Delap Back in Action as Stamford Bridge Side Seek to Fix Striker Issues
Striker Liam Delap is recovering from a muscle issue at a important period for Chelsea.
The Stamford Bridge outfit suffered a 2-1 defeat against unexpected challengers Sunderland at Stamford Bridge on recently, with manager Enzo Maresca citing "a lack of creativity" and his team's delivery being "subpar".
Chelsea's strikers are finding it hard to score and assists as Delap is back available in the Carabao Cup against struggling Wolves on this week (19:45 GMT), having been absent for 10 matches since suffering the setback in the victory over Fulham in last month.
Maresca commented the emerging talent will be phased in "gradually", and the recent acquisition's comeback is important for a side facing criticism over their mixed results, which has left the national tournaments their most realistic chance of winning a trophy this season.
Delap to Share Load With Joao Pedro
Chelsea acquired Delap from the Tractor Boys for £30m despite pursuit by Manchester United, the Magpies and the Toffees.
Yet the England Under-21s forward was below £55 million acquisition Joao Pedro in the selection hierarchy at this global competition - and with solid justification.
Joao Pedro registered a trio of strikes in three appearances as Chelsea won the inaugural tournament in the USA. The Seleção attacker added two more goals and three setups in his initial four top-flight matches after joining from Brighton.
More recently, however, Joao Pedro has failed to score in his last seven games. 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 asked about Joao Pedro's decline in performance, Maresca commented: "Certainly the physical part is vital. When you are not at peak condition it's challenging to excel, especially in this league."
"Joao Pedro is not a number nine that is going to score 20 goals annually. Joao's a fantastic player, he's going to get goals and give assists but he's a distinctive forward to players who get 20 to 25 goals annually like the Polish striker, [Kylian] Mbappe or the City striker."
Broader Issues in Chelsea's Forward Line
Chelsea confront broader problems apart from their forwards and Joao Pedro's scoreless streak.
Forward Cole Palmer has completed two games all term and is not expected return from a groin injury until December.
Attacking midfielder Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, brought in from Borussia Dortmund for a potential £52 million deal, has failed to score and a single assist in 10 matches. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40m recruit from Manchester United, has one score in seven matches and caused an own goal against Benfica.
Estevao Willian, eighteen, has shown promise since arriving from Palmeiras for a potential £51 million deal, but has only two goals and one assist - equaling homegrown talent Tyrique George.
Forward Marc Guiu and Brighton loanee Facundo Buonanotte have one score each.
Marc Cucurella, who notched seven from full-back last campaign, is still to score this season. Attacking player Pedro Neto has a single strike and two assists in his past two matches, but before that found the net just once in the first 10 games.
After 13 matches in every tournament no attacker has over two strikes, with central players Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's shared top goalscorers with four goals.
Asked whether a lack of natural goalscorers means goals must come from multiple sources, Maresca stated: "Definitely, yes. We repeatedly stated that the quintet of attackers at the offense, we need six, seven, eight, nine, 10 goals each, in the way we have done last season."
Maresca has developed approaches to be competitive despite attacking inconsistency. Chelsea are runner-up in free-kick and corner scores in the Premier League, one behind Arsenal. In addition, the West London club are the pioneering side to have ten distinct net-finders in the first division this term.
Is the Number Nine Hoodoo About to Lift?
Some Chelsea supporters feel the striker's jersey - taken by Delap in the transfer window - is cursed. It had been vacant since recently, and players who sported it since the mid-2000s 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 goals in 82 appearances
- Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five scores in nineteen matches
- Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - 24 scores in 72 games
- Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - one score in twelve matches
- Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): 45 goals in 172 games
- Franco di Santo (2008-10) - zero strikes in sixteen matches
- Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - a single strike in 25 appearances
- Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - zero strikes in 20 appearances
A midfielder and defensive specialist are among those listed, and some would argue Abraham broke the curse with his performance, while legendary strikers such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink excelled with the number nine.
But Delap was unfazed when asked about the curse. "I'm not the type of person [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 kit. It's just a figure that has traditionally been associated to forwards so it's something that I enjoy and there's no added burden."
