders Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's equal leading marksmen with four.
Questioned whether a shortage of clinical finishers means responsibility must be shared, Maresca commented: "Definitely, yes. We repeatedly stated that the front five at the offense, we need multiple goals per player, in the way we have done last campaign."
Maresca has discovered methods to compete despite offensive unpredictability. Chelsea are second place for dead-ball situations in the top flight, trailing by one Arsenal. In addition, the Stamford Bridge side are the first team to have 10 different scorers in the top flight this season.
Will Chelsea's Number Nine Curse Be Broken?
Some Chelsea supporters think the striker's jersey - taken by Delap in the off-season - is cursed. It had been unoccupied since last year, and footballers who wore it since 2006 have found scoring difficult, including:
- Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - three goals in 21 appearances
- Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - 15 scores in 58 appearances
- Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - 30 scores in eighty-two matches
- Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five strikes in 19 games
- Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - twenty-four strikes in 72 appearances
- Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - a single strike in 12 games
- Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): 45 goals in 172 appearances
- Franco di Santo (2008-10) - failed to score in sixteen matches
- Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - a single strike in 25 appearances
- Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - no goals in 20 appearances
A midfielder and backline player are included in this group, and some would contend Abraham lifted the hoodoo with his achievement, while legendary strikers such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink flourished with the number nine.
But Delap was unmoved when queried about the hoodoo. "I'm not the type of person [who believes in curses]," he said at the global competition.
"In the final analysis it's a number on the back of your shirt. It's just a number that has historically been connected to attackers so it's something that I enjoy and there's zero expectation."
