Delap Back in Action as The Blues Look to Address Attacking Problems
Attacker Liam Delap is returning from a muscle issue at a important period for Chelsea.
The Stamford Bridge outfit were beaten 2-1 against surprise package Sunderland at their stadium on the weekend, with head coach Enzo Maresca attributing "a lack of creativity" and his squad's passes being "below standard".
Chelsea's strikers are struggling for goals and goal contributions as Delap makes his comeback in the EFL Cup against bottom-half Wolves on Wednesday (19:45 GMT), having missed 10 games since suffering the setback in the success over Fulham in August.
Maresca stated the young striker will be slowly integrated "carefully", and the recent acquisition's comeback is crucial for a team facing scrutiny over their inconsistency, which has left the domestic cups their most realistic chance of claiming silverware this campaign.
Delap to Ease Burden On Joao Pedro
Chelsea brought in Delap from the Championship side for a £30 million fee despite pursuit by the Red Devils, the Magpies and the Toffees.
Yet the young English striker was behind £55m signing Joao Pedro in the pecking order at this summer's Club World Cup - and with solid justification.
Joao Pedro scored three goals in three matches as Chelsea secured the maiden title in the America. The Brazilian forward notched additional strikes and three goal contributions in his first four Premier League games after joining from Brighton.
More of late, however, Joao Pedro has not scored in his past seven matches. Maresca said he is one of a trio of players - along with midfielders Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who at the moment demand to be "protected".
When asked about Joao Pedro's drop in output, Maresca remarked: "Definitely the conditioning element is crucial. When you are not at peak condition it's challenging to excel, notably in this competition."
"Joao Pedro is not a classic center-forward that is going to reach twenty strikes every season. Joao's a excellent footballer, he's going to score and give assists but he's a alternative type of striker to those who net 20 to 25 goals annually like the Bayern legend, the PSG forward or the Norwegian goal machine."
Broader Issues in Chelsea's Offense
Chelsea face broader problems beyond their attackers and Joao Pedro's drought.
Winger Cole Palmer has featured for ninety minutes twice all season and is unlikely to be back from a groin injury until next month.
Wide player Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, signed from Borussia Dortmund for a fee rising to £52m, has zero strikes and one assist in ten appearances. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40m acquisition from Manchester United, has one score in seven matches and caused an own goal against Benfica.
Estevao Willian, eighteen, has entertained since arriving from Palmeiras for a fee rising to £51m, but has merely two scores and one setup - matching youth product Tyrique George.
Attacker Marc Guiu and loan signing Facundo Buonanotte have one score each.
Marc Cucurella, who got seven from defensive position last term, is yet to find the net this campaign. Wide man Pedro Neto has one goal and two assists in his past two matches, but earlier found the net just once in the first 10 games.
After thirteen fixtures in various cups no attacker has more than two goals, with central players Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's equal leading marksmen with four goals.
Queried whether a shortage of clinical finishers means responsibility must be shared, Maresca said: "Absolutely, yes. We repeatedly stated that the front five at the attack, we need six, seven, eight, nine, 10 goals each, in the way we have done last term."
Maresca has found ways to challenge despite offensive unpredictability. Chelsea are second place for free-kick and corner scores in the English top division, one behind Arsenal. In furthermore, the Stamford Bridge side are the first team to have ten distinct net-finders in the top flight this campaign.
Will Chelsea's Number Nine Curse Be Broken?
Some Chelsea supporters believe the number nine shirt - taken by Delap in the transfer window - is cursed. It had been vacant since last year, and squad members who sported it since 2006 have had goal droughts, including:
- Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - three strikes in 21 games
- Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - 15 scores in 58 appearances
- Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - 30 scores in 82 games
- Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five scores in 19 games
- Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - 24 scores in 72 games
- Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - one goal in 12 appearances
- Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): forty-five strikes in 172 appearances
- Franco di Santo (2008-10) - failed to score in 16 appearances
- Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - one score in 25 games
- Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - zero strikes in twenty matches
A midfielder and defender are among those listed, and some would suggest 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 asked about the jinx. "I don't believe [who believes in curses]," he commented at the global competition.
"Ultimately it's a figure on the jersey of your uniform. It's just a digit that has historically been connected to forwards so it's something that I like and there's no added burden."
