Delap Back in Action as The Blues Look to Address Forward Concerns
Striker Liam Delap is recovering from a hamstring injury at a crucial moment for Chelsea.
The West London club suffered a 2-1 defeat against unexpected challengers Sunderland at Stamford Bridge on recently, with manager Enzo Maresca blaming "insufficient imagination" and his squad's passes being "not the best".
Chelsea's strikers are having difficulty finding the net and assists as Delap is back available in the League Cup against struggling Wolves on Wednesday (evening kickoff), having missed 10 games since sustaining the injury in the success over Fulham in the summer.
Maresca stated the emerging talent will be phased in "gradually", and the summer signing's return is important for a team facing criticism over their mixed results, which has left the national tournaments their primary hope of securing honors this term.
Delap to Take Pressure Off Joao Pedro
Chelsea acquired Delap from the Tractor Boys for £30m despite pursuit by Manchester United, Newcastle United and Goodison Park team.
Yet the Three Lions prospect was below expensive recruit Joao Pedro in the pecking order at this recent international tournament - and with solid justification.
Joao Pedro registered a trio of strikes in three appearances as Chelsea secured the maiden title in the USA. The Seleção attacker notched additional strikes and three assists in his first four Premier League games after moving from the Seagulls.
More recently, however, Joao Pedro has failed to score in his previous seven fixtures. Maresca revealed he is one of three squad members - along with midfielders Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who at the moment demand to be "protected".
When queried about Joao Pedro's drop in output, Maresca commented: "Definitely the fitness aspect is vital. When you are not fully fit it's hard to perform, especially in this competition."
"Joao Pedro is not a traditional striker that is going to net twenty times each year. Joao's a fantastic player, he's going to find the net and provide assists but he's a distinctive forward to players who get 20 to 25 goals annually like the Bayern legend, the PSG forward or the Norwegian goal machine."
Additional Concerns in Chelsea's Forward Line
Chelsea confront wider issues in addition to their attackers and Joao Pedro's goalless run.
Attacker Cole Palmer has featured for ninety minutes twice all campaign and is not anticipated to feature from a groin problem until December.
Wide player Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, acquired from Borussia Dortmund for a fee rising to £52m, has failed to score and one goal contribution in ten games. 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 one setup - paralleling youth product Tyrique George.
Forward Marc Guiu and Seagulls temporary signing Facundo Buonanotte have a single strike apiece.
Marc Cucurella, who scored seven from left-back last term, is still to score this term. Attacking player Pedro Neto has one score and two setups in his past two matches, but before that got only one goal in the first 10 games.
After 13 matches in various cups no attacker has above two scores, with engine room operators Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's joint top scorers with four goals.
Questioned whether a shortage of clinical finishers means goals must come from multiple sources, Maresca stated: "Absolutely, yes. We repeatedly stated that the front five at the front, we need numerous strikes from each, in the way we have done last season."
Maresca has developed approaches to compete despite attacking inconsistency. Chelsea are second place for free-kick and corner scores in the English top division, one behind Arsenal. In addition, the West London club are the initial club to have ten distinct net-finders in the Premier League this season.
Can Chelsea's Striker Jinx End?
Some Chelsea followers think the number nine shirt - assigned to Delap in the off-season - is hexed. It had been available since 2023, and footballers who wore it since 2006 have found scoring difficult, including:
- Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - three strikes in 21 appearances
- Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - fifteen strikes in 58 appearances
- Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - thirty strikes 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) - one goal in 12 games
- Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): 45 goals in 172 appearances
- Franco di Santo (2008-10) - no goals in 16 appearances
- Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - a single strike in 25 games
- Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - no goals in 20 appearances
A midfielder and defender are among those listed, and some would argue Abraham ended the jinx with his achievement, while iconic forwards such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink excelled with the striker's jersey.
But Delap was unmoved when questioned about the curse. "I'm not one [who believes in curses]," he stated at the global competition.
"At the end of the day it's a figure on the jersey of your shirt. It's just a number that has traditionally been associated to attackers so it's something that I appreciate and there's no added burden."
