Delap Back in Action as Chelsea Look to Address Attacking Problems
Forward Liam Delap is coming back from a hamstring injury at a important period for Chelsea.
The Stamford Bridge outfit were beaten 2-1 against unexpected challengers Sunderland at their stadium on the weekend, with manager Enzo Maresca citing "a lack of creativity" and his team's delivery being "subpar".
Chelsea's attackers are finding it hard to score and key passes as Delap is back available in the League Cup against lowly Wolves on Wednesday (evening kickoff), having been absent for 10 matches since suffering the setback in the victory over Fulham in August.
Maresca commented the 22-year-old will be gradually introduced "carefully", and the recent acquisition's comeback is crucial for a team facing criticism over their unpredictability, which has left the cup competitions their primary hope of winning a trophy this campaign.
Delap to Share Load With Joao Pedro
Chelsea signed Delap from the Tractor Boys for thirty million pounds despite attention from Manchester United, St James' Park side and Goodison Park team.
Yet the England Under-21s forward was second to £55m signing Joao Pedro in the pecking order at this global competition - and with valid cause.
Joao Pedro found the net three times in three matches as Chelsea won the inaugural tournament in the United States. The Brazil striker added two more goals and three assists in his first four Premier League games after arriving from Brighton.
More lately, however, Joao Pedro has not scored in his past seven matches. Maresca stated he is one of three squad members - along with engine room operators Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who presently require to be "shielded".
When queried about Joao Pedro's drop in output, Maresca remarked: "Definitely the conditioning element is crucial. When you are not 100% it's hard to perform, especially in this competition."
"Joao Pedro is not a classic center-forward that is going to net twenty times each year. Joao's a excellent footballer, he's going to find the net and provide assists but he's a alternative type of striker to those who net 20 to 25 goals each year like the Polish striker, the French superstar or the City striker."
Broader Issues in Chelsea's Offense
Chelsea confront broader problems beyond their attackers and Joao Pedro's drought.
Forward Cole Palmer has featured for ninety minutes twice all season and is not anticipated to feature from a groin problem until December.
Attacking midfielder Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, signed from Borussia Dortmund for a £52m package, has no goals and one goal contribution in ten games. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40m recruit from Manchester United, has one score in seven games and caused an own goal against Benfica.
Estevao Willian, 18, has impressed since moving from Palmeiras for a £51m package, but has only two goals and one setup - paralleling homegrown talent Tyrique George.
Attacker Marc Guiu and loan signing Facundo Buonanotte have one score each.
Marc Cucurella, who scored seven from left-back last term, is without a goal this term. Winger Pedro Neto has a single strike and two setups in his past two matches, but earlier scored only once in the first 10 games.
After thirteen fixtures in every tournament no forward has above two scores, with central players Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's joint top scorers with four goals.
Queried whether a shortage of clinical finishers means duties need distributing, Maresca commented: "Definitely, yes. We frequently mentioned that the front five at the front, we need six, seven, eight, nine, 10 goals each, in the manner we achieved last campaign."
Maresca has developed approaches to compete despite goal-scoring variability. Chelsea are second place for set-piece goals in the Premier League, one behind Arsenal. In furthermore, the Stamford Bridge side are the initial club to have ten distinct net-finders 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 hexed. It had been vacant since last year, and footballers 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 games
- Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - thirty strikes in eighty-two matches
- Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five scores in 19 appearances
- Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - 24 scores in 72 appearances
- Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - one goal in twelve matches
- Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): 45 goals in 172 games
- Franco di Santo (2008-10) - no goals in 16 appearances
- Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - a single strike in 25 appearances
- Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - failed to score in twenty matches
A midfielder and defender are among those listed, and some would argue Abraham broke the curse with his record, while iconic forwards such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink flourished with nine on their back.
But Delap was unmoved when queried about the jinx. "I'm not the type of person [who believes in curses]," he stated at the global competition.
"At the end of the day it's a digit on the shirt of your kit. It's just a figure that has historically been connected to strikers so it's something that I appreciate and there's no pressure."
