Delap Returns as The Blues Seek to Fix Forward Concerns
Attacker Liam Delap is coming back from a hamstring injury at a time of need for Chelsea.
The Blues suffered a 2-1 defeat against surprise package Sunderland at their stadium on recently, with boss Enzo Maresca attributing "a lack of creativity" and his team's delivery being "below standard".
Chelsea's forwards are struggling for goals and key passes as Delap returns in the EFL Cup against lowly Wolves on Wednesday (prime time), having been absent for 10 matches since suffering the setback in the victory over Fulham in August.
Maresca said the emerging talent will be slowly integrated "gradually", and the recent acquisition's availability is important for a club facing scrutiny over their inconsistency, which has left the cup competitions their best opportunity of securing honors this term.
Delap to Share Load With Joao Pedro
Chelsea acquired Delap from the Championship side for thirty million pounds despite attention from Manchester United, the Magpies and Goodison Park team.
Yet the England Under-21s forward was second to expensive recruit Joao Pedro in the selection hierarchy at this global competition - 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 Seleção attacker notched additional strikes and three goal contributions in his opening quartet of league fixtures after joining from Brighton.
More recently, however, Joao Pedro has failed to score in his previous seven fixtures. Maresca revealed he is one of three players - along with central players Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who at the moment demand to be "handled carefully".
When asked about Joao Pedro's dip in form, Maresca commented: "Definitely the physical part is crucial. When you are not at peak condition it's challenging to excel, particularly in this division."
"Joao Pedro is not a number nine that is going to net twenty times each year. Joao's a superb talent, he's going to score and create chances but he's a distinctive forward to players who get 20 to 25 goals annually like the Bayern legend, the French superstar or the City striker."
Broader Issues in Chelsea's Attack
Chelsea confront additional challenges beyond their attackers and Joao Pedro's goalless run.
Forward Cole Palmer has featured for ninety minutes twice all campaign and is unlikely to be back from a groin injury until next month.
Winger Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, acquired from Borussia Dortmund for a potential £52 million deal, has failed to score and one assist in ten appearances. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40m acquisition from Manchester United, has a single strike in seven matches and induced an opposition error against Benfica.
Estevao Willian, eighteen, has shown promise since joining from Palmeiras for a £51m package, but has only two goals and one assist - paralleling youth product Tyrique George.
Striker Marc Guiu and loan signing Facundo Buonanotte have one score each.
Marc Cucurella, who scored seven from left-back last campaign, is still to score this campaign. Attacking player Pedro Neto has one score and two goal contributions in his past two matches, but before that scored only once in the opening ten matches.
After thirteen fixtures in every tournament no forward has over two strikes, with midfielders Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's joint top scorers with four.
Asked whether a lack of natural goalscorers means duties need distributing, Maresca stated: "Absolutely, yes. We frequently mentioned that the quintet of attackers at the attack, we need six, seven, eight, nine, 10 goals each, in the way we have done last season."
Maresca has discovered methods to be competitive despite goal-scoring variability. Chelsea are second for set-piece goals in the Premier League, one behind Arsenal. In moreover, the Stamford Bridge side are the initial club to have ten distinct net-finders in the top flight this season.
Will Chelsea's Number Nine Curse Be Broken?
Some Chelsea followers think the striker's jersey - claimed by Delap in the summer - is jinxed. It had been unoccupied since 2023, and players who wore it since 2006 have had goal droughts, including:
- Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - three goals in twenty-one matches
- Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - 15 scores in 58 appearances
- Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - 30 scores in eighty-two matches
- Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five goals in nineteen matches
- Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - 24 goals in 72 appearances
- Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - one score in 12 games
- Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): 45 scores in 172 games
- Franco di Santo (2008-10) - no goals in 16 appearances
- Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - one goal in twenty-five matches
- Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - no goals in 20 appearances
A midfielder and backline player are among those listed, and some would contend Abraham broke the curse with his record, while legendary strikers such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink thrived with the number nine.
But Delap was unconcerned when questioned about the jinx. "I'm not one [who believes in curses]," he stated at the global competition.
"Ultimately it's a digit on the shirt of your uniform. It's just a figure that has historically been connected to forwards so it's something that I enjoy and there's zero expectation."
