Delap Makes Comeback as The Blues Seek to Fix Attacking Problems
Striker Liam Delap is returning from a hamstring injury at a crucial moment for Chelsea.
The Stamford Bridge outfit suffered a 2-1 defeat against unexpected challengers Sunderland at their home ground on the weekend, with manager Enzo Maresca citing "limited inventiveness" and his side's crossing being "below standard".
Chelsea's attackers are having difficulty finding the net and key passes as Delap makes his comeback in the Carabao Cup against bottom-half Wolves on Wednesday (19:45 GMT), having sat out 10 fixtures since suffering the setback in the success over Fulham in the summer.
Maresca said the emerging talent will be phased in "gradually", and the summer signing's comeback is important for a club facing scrutiny over their inconsistency, which has left the national tournaments their best opportunity of claiming silverware this campaign.
Delap to Ease Burden On Joao Pedro
Chelsea acquired Delap from the Tractor Boys for £30m despite interest from Old Trafford club, Newcastle United and Goodison Park team.
Yet the England Under-21s forward was second to expensive recruit Joao Pedro in the selection hierarchy at this recent international tournament - and with valid cause.
Joao Pedro scored three goals in three outings as Chelsea claimed the first edition in the United States. The Brazil striker added two more goals and three setups in his opening quartet of league fixtures after moving from the Seagulls.
More recently, however, Joao Pedro has not scored in his previous seven fixtures. Maresca revealed he is one of a trio of players - along with engine room operators Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who currently need to be "handled carefully".
When questioned about Joao Pedro's decline in performance, Maresca remarked: "Definitely the conditioning element is important. When you are not at peak condition it's difficult to compete, especially in this division."
"Joao Pedro is not a classic center-forward that is going to net twenty times annually. Joao's a excellent footballer, he's going to score and give assists but he's a different kind of nine to players who get 20 to 25 goals annually like the Bayern legend, [Kylian] Mbappe or [Erling] Haaland."
Wider Problems in Chelsea's Forward Line
Chelsea deal with broader problems in addition to their strikers and Joao Pedro's goalless run.
Winger Cole Palmer has completed two games all campaign and is not anticipated to feature from a groin problem until the winter.
Wide player Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, acquired from Borussia Dortmund for a potential £52 million deal, has failed to score and one goal contribution in ten appearances. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40m acquisition from Manchester United, has one score in seven outings and induced an opposition error against Benfica.
Estevao Willian, eighteen, has entertained since joining from Palmeiras for a fee rising to £51m, but has just two strikes and a single assist - matching homegrown talent Tyrique George.
Attacker Marc Guiu and loan signing Facundo Buonanotte have one score each.
Marc Cucurella, who notched seven from defensive position last season, is without a goal this campaign. Winger Pedro Neto has one goal and two setups in his past two matches, but before that scored only once in the first 10 games.
After thirteen games in every tournament no attacker has over two strikes, with midfielders Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's equal leading marksmen with four.
Questioned whether a absence of prolific strikers means duties need distributing, Maresca commented: "Definitely, yes. We frequently mentioned that the five players at the attack, we need six, seven, eight, nine, 10 goals each, in the fashion we managed last term."
Maresca has developed approaches to compete despite attacking inconsistency. Chelsea are second place for dead-ball situations in the Premier League, one behind Arsenal. In addition, the Stamford Bridge side are the initial club to have ten various goalscorers in the Premier League this term.
Is the Number Nine Hoodoo About to Lift?
Some Chelsea fans think the center-forward number - assigned to Delap in the off-season - is jinxed. It had been vacant since 2023, and players who sported it since the mid-2000s have had goal droughts, including:
- Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - three goals in twenty-one matches
- Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - 15 goals in 58 appearances
- Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - 30 scores in 82 appearances
- Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five scores in 19 games
- Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - 24 scores in 72 appearances
- Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - one goal in twelve matches
- Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): 45 scores in 172 appearances
- Franco di Santo (2008-10) - no goals in 16 appearances
- Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - one goal in twenty-five matches
- Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - no goals in 20 games
A engine room operator and defender are among those listed, and some would contend Abraham lifted the hoodoo with his achievement, while legendary strikers such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink excelled with the number nine.
But Delap was unmoved when asked about the hoodoo. "I'm not the type of person [who believes in curses]," he stated at the Club World Cup.
"Ultimately it's a figure on the jersey of your kit. It's just a figure that has always been related to attackers so it's something that I appreciate and there's no pressure."
