Delap Makes Comeback as Stamford Bridge Side Aim to Solve Forward Concerns
Forward Liam Delap is coming back from a thigh problem at a time of need for Chelsea.
The Stamford Bridge outfit were beaten 2-1 against surprise package Sunderland at Stamford Bridge on the weekend, with boss Enzo Maresca blaming "limited inventiveness" and his squad's passes being "subpar".
Chelsea's forwards are having difficulty finding the net and key passes as Delap is back available in the EFL Cup against bottom-half Wolves on Wednesday (19:45 GMT), having sat out 10 fixtures since picking up the problem in the success over Fulham in August.
Maresca commented the 22-year-old will be gradually introduced "carefully", and the new recruit's availability is crucial for a team facing questions over their inconsistency, which has left the cup competitions their primary hope of securing honors this term.
Delap to Ease Burden On Joao Pedro
Chelsea brought in Delap from Ipswich Town for a £30 million fee despite attention from Manchester United, Newcastle United and Goodison Park team.
Yet the Three Lions prospect was behind £55m signing Joao Pedro in the pecking order at this global competition - and with good reason.
Joao Pedro registered a trio of strikes in three outings as Chelsea secured the maiden title in the America. The Seleção attacker added two more goals and three goal contributions in his opening quartet of league fixtures after arriving from Brighton.
More of late, however, Joao Pedro has been goalless in his past seven matches. Maresca revealed he is one of three squad members - along with central players Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who presently require to be "shielded".
When asked about Joao Pedro's dip in form, Maresca said: "Definitely the fitness aspect is important. When you are not 100% it's challenging to excel, particularly in this league."
"Joao Pedro is not a number nine that is going to reach twenty strikes annually. Joao's a superb talent, he's going to get goals and give assists but he's a different kind of nine to players who get 20 to 25 goals every season like the Polish striker, the PSG forward or the City striker."
Broader Issues in Chelsea's Attack
Chelsea deal with broader problems beyond their attackers and Joao Pedro's drought.
Attacker Cole Palmer has featured for ninety minutes twice all campaign and is not expected return from a groin injury until December.
Attacking midfielder Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, signed from Borussia Dortmund for a £52m package, has failed to score and a single assist in ten appearances. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40m recruit from Manchester United, has one score in seven matches and caused an own goal against Benfica.
Estevao Willian, 18, has entertained since moving from Palmeiras for a £51m package, but has just two strikes and a single assist - paralleling homegrown talent Tyrique George.
Attacker Marc Guiu and loan signing Facundo Buonanotte have one goal each.
Marc Cucurella, who got seven from left-back last season, is still to score this term. Winger Pedro Neto has one score and two goal contributions in his previous two fixtures, but before that scored only once in the initial ten fixtures.
After 13 matches in every tournament no attacker has more than two goals, with engine room operators Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's shared top goalscorers with four.
Questioned whether a lack of natural goalscorers means goals must come from multiple sources, Maresca commented: "Certainly, yes. We frequently mentioned that the five players at the attack, we need numerous strikes from each, in the manner we achieved last campaign."
Maresca has developed approaches to challenge despite offensive unpredictability. Chelsea are second for dead-ball situations in the Premier League, one less than Arsenal. In furthermore, the Blues are the first team to have ten distinct net-finders in the Premier League this season.
Can Chelsea's Striker Jinx End?
Some Chelsea supporters think the number nine shirt - claimed by Delap in the summer - is cursed. It had been available since recently, and players who donned it since the mid-2000s have found scoring difficult, including:
- Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - three goals in 21 appearances
- Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - fifteen strikes in 58 appearances
- Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - 30 goals in eighty-two matches
- Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five strikes in nineteen matches
- Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - 24 scores in seventy-two matches
- Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - a single strike in 12 appearances
- Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): 45 goals in one hundred seventy-two matches
- Franco di Santo (2008-10) - zero strikes in sixteen matches
- Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - one score in 25 appearances
- Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - failed to score in 20 appearances
A central player and backline player are included in this group, and some would contend Abraham lifted the hoodoo with his record, while famous attackers such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink excelled with nine on their back.
But Delap was unconcerned when queried about the hoodoo. "I don't believe [who believes in curses]," he stated at the global competition.
"Ultimately it's a digit on the shirt of your kit. It's just a figure that has historically been connected to strikers so it's something that I enjoy and there's no added burden."
