Delap Makes Comeback as The Blues Seek to Fix Striker Issues
Forward Liam Delap is returning from a thigh problem at a crucial moment for Chelsea.
The West London club lost 2-1 against shock contenders Sunderland at their home ground on Saturday, with boss Enzo Maresca attributing "limited inventiveness" and his team's delivery being "subpar".
Chelsea's forwards are struggling for goals and assists as Delap returns in the EFL Cup against struggling Wolves on midweek (prime time), having been absent for 10 matches since sustaining the injury in the 2-0 win over Fulham in August.
Maresca said the young striker will be phased in "gradually", and the new recruit's availability is important for a club facing scrutiny over their mixed results, which has left the cup competitions their primary hope of claiming silverware this term.
Delap to Take Pressure Off Joao Pedro
Chelsea acquired Delap from the Championship side for £30m despite pursuit by Old Trafford club, St James' Park side and Goodison Park team.
Yet the England Under-21s forward was below £55 million acquisition Joao Pedro in the team ranking at this global competition - and with good reason.
Joao Pedro registered a trio of strikes in three outings as Chelsea secured the maiden title in the America. The Brazilian forward scored another two and three goal contributions in his initial four top-flight matches after arriving from Brighton.
More recently, however, Joao Pedro has been goalless in his previous seven fixtures. Maresca said he is one of a trio of players - along with central players Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who currently need to be "shielded".
When queried about Joao Pedro's dip in form, Maresca commented: "Certainly the physical part is vital. When you are not at peak condition it's hard to perform, notably in this league."
"Joao Pedro is not a traditional striker that is going to score 20 goals annually. Joao's a excellent footballer, he's going to score and provide assists but he's a distinctive forward to players who get 20 to 25 goals annually like the Polish striker, the PSG forward or [Erling] Haaland."
Broader Issues in Chelsea's Forward Line
Chelsea face broader problems apart from their forwards and Joao Pedro's drought.
Winger Cole Palmer has featured for ninety minutes twice all term and is not expected return from a groin injury until the winter.
Attacking midfielder Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, signed from Borussia Dortmund for a potential £52 million deal, has zero strikes and one goal contribution in ten appearances. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40m acquisition from Manchester United, has one score in seven outings and caused an own goal against Benfica.
Estevao Willian, the teenager, has impressed since joining from Palmeiras for a potential £51 million deal, but has just two strikes and one setup - paralleling youth product Tyrique George.
Striker Marc Guiu and Brighton loanee Facundo Buonanotte have a single strike apiece.
Marc Cucurella, who got seven from defensive position last term, is without a goal this campaign. Wide man Pedro Neto has one score and two setups in his last two games, but earlier scored only once in the initial ten fixtures.
After thirteen fixtures in various cups no striker has above two scores, with central players Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's shared top goalscorers with four goals.
Queried whether a absence of prolific strikers means duties need distributing, Maresca said: "Absolutely, yes. We repeatedly stated that the front five at the front, we need six, seven, eight, nine, 10 goals each, in the way we have done last term."
Maresca has developed approaches to be competitive despite goal-scoring variability. Chelsea are second place for free-kick and corner scores in the top flight, one less than Arsenal. In addition, the West London club are the pioneering side to have 10 different scorers in the first division this season.
Will Chelsea's Number Nine Curse Be Broken?
Some Chelsea supporters feel the striker's jersey - assigned to Delap in the off-season - is hexed. It had been available since recently, and squad members who wore it since the mid-2000s have struggled for goals, including:
- Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - three strikes in 21 appearances
- Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - 15 goals in 58 appearances
- Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - 30 goals in eighty-two matches
- Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five scores in 19 games
- Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - twenty-four strikes in 72 games
- 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) - zero strikes in 16 appearances
- Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - a single strike in twenty-five matches
- Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - failed to score in 20 games
A engine room operator and defender are among those listed, and some would argue Abraham broke the curse with his achievement, while iconic forwards such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink excelled with the striker's jersey.
But Delap was unfazed when questioned about the hoodoo. "I'm not the type of person [who believes in curses]," he commented at the global competition.
"Ultimately it's a figure on the jersey of your kit. It's just a digit that has historically been connected to strikers so it's something that I appreciate and there's no pressure."