Delap Returns as Chelsea Seek to Fix Attacking Problems
Attacker Liam Delap is recovering from a hamstring injury at a crucial moment for Chelsea.
The West London club suffered a 2-1 defeat against surprise package Sunderland at Stamford Bridge on the weekend, with manager Enzo Maresca blaming "limited inventiveness" and his side's crossing being "not the best".
Chelsea's attackers are having difficulty finding the net and goal contributions as Delap makes his comeback in the League Cup against struggling Wolves on Wednesday (evening kickoff), having missed 10 games since suffering the setback in the 2-0 win over Fulham in last month.
Maresca commented the 22-year-old will be phased in "carefully", and the new recruit's return is important for a team facing criticism over their unpredictability, which has left the domestic cups their primary hope of winning a trophy this term.
Delap to Take Pressure Off Joao Pedro
Chelsea signed Delap from Ipswich Town for £30m despite interest from Manchester United, Newcastle United and Everton.
Yet the Three Lions prospect was behind expensive recruit Joao Pedro in the pecking order at this summer's Club World Cup - and with valid cause.
Joao Pedro scored three goals in three appearances as Chelsea won the inaugural tournament in the United States. The Seleção attacker scored another two and three setups in his opening quartet of league fixtures after arriving from Brighton.
More of late, however, Joao Pedro has been goalless in his past seven matches. Maresca stated he is one of a trio of players - along with engine room operators Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who presently require to be "handled carefully".
When queried about Joao Pedro's dip in form, Maresca said: "Certainly the physical part is vital. When you are not at peak condition it's hard to perform, especially in this league."
"Joao Pedro is not a traditional striker that is going to reach twenty strikes each year. Joao's a excellent footballer, he's going to find the net and give assists but he's a alternative type of striker to those who net 20 to 25 goals every season like the Polish striker, the PSG forward or the Norwegian goal machine."
Broader Issues in Chelsea's Offense
Chelsea face wider issues beyond their attackers and Joao Pedro's drought.
Forward Cole Palmer has completed two games all term and is unlikely to be back from a lower body issue until the winter.
Attacking midfielder Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, signed from Borussia Dortmund for a £52m package, has zero strikes and a single assist in 10 matches. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40m acquisition from Manchester United, has a single strike in seven outings and caused an own goal against Benfica.
Estevao Willian, eighteen, has shown promise since moving from Palmeiras for a fee rising to £51m, but has merely two scores and a single assist - equaling youth product Tyrique George.
Forward Marc Guiu and Seagulls temporary signing Facundo Buonanotte have one goal each.
Marc Cucurella, who scored seven from defensive position last term, is yet to find the net this campaign. Attacking player Pedro Neto has one goal and two setups in his past two matches, but earlier found the net just once in the first 10 games.
After 13 matches in every tournament no attacker has more than two goals, 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 commented: "Absolutely, yes. We frequently mentioned that the front five at the offense, we need multiple goals per player, in the fashion we managed last term."
Maresca has discovered methods to compete despite attacking inconsistency. Chelsea are runner-up in dead-ball situations in the top flight, one behind Arsenal. In moreover, 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 center-forward number - taken by Delap in the transfer window - is hexed. It had been vacant since 2023, and footballers who wore it since 2006 have struggled for goals, including:
- Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - three strikes 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 19 appearances
- Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - twenty-four strikes in seventy-two matches
- Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - a single strike in 12 appearances
- Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): 45 goals in 172 games
- Franco di Santo (2008-10) - failed to score in sixteen matches
- Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - one goal in 25 games
- Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - zero strikes in twenty matches
A midfielder and backline player are included in this group, and some would suggest Abraham ended the jinx with his achievement, while famous attackers such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink excelled with nine on their back.
But Delap was unfazed when asked about the curse. "I don't believe [who believes in curses]," he commented at the international tournament.
"Ultimately it's a figure on the jersey of your uniform. It's just a figure that has traditionally been associated to strikers so it's something that I enjoy and there's no pressure."