Delap Makes Comeback as The Blues Look to Address Forward Concerns
Striker Liam Delap is coming back from a thigh problem at a time of need for Chelsea.
The Stamford Bridge outfit were beaten 2-1 against surprise package Sunderland at their stadium on the weekend, with boss Enzo Maresca blaming "insufficient imagination" and his team's delivery being "subpar".
Chelsea's strikers are having difficulty finding the net and goal contributions as Delap returns in the EFL Cup against lowly Wolves on midweek (prime time), having been absent for 10 matches since suffering the setback in the 2-0 win over Fulham in August.
Maresca said the young striker will be gradually introduced "carefully", and the summer signing's comeback is vital for a side facing questions over their mixed results, which has left the domestic cups their best opportunity of winning a trophy this season.
Delap to Take Pressure Off Joao Pedro
Chelsea brought in Delap from the Tractor Boys for £30m despite interest from the Red Devils, Newcastle United and Goodison Park team.
Yet the England Under-21s forward was below £55 million acquisition Joao Pedro in the selection hierarchy at this recent international tournament - and with valid cause.
Joao Pedro found the net three times in three outings as Chelsea secured the maiden title in the USA. The Seleção attacker added two more goals and three assists in his initial four top-flight matches after moving from the Seagulls.
More recently, however, Joao Pedro has been goalless in his past seven matches. Maresca stated he is one of three players - along with midfielders Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who presently require to be "shielded".
When questioned about Joao Pedro's decline in performance, Maresca said: "Certainly the fitness aspect is crucial. When you are not fully fit it's challenging to excel, notably in this league."
"Joao Pedro is not a traditional striker that is going to net twenty times annually. Joao's a excellent footballer, he's going to find the net and give assists but he's a alternative type of striker to players who get 20 to 25 goals annually like [Robert] Lewandowski, the French superstar or the City striker."
Additional Concerns in Chelsea's Forward Line
Chelsea face wider issues beyond their attackers and Joao Pedro's scoreless streak.
Attacker Cole Palmer has played two full matches all term and is not anticipated to feature from a lower body issue until the winter.
Attacking midfielder Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, signed from Borussia Dortmund for a £52m package, has no goals and one assist in 10 matches. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40m recruit from Manchester United, has a single strike in seven matches and caused an own goal against Benfica.
Estevao Willian, 18, has entertained since moving from Palmeiras for a fee rising to £51m, but has only two goals and one setup - paralleling homegrown talent Tyrique George.
Striker Marc Guiu and Seagulls temporary signing Facundo Buonanotte have one goal each.
Marc Cucurella, who notched seven from defensive position last campaign, is without a goal this season. Winger Pedro Neto has a single strike and two setups in his past two matches, but earlier scored only once in the opening ten matches.
After thirteen games in every tournament no forward has above two scores, with midfielders Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's shared top goalscorers with four goals.
Questioned whether a lack of natural goalscorers means responsibility must be shared, Maresca commented: "Definitely, yes. We repeatedly stated that the quintet of attackers at the front, we need numerous strikes from each, in the manner we achieved last term."
Maresca has developed approaches to challenge despite attacking inconsistency. Chelsea are second place for dead-ball situations in the Premier League, trailing by one Arsenal. In furthermore, the West London club are the first team to have ten distinct net-finders in the first division this campaign.
Can Chelsea's Striker Jinx End?
Some Chelsea supporters think the center-forward number - assigned to Delap in the off-season - is cursed. It had been available since recently, and squad members who donned 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 goals in 58 games
- Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - thirty strikes in 82 appearances
- Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five strikes in 19 appearances
- Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - 24 scores in seventy-two matches
- Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - a single strike in twelve matches
- Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): forty-five strikes in 172 appearances
- Franco di Santo (2008-10) - zero strikes in sixteen matches
- Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - one score in twenty-five matches
- Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - zero strikes in 20 appearances
A central player and defensive specialist are part of this selection, and some would argue Abraham broke the curse with his record, while famous attackers such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink flourished with the number nine.
But Delap was unmoved when queried about the jinx. "I'm not the type of person [who believes in curses]," he stated at the Club World Cup.
"Ultimately it's a digit on the shirt of your uniform. It's just a digit that has traditionally been associated to forwards so it's something that I appreciate and there's zero expectation."
