Delap Makes Comeback as The Blues Seek to Fix Attacking Problems
Attacker Liam Delap is returning from a hamstring injury at a crucial moment for Chelsea.
The Stamford Bridge outfit suffered a 2-1 defeat against unexpected challengers Sunderland at their stadium on Saturday, with boss Enzo Maresca blaming "insufficient imagination" and his team's delivery being "not the best".
Chelsea's forwards are struggling for goals and goal contributions as Delap is back available in the EFL Cup against lowly Wolves on midweek (19:45 GMT), having sat out 10 fixtures since suffering the setback in the victory over Fulham in last month.
Maresca said the emerging talent will be slowly integrated "gradually", and the new recruit's comeback is important for a team facing scrutiny over their inconsistency, which has left the cup competitions their best opportunity of claiming silverware this term.
Delap to Take Pressure Off Joao Pedro
Chelsea acquired Delap from the Tractor Boys for £30m despite attention from Old Trafford club, Newcastle United and Everton.
Yet the England Under-21s forward was second to £55 million acquisition Joao Pedro in the team ranking at this recent international tournament - and with good reason.
Joao Pedro registered a trio of strikes in three matches as Chelsea claimed the first edition in the USA. The Brazilian forward notched additional strikes and three setups in his first four Premier League games after moving from the Seagulls.
More lately, however, Joao Pedro has not scored in his last seven games. Maresca revealed he is one of three squad members - along with central players Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who currently need to be "handled carefully".
When asked about Joao Pedro's dip in form, Maresca said: "For sure the conditioning element is important. When you are not at peak condition it's hard to perform, particularly in this division."
"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 find the net and give assists but he's a distinctive forward to ones that score 20 to 25 goals each year like [Robert] Lewandowski, the PSG forward or [Erling] Haaland."
Broader Issues in Chelsea's Offense
Chelsea deal with additional challenges apart from their strikers and Joao Pedro's goalless run.
Forward Cole Palmer has completed two games all term and is not expected return from a groin injury until December.
Attacking midfielder Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, acquired from Borussia Dortmund for a potential £52 million deal, has failed to score and one goal contribution in ten appearances. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40m acquisition from Manchester United, has one score in seven games and forced an own goal against Benfica.
Estevao Willian, the teenager, has entertained since arriving from Palmeiras for a fee rising to £51m, but has just two strikes and one setup - equaling youth product Tyrique George.
Forward Marc Guiu and Brighton loanee Facundo Buonanotte have one goal each.
Marc Cucurella, who got seven from left-back last season, is yet to find the net this season. Attacking player Pedro Neto has one score and two assists in his previous two fixtures, but prior to that scored only once in the opening ten matches.
After thirteen games in every tournament no forward has over two strikes, with midfielders Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's joint top scorers with four goals.
Queried whether a shortage of clinical finishers means goals must come from multiple sources, Maresca commented: "Definitely, yes. We repeatedly stated that the five players at the attack, we need multiple goals per player, in the fashion we managed last campaign."
Maresca has discovered methods to challenge despite offensive unpredictability. Chelsea are second for free-kick and corner scores in the top flight, trailing by one Arsenal. In addition, the Blues are the first team to have 10 different scorers in the Premier League this term.
Can Chelsea's Striker Jinx End?
Some Chelsea supporters feel the center-forward number - taken by Delap in the summer - is hexed. It had been available since last year, and squad members who donned it since 2006 have had goal droughts, including:
- Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - three goals in 21 games
- Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - 15 goals in 58 games
- Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - 30 goals in 82 appearances
- Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five goals in nineteen matches
- Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - twenty-four strikes in seventy-two matches
- Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - one score in 12 appearances
- Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): 45 scores in 172 appearances
- Franco di Santo (2008-10) - failed to score in sixteen matches
- Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - one goal in 25 games
- Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - failed to score in 20 appearances
A midfielder and defender are part of this selection, and some would suggest Abraham ended the jinx with his record, while famous attackers such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink flourished with the number nine.
But Delap was unconcerned when queried about the jinx. "I don't believe [who believes in curses]," he commented at the international tournament.
"At the end of the day it's a figure on the jersey of your uniform. It's just a digit that has traditionally been associated to attackers so it's something that I like and there's no pressure."