Delap Back in Action as Chelsea Look to Address Forward Concerns
Attacker Liam Delap is recovering from a thigh problem at a important period for Chelsea.
The West London club lost 2-1 against unexpected challengers Sunderland at Stamford Bridge on recently, with head coach Enzo Maresca attributing "insufficient imagination" and his side's crossing being "subpar".
Chelsea's forwards are struggling for goals and goal contributions as Delap returns in the Carabao Cup against lowly Wolves on midweek (evening kickoff), having sat out 10 fixtures since suffering the setback in the success over Fulham in August.
Maresca commented the emerging talent will be phased in "carefully", and the recent acquisition's availability is important for a team facing criticism over their mixed results, which has left the national tournaments their most realistic chance of claiming silverware this season.
Delap to Take Pressure Off Joao Pedro
Chelsea acquired Delap from Ipswich Town for a £30 million fee despite interest from the Red Devils, St James' Park side and the Toffees.
Yet the young English striker was below expensive recruit Joao Pedro in the selection hierarchy at this global competition - and with good reason.
Joao Pedro found the net three times in three outings as Chelsea won the inaugural tournament in the USA. The Seleção attacker scored another two and three assists in his initial four top-flight matches after moving from the Seagulls.
More lately, however, Joao Pedro has been goalless in his last seven games. Maresca stated he is one of three squad members - along with midfielders Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who presently require to be "protected".
When questioned about Joao Pedro's decline in performance, Maresca remarked: "Certainly the conditioning element is important. When you are not fully fit it's challenging to excel, particularly in this competition."
"Joao Pedro is not a number nine that is going to reach twenty strikes annually. Joao's a superb talent, he's going to get goals and give assists but he's a distinctive forward to ones that score 20 to 25 goals each year like the Polish striker, the PSG forward or the City striker."
Wider Problems in Chelsea's Offense
Chelsea confront additional challenges in addition to their forwards and Joao Pedro's goalless run.
Winger Cole Palmer has featured for ninety minutes twice all term and is unlikely to be back from a groin injury until December.
Attacking midfielder Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, acquired from Borussia Dortmund for a fee rising to £52m, has zero strikes and a single assist in ten appearances. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40m recruit from Manchester United, has one score in seven matches and induced an opposition error against Benfica.
Estevao Willian, 18, has impressed since joining from Palmeiras for a fee rising to £51m, but has just two strikes and one setup - equaling academy forward Tyrique George.
Striker Marc Guiu and loan signing Facundo Buonanotte have one score each.
Marc Cucurella, who notched seven from left-back last campaign, is still to score this season. Wide man Pedro Neto has a single strike and two assists in his previous two fixtures, but prior to that scored only once in the first 10 games.
After thirteen fixtures in various cups no attacker has over two strikes, with central players Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's joint top scorers with four strikes.
Queried whether a absence of prolific strikers means duties need distributing, Maresca stated: "Definitely, yes. We frequently mentioned that the front five at the offense, we need multiple goals per player, in the manner we achieved last season."
Maresca has developed approaches to be competitive despite attacking inconsistency. Chelsea are second place for set-piece goals in the top flight, one behind Arsenal. In furthermore, the West London club are the first team to have 10 different scorers in the first division this term.
Can Chelsea's Striker Jinx End?
Some Chelsea followers feel the number nine shirt - claimed by Delap in the transfer window - is cursed. It had been vacant since last year, and players who wore it since 2006 have found scoring difficult, including:
- Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - a trio of scores in twenty-one matches
- Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - 15 scores in 58 appearances
- Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - 30 goals in eighty-two matches
- Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five scores in nineteen matches
- Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - 24 goals in 72 appearances
- Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - a single strike in 12 appearances
- Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): 45 scores in 172 appearances
- Franco di Santo (2008-10) - zero strikes in 16 appearances
- Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - one goal in 25 appearances
- Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - zero strikes in 20 appearances
A engine room operator and defensive specialist are among those listed, and some would suggest Abraham lifted the hoodoo with his performance, while legendary strikers such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink excelled with the number nine.
But Delap was unconcerned when questioned about the jinx. "I don't believe [who believes in curses]," he stated at the international tournament.
"At the end of the day it's a digit on the shirt of your uniform. It's just a figure that has always been related to attackers so it's something that I enjoy and there's no added burden."
