Delap Back in Action as Chelsea Seek to Fix Attacking Problems
Forward Liam Delap is recovering from a muscle issue at a important period for Chelsea.
The Stamford Bridge outfit suffered a 2-1 defeat against surprise package Sunderland at their home ground on Saturday, with boss Enzo Maresca blaming "limited inventiveness" and his team's delivery being "below standard".
Chelsea's forwards are struggling for goals and key passes as Delap makes his comeback in the League Cup against lowly Wolves on midweek (prime time), having sat out 10 fixtures since picking up the problem in the success over Fulham in August.
Maresca commented the 22-year-old will be phased in "gradually", and the summer signing's availability is important for a club facing criticism over their mixed results, which has left the national tournaments their primary hope of claiming silverware this season.
Delap to Ease Burden On Joao Pedro
Chelsea brought in Delap from Ipswich Town for thirty million pounds despite interest from the Red Devils, St James' Park side and Goodison Park team.
Yet the young English striker was below expensive recruit Joao Pedro in the team ranking at this summer's Club World Cup - and with valid cause.
Joao Pedro registered a trio of strikes in three matches as Chelsea won the inaugural tournament in the United States. The Seleção attacker added two more goals and three assists in his opening quartet of league fixtures after joining from Brighton.
More lately, however, Joao Pedro has failed to score in his past seven matches. Maresca stated he is one of three squad members - along with midfielders Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who at the moment demand to be "protected".
When queried about Joao Pedro's dip in form, Maresca commented: "Certainly the fitness aspect is important. When you are not at peak condition it's hard to perform, particularly in this division."
"Joao Pedro is not a number nine that is going to score 20 goals every season. Joao's a excellent footballer, he's going to score and create chances but he's a alternative type of striker to ones that score 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 additional challenges in addition to their strikers and Joao Pedro's drought.
Forward Cole Palmer has played two full matches all season and is not anticipated to feature from a lower body issue until December.
Wide player Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, signed from Borussia Dortmund for a potential £52 million deal, has zero strikes and one assist in ten games. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40m recruit from Manchester United, has a single strike in seven games and caused an own goal against Benfica.
Estevao Willian, eighteen, has shown promise since moving from Palmeiras for a £51m package, but has merely two scores and a single assist - matching homegrown talent Tyrique George.
Forward Marc Guiu and Seagulls temporary signing Facundo Buonanotte have one score each.
Marc Cucurella, who got seven from full-back last term, is without a goal this term. Attacking player Pedro Neto has one score and two goal contributions in his past two matches, but earlier found the net just once in the initial ten fixtures.
After 13 matches in every tournament no attacker has above two scores, with engine room operators Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's joint top scorers with four strikes.
Queried whether a absence of prolific strikers means goals must come from multiple sources, Maresca said: "Certainly, yes. We said many times that the quintet of attackers at the offense, we need numerous strikes from each, in the fashion we managed last campaign."
Maresca has discovered methods to compete despite goal-scoring variability. Chelsea are second for set-piece goals in the top flight, trailing by one Arsenal. In moreover, the Stamford Bridge side are the pioneering side to have 10 different scorers in the Premier League this campaign.
Can Chelsea's Striker Jinx End?
Some Chelsea followers believe the striker's jersey - taken by Delap in the off-season - is cursed. It had been vacant since last year, and footballers who wore it since 2006 have struggled for goals, including:
- Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - a trio of scores in 21 appearances
- Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - fifteen strikes in 58 games
- Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - 30 scores in eighty-two matches
- Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five goals in 19 games
- Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - 24 goals in seventy-two matches
- Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - one goal in 12 appearances
- Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): 45 goals in 172 games
- Franco di Santo (2008-10) - no goals in sixteen matches
- Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - a single strike in 25 appearances
- Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - failed to score in 20 games
A engine room operator and defensive specialist are among those listed, and some would argue Abraham ended the jinx with his record, while iconic forwards such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink flourished with the number nine.
But Delap was unmoved when asked about the curse. "I'm not one [who believes in curses]," he commented at the global competition.
"In the final analysis it's a digit on the shirt of your shirt. It's just a number that has traditionally been associated to strikers so it's something that I enjoy and there's no pressure."
