Delap Back in Action as Chelsea Seek to Fix Forward Concerns
Attacker Liam Delap is recovering from a hamstring injury at a crucial moment for Chelsea.
The West London club lost 2-1 against surprise package Sunderland at their home ground on the weekend, with manager Enzo Maresca attributing "a lack of creativity" and his squad's passes being "subpar".
Chelsea's forwards are finding it hard to score and goal contributions as Delap makes his comeback in the EFL Cup against bottom-half Wolves on Wednesday (prime time), having sat out 10 fixtures since sustaining the injury in the success over Fulham in August.
Maresca commented the emerging talent will be slowly integrated "carefully", and the new recruit's return is important for a side facing questions over their mixed results, which has left the national tournaments their best opportunity of claiming silverware this term.
Delap to Take Pressure Off Joao Pedro
Chelsea signed Delap from Ipswich Town for a £30 million fee despite attention from Manchester United, the Magpies and Goodison Park team.
Yet the England Under-21s forward was second to £55 million acquisition Joao Pedro in the selection hierarchy at this summer's Club World Cup - and with good reason.
Joao Pedro found the net three times in three outings as Chelsea won the inaugural tournament in the United States. The Brazilian forward added two more goals and three goal contributions in his first four Premier League games after moving from the Seagulls.
More recently, however, Joao Pedro has been goalless in his previous seven fixtures. Maresca said he is one of a trio of players - along with central players Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who currently need to be "shielded".
When queried about Joao Pedro's drop in output, Maresca commented: "For sure the physical part is crucial. When you are not fully fit it's challenging to excel, notably in this league."
"Joao Pedro is not a classic center-forward that is going to score 20 goals every season. Joao's a excellent footballer, he's going to find the net and create chances but he's a different kind of nine to ones that score 20 to 25 goals annually like the Bayern legend, the PSG forward or the City striker."
Wider Problems in Chelsea's Offense
Chelsea deal with wider issues beyond their strikers and Joao Pedro's drought.
Winger Cole Palmer has played two full matches all campaign and is not anticipated to feature from a groin injury until the winter.
Winger Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, brought in from Borussia Dortmund for a potential £52 million deal, has no goals and one assist in ten appearances. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40m recruit from Manchester United, has a single strike in seven outings and induced an opposition error against Benfica.
Estevao Willian, 18, has shown promise since arriving from Palmeiras for a £51m package, but has just two strikes and a single assist - matching youth product Tyrique George.
Forward Marc Guiu and Brighton loanee Facundo Buonanotte have a single strike apiece.
Marc Cucurella, who scored seven from left-back last term, is still to score this term. Winger Pedro Neto has a single strike and two goal contributions in his past two matches, but prior to that got only one goal in the initial ten fixtures.
After 13 matches in various cups no striker has over two strikes, with central players Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's shared top goalscorers with four.
Questioned whether a lack of natural goalscorers means duties need distributing, Maresca said: "Certainly, yes. We frequently mentioned that the front five at the offense, we need multiple goals per player, in the fashion we managed last term."
Maresca has developed approaches to be competitive despite offensive unpredictability. Chelsea are second place for dead-ball situations in the Premier League, one behind Arsenal. In furthermore, the West London club are the first team to have 10 different scorers in the top flight this campaign.
Is the Number Nine Hoodoo About to Lift?
Some Chelsea followers believe the center-forward number - claimed by Delap in the transfer window - is jinxed. It had been unoccupied since 2023, and footballers who donned it since the mid-2000s have struggled for goals, including:
- Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - a trio of scores in 21 appearances
- Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - 15 goals in fifty-eight matches
- Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - 30 scores in 82 games
- Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five scores in nineteen matches
- Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - twenty-four strikes in 72 appearances
- Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - one goal in 12 appearances
- Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): 45 goals in 172 games
- Franco di Santo (2008-10) - no goals in sixteen matches
- Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - a single strike in twenty-five matches
- Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - zero strikes in 20 appearances
A engine room operator and backline player are included in this group, and some would suggest Abraham ended the jinx with his achievement, while legendary strikers such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink thrived with the number nine.
But Delap was unmoved when queried about the jinx. "I don't believe [who believes in curses]," he commented 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 historically been connected to attackers so it's something that I enjoy and there's zero expectation."
