Delap Makes Comeback as Chelsea Aim to Solve Striker Issues
Forward Liam Delap is recovering from a thigh problem at a important period for Chelsea.
The West London club suffered a 2-1 defeat against surprise package Sunderland at their home ground on recently, with boss Enzo Maresca citing "a lack of creativity" and his team's delivery 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 (evening kickoff), having sat out 10 fixtures since sustaining the injury in the 2-0 win over Fulham in the summer.
Maresca said the 22-year-old will be slowly integrated "gradually", and the recent acquisition's comeback is vital for a club facing questions over their unpredictability, which has left the cup competitions their best opportunity of winning a trophy this campaign.
Delap to Share Load With Joao Pedro
Chelsea signed Delap from the Championship side for £30m despite attention from the Red Devils, St James' Park side and the Toffees.
Yet the young English striker was second to £55m signing Joao Pedro in the selection hierarchy at this recent international tournament - and with good reason.
Joao Pedro registered a trio of strikes in three appearances as Chelsea won the inaugural tournament in the United States. The Brazilian forward added two more goals and three assists in his initial four top-flight matches after joining from Brighton.
More recently, however, Joao Pedro has been goalless in his past seven matches. Maresca said he is one of three squad members - along with engine room operators Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who at the moment demand to be "handled carefully".
When questioned about Joao Pedro's dip in form, Maresca remarked: "Certainly the conditioning element is crucial. When you are not at peak condition it's difficult to compete, particularly in this league."
"Joao Pedro is not a classic center-forward that is going to net twenty times each year. Joao's a fantastic player, he's going to score and provide assists but he's a different kind of nine to those who net 20 to 25 goals every season like the Bayern legend, the PSG forward or the City striker."
Additional Concerns in Chelsea's Attack
Chelsea confront additional challenges in addition to their attackers and Joao Pedro's goalless run.
Attacker Cole Palmer has played two full matches all term and is unlikely to be back from a groin problem until December.
Winger Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, signed from Borussia Dortmund for a fee rising to £52m, has failed to score and one assist in ten appearances. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40m acquisition from Manchester United, has a single strike in seven outings and forced an own goal against Benfica.
Estevao Willian, 18, has shown promise since arriving from Palmeiras for a potential £51 million deal, but has only two goals and one setup - matching academy forward Tyrique George.
Striker Marc Guiu and Seagulls temporary signing Facundo Buonanotte have a single strike apiece.
Marc Cucurella, who scored seven from defensive position last term, is without a goal this season. Attacking player Pedro Neto has one goal and two setups in his last two games, 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 joint top scorers with four goals.
Questioned whether a lack of natural goalscorers means duties need distributing, Maresca stated: "Certainly, yes. We said many times that the five players at the attack, we need multiple goals per player, in the way we have done last campaign."
Maresca has discovered methods to compete despite goal-scoring variability. Chelsea are second place for set-piece goals in the Premier League, one less than Arsenal. In furthermore, the Stamford Bridge side are the pioneering side to have 10 different scorers in the first division this campaign.
Is the Number Nine Hoodoo About to Lift?
Some Chelsea supporters believe the center-forward number - claimed by Delap in the summer - is jinxed. It had been vacant since recently, and footballers who donned it since 2006 have struggled for goals, including:
- Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - a trio of scores in 21 appearances
- Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - 15 scores in 58 games
- Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - thirty strikes in 82 appearances
- Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five goals in nineteen matches
- Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - 24 goals in 72 games
- Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - one goal in twelve matches
- Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): forty-five strikes in 172 appearances
- Franco di Santo (2008-10) - zero strikes in 16 games
- Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - a single strike in 25 games
- Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - zero strikes in twenty matches
A central player and defensive specialist are part of this selection, and some would argue Abraham lifted the hoodoo with his record, while legendary strikers such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink excelled with nine on their back.
But Delap was unfazed when queried about the jinx. "I don't believe [who believes in curses]," he stated at the international tournament.
"Ultimately it's a digit on the shirt of your shirt. It's just a digit that has traditionally been associated to strikers so it's something that I enjoy and there's no added burden."
