Delap Returns as Chelsea Look to Address Forward Concerns
Striker Liam Delap is coming back from a hamstring injury at a time of need for Chelsea.
The Stamford Bridge outfit lost 2-1 against unexpected challengers Sunderland at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, with manager Enzo Maresca citing "a lack of creativity" and his squad's passes being "below standard".
Chelsea's attackers are having difficulty finding the net and key passes as Delap makes his comeback in the League Cup against struggling Wolves on this week (prime time), having been absent for 10 matches since suffering the setback in the 2-0 win over Fulham in the summer.
Maresca stated the 22-year-old will be gradually introduced "slowly", and the recent acquisition's return is vital for a side facing questions over their mixed results, which has left the cup competitions their best opportunity of winning a trophy this campaign.
Delap to Share Load With Joao Pedro
Chelsea brought in Delap from Ipswich Town for a £30 million fee despite attention from the Red Devils, Newcastle United and Everton.
Yet the young English striker was behind £55 million acquisition Joao Pedro in the selection hierarchy at this global competition - and with good reason.
Joao Pedro registered a trio of strikes in three matches as Chelsea won the inaugural tournament in the United States. The Brazil striker scored another two and three assists in his initial four top-flight matches after arriving from Brighton.
More lately, however, Joao Pedro has been goalless in his last seven games. Maresca said he is one of three squad members - along with midfielders Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who currently need to be "handled carefully".
When asked about Joao Pedro's decline in performance, Maresca said: "For sure the physical part is crucial. When you are not at peak condition it's challenging to excel, especially in this division."
"Joao Pedro is not a number nine that is going to net twenty times annually. Joao's a fantastic player, he's going to get goals and create chances but he's a distinctive forward to those who net 20 to 25 goals annually like the Polish striker, the French superstar or the Norwegian goal machine."
Broader Issues in Chelsea's Offense
Chelsea deal with broader problems beyond their forwards and Joao Pedro's drought.
Forward Cole Palmer has featured for ninety minutes twice all term and is unlikely to be back from a groin problem until next month.
Winger Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, brought in from Borussia Dortmund for a £52m package, has no goals and a single assist in 10 matches. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40 million signing from Manchester United, has one score in seven games and forced an own goal against Benfica.
Estevao Willian, the teenager, has shown promise since arriving from Palmeiras for a potential £51 million deal, but has only two goals and a single assist - equaling youth product Tyrique George.
Striker Marc Guiu and Brighton loanee Facundo Buonanotte have a single strike apiece.
Marc Cucurella, who scored seven from defensive position last term, is yet to find the net this term. Attacking player Pedro Neto has one goal and two assists in his past two matches, but prior to that scored only once in the initial ten fixtures.
After 13 matches in various cups no forward has more than two goals, with midfielders Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's shared top goalscorers with four strikes.
Questioned whether a lack of natural goalscorers means goals must come from multiple sources, Maresca said: "Absolutely, yes. We frequently mentioned that the front five at the offense, we need six, seven, eight, nine, 10 goals each, in the way we have done last season."
Maresca has found ways to challenge despite offensive unpredictability. Chelsea are second for set-piece goals in the English top division, one less than Arsenal. In furthermore, the Stamford Bridge side are the initial club to have ten various goalscorers in the Premier League this season.
Can Chelsea's Striker Jinx End?
Some Chelsea supporters think the number nine shirt - claimed by Delap in the transfer window - is jinxed. It had been available since last year, and squad members who donned it since 2006 have struggled for goals, 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) - thirty strikes in eighty-two matches
- Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five scores in nineteen matches
- Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - 24 scores in seventy-two matches
- Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - a single strike in 12 appearances
- Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): forty-five strikes in one hundred seventy-two matches
- Franco di Santo (2008-10) - zero strikes in 16 appearances
- Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - one goal in 25 games
- Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - failed to score in 20 appearances
A midfielder and backline player are among those listed, and some would suggest Abraham ended the jinx with his record, while iconic forwards such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink flourished with the striker's jersey.
But Delap was unfazed when queried about the curse. "I don't believe [who believes in curses]," he commented at the global competition.
"In the final analysis 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 like and there's no pressure."
