Delap Back in Action as The Blues Seek to Fix Forward Concerns
Striker Liam Delap is recovering from a hamstring injury at a time of need for Chelsea.
The Blues lost 2-1 against unexpected challengers Sunderland at their home ground on recently, with boss Enzo Maresca citing "insufficient imagination" and his team's delivery being "subpar".
Chelsea's strikers are struggling for goals and key passes as Delap returns in the EFL Cup against struggling Wolves on Wednesday (prime time), having missed 10 games since suffering the setback in the success over Fulham in August.
Maresca said the emerging talent will be phased in "gradually", and the recent acquisition's return is important for a team facing criticism over their mixed results, which has left the domestic cups their best opportunity of claiming silverware this term.
Delap to Share Load With Joao Pedro
Chelsea signed Delap from the Championship side for thirty million pounds despite interest from Manchester United, St James' Park side and Everton.
Yet the Three Lions prospect was behind £55m signing Joao Pedro in the team ranking at this global competition - and with valid cause.
Joao Pedro registered a trio of strikes in three appearances as Chelsea secured the maiden title in the America. The Seleção attacker added two more goals and three goal contributions in his opening quartet of league fixtures after moving from the Seagulls.
More lately, however, Joao Pedro has failed to score in his past seven matches. Maresca said he is one of a trio of players - along with engine room operators Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who presently require to be "handled carefully".
When questioned about Joao Pedro's dip in form, Maresca remarked: "Definitely the physical part is important. When you are not fully fit it's hard to perform, especially in this league."
"Joao Pedro is not a traditional striker that is going to reach twenty strikes each year. Joao's a superb talent, he's going to find the net and provide assists but he's a distinctive forward to ones that score 20 to 25 goals annually like the Bayern legend, the French superstar or the City striker."
Wider Problems in Chelsea's Offense
Chelsea deal with additional challenges apart from their forwards and Joao Pedro's goalless run.
Winger Cole Palmer has completed two games all season and is not anticipated to feature from a lower body issue until the winter.
Attacking midfielder Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, brought in from Borussia Dortmund for a potential £52 million deal, has failed to score and one assist in 10 matches. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40 million signing from Manchester United, has one goal in seven matches and induced an opposition error against Benfica.
Estevao Willian, 18, has entertained since joining from Palmeiras for a potential £51 million deal, but has merely two scores and one setup - paralleling youth product Tyrique George.
Attacker Marc Guiu and Brighton loanee Facundo Buonanotte have one score each.
Marc Cucurella, who got seven from full-back last season, is without a goal this season. Attacking player Pedro Neto has one goal and two assists in his previous two fixtures, but before that found the net just once in the first 10 games.
After 13 matches in various cups no forward has over two strikes, with central players Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's equal leading marksmen with four goals.
Questioned whether a lack of natural goalscorers means goals must come from multiple sources, Maresca said: "Certainly, yes. We frequently mentioned that the front five at the attack, we need multiple goals per player, in the fashion we managed last season."
Maresca has developed approaches to challenge despite goal-scoring variability. Chelsea are second for set-piece goals in the Premier League, trailing by one Arsenal. In addition, the Blues are the initial club to have 10 different scorers in the Premier League this season.
Can Chelsea's Striker Jinx End?
Some Chelsea supporters think the striker's jersey - claimed by Delap in the off-season - is cursed. It had been unoccupied since last year, and players who donned it since the mid-2000s have found scoring difficult, including:
- Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - a trio of scores in 21 games
- Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - 15 scores in 58 appearances
- Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - 30 scores in 82 appearances
- Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five goals in 19 appearances
- Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - 24 scores in 72 appearances
- Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - a single strike in twelve matches
- Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): 45 scores in 172 appearances
- Franco di Santo (2008-10) - no goals in 16 games
- Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - one goal in 25 appearances
- Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - no goals in 20 appearances
A engine room operator and defender are included in this group, and some would contend Abraham lifted the hoodoo with his record, while famous attackers such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink flourished with nine on their back.
But Delap was unconcerned when queried about the jinx. "I don't believe [who believes in curses]," he said at the international tournament.
"In the final analysis it's a digit on the shirt of your uniform. It's just a figure that has always been related to forwards so it's something that I appreciate and there's no pressure."
