Delap Makes Comeback as Stamford Bridge Side Aim to Solve 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 shock contenders Sunderland at their stadium on the weekend, with head coach Enzo Maresca attributing "insufficient imagination" and his side's crossing being "subpar".
Chelsea's forwards are having difficulty finding the net and key passes as Delap makes his comeback in the EFL Cup against struggling Wolves on midweek (evening kickoff), having sat out 10 fixtures since sustaining the injury in the 2-0 win over Fulham in the summer.
Maresca stated the emerging talent will be slowly integrated "carefully", and the new recruit's comeback is crucial for a club facing criticism over their unpredictability, which has left the domestic cups their best opportunity of winning a trophy this campaign.
Delap to Share Load With Joao Pedro
Chelsea brought in Delap from Ipswich Town for thirty million pounds despite attention from the Red Devils, St James' Park side and Goodison Park team.
Yet the England Under-21s forward was behind £55 million acquisition Joao Pedro in the team ranking at this global competition - and with solid justification.
Joao Pedro registered a trio of strikes in three appearances as Chelsea claimed the first edition in the America. The Brazilian forward added two more goals and three setups in his initial four top-flight matches after arriving from Brighton.
More of late, however, Joao Pedro has not scored in his last seven games. Maresca stated he is one of a trio of players - along with midfielders Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who at the moment demand to be "shielded".
When queried about Joao Pedro's decline in performance, Maresca said: "For sure the physical part is vital. When you are not fully fit it's hard to perform, particularly in this division."
"Joao Pedro is not a classic center-forward that is going to reach twenty strikes annually. Joao's a fantastic player, he's going to get goals and give assists but he's a distinctive forward to ones that score 20 to 25 goals annually like [Robert] Lewandowski, the French superstar or the City striker."
Broader Issues in Chelsea's Forward Line
Chelsea face additional challenges beyond their forwards and Joao Pedro's drought.
Forward Cole Palmer has played two full matches all term and is unlikely to be back from a lower body issue until December.
Wide player Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, signed from Borussia Dortmund for a fee rising to £52m, has zero strikes and one goal contribution in 10 matches. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40 million signing from Manchester United, has one score in seven matches and forced an own goal against Benfica.
Estevao Willian, eighteen, has impressed since joining from Palmeiras for a fee rising to £51m, but has just two strikes and one assist - matching homegrown talent Tyrique George.
Striker Marc Guiu and Seagulls temporary signing Facundo Buonanotte have one goal each.
Marc Cucurella, who scored seven from full-back last term, is yet to find the net this campaign. Attacking player Pedro Neto has one score and two setups in his past two matches, but before that found the net just once in the opening ten matches.
After thirteen fixtures in every tournament no striker has more than two goals, with midfielders Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's joint top scorers with four goals.
Queried whether a absence of prolific strikers means goals must come from multiple sources, Maresca said: "Absolutely, yes. We frequently mentioned that the five players at the attack, we need multiple goals per player, in the manner we achieved last campaign."
Maresca has found ways to compete despite offensive unpredictability. Chelsea are second for free-kick and corner scores in the Premier League, one behind Arsenal. In addition, the West London club are the pioneering side to have ten distinct net-finders in the first division this campaign.
Can Chelsea's Striker Jinx End?
Some Chelsea fans feel the number nine shirt - assigned to Delap in the off-season - is hexed. It had been vacant since last year, and footballers who sported it since 2006 have had goal droughts, including:
- Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - three strikes in twenty-one matches
- Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - 15 goals in fifty-eight matches
- Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - thirty strikes in eighty-two matches
- Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five scores in nineteen matches
- Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - twenty-four strikes in 72 games
- Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - one goal 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 score in twenty-five matches
- Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - failed to score in twenty matches
A engine room operator and defensive specialist are among those listed, and some would suggest Abraham ended the jinx with his achievement, while famous attackers such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink excelled with the striker's jersey.
But Delap was unconcerned when questioned about the hoodoo. "I'm not the type of person [who believes in curses]," he said at the international tournament.
"At the end of the day it's a digit on the shirt of your uniform. It's just a digit that has traditionally been associated to attackers so it's something that I appreciate and there's no pressure."
