Delap Returns as Chelsea Aim to Solve Attacking Problems
Forward Liam Delap is coming back from a thigh problem at a crucial moment for Chelsea.
The Stamford Bridge outfit suffered a 2-1 defeat against shock contenders Sunderland at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, with head coach Enzo Maresca attributing "limited inventiveness" 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 (prime time), having sat out 10 fixtures since picking up the problem in the 2-0 win over Fulham in the summer.
Maresca said the young striker will be phased in "slowly", and the recent acquisition's comeback is crucial for a team facing criticism over their inconsistency, which has left the national tournaments their primary hope of securing honors this campaign.
Delap to Share Load With Joao Pedro
Chelsea brought in Delap from the Championship side for a £30 million fee despite attention from the Red Devils, Newcastle United and Everton.
Yet the England Under-21s forward was behind £55 million acquisition Joao Pedro in the selection hierarchy at this global competition - and with solid justification.
Joao Pedro found the net three times in three matches as Chelsea won the inaugural tournament in the America. The Brazilian forward notched additional strikes and three goal contributions in his opening quartet of league fixtures after arriving from Brighton.
More lately, however, Joao Pedro has not scored in his past seven matches. Maresca revealed he is one of three squad members - along with midfielders Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who at the moment demand to be "protected".
When asked about Joao Pedro's dip in form, Maresca remarked: "Certainly the conditioning element is crucial. When you are not fully fit it's hard to perform, notably in this division."
"Joao Pedro is not a number nine that is going to reach twenty strikes every season. Joao's a excellent footballer, he's going to score and give assists but he's a alternative type of striker to players who get 20 to 25 goals annually like the Polish striker, the French superstar or the City striker."
Broader Issues in Chelsea's Attack
Chelsea confront broader problems in addition to their strikers and Joao Pedro's scoreless streak.
Attacker Cole Palmer has featured for ninety minutes twice all campaign and is not expected return from a groin injury until December.
Winger Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, acquired from Borussia Dortmund for a potential £52 million deal, has failed to score and one assist in ten appearances. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40m recruit from Manchester United, has a single strike in seven matches and induced an opposition error against Benfica.
Estevao Willian, the teenager, has impressed since moving from Palmeiras for a potential £51 million deal, but has just two strikes and one setup - paralleling academy forward Tyrique George.
Attacker Marc Guiu and Seagulls temporary signing Facundo Buonanotte have one goal each.
Marc Cucurella, who scored seven from defensive position last season, is yet to find the net this season. Wide man Pedro Neto has one goal and two setups in his previous two fixtures, but earlier found the net just once in the first 10 games.
After 13 matches in various cups no forward has over two strikes, with midfielders Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's equal leading marksmen with four strikes.
Queried whether a lack of natural goalscorers means goals must come from multiple sources, Maresca stated: "Certainly, yes. We said many times that the five players at the offense, we need six, seven, eight, nine, 10 goals each, in the way we have done last term."
Maresca has discovered methods to challenge despite goal-scoring variability. Chelsea are second for set-piece goals in the Premier League, one less than Arsenal. In addition, the West London club are the first team to have 10 different scorers in the Premier League this season.
Is the Number Nine Hoodoo About to Lift?
Some Chelsea supporters feel the striker's jersey - assigned to Delap in the off-season - is hexed. It had been unoccupied since recently, and footballers who wore it since 2006 have had goal droughts, including:
- Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - a trio of scores in 21 games
- Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - fifteen strikes in 58 appearances
- Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - 30 scores in 82 appearances
- Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five strikes in nineteen matches
- Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - 24 goals in 72 appearances
- Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - a single strike in 12 games
- Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): forty-five strikes in 172 appearances
- Franco di Santo (2008-10) - zero strikes in sixteen matches
- Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - one goal in 25 appearances
- Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - zero strikes in 20 games
A midfielder and backline player are included in this group, and some would contend Abraham ended the jinx with his performance, while legendary strikers such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink excelled with the striker's jersey.
But Delap was unmoved when queried about the jinx. "I'm not the type of person [who believes in curses]," he said at the international tournament.
"At the end of the day it's a digit on the shirt of your shirt. It's just a number that has always been related to strikers so it's something that I enjoy and there's zero expectation."
