Delap Back in Action as Chelsea Seek to Fix Forward Concerns
Attacker Liam Delap is coming back from a muscle issue at a crucial moment for Chelsea.
The Stamford Bridge outfit suffered a 2-1 defeat against shock contenders Sunderland at Stamford Bridge on recently, with manager Enzo Maresca attributing "limited inventiveness" and his squad's passes being "below standard".
Chelsea's strikers are finding it hard to score and goal contributions as Delap makes his comeback in the EFL Cup against bottom-half Wolves on Wednesday (evening kickoff), having sat out 10 fixtures since sustaining the injury in the 2-0 win over Fulham in last month.
Maresca said the emerging talent will be phased in "slowly", and the new recruit's comeback is important for a side facing scrutiny over their inconsistency, which has left the national tournaments their primary hope of securing honors this campaign.
Delap to Ease Burden On Joao Pedro
Chelsea acquired Delap from the Championship side for a £30 million fee despite attention from Old Trafford club, St James' Park side and the Toffees.
Yet the Three Lions prospect was below £55m signing Joao Pedro in the team ranking at this recent international tournament - and with good reason.
Joao Pedro found the net three times in three appearances as Chelsea secured the maiden title in the America. The Seleção attacker notched additional strikes and three goal contributions in his opening quartet of league fixtures after moving from the Seagulls.
More lately, however, Joao Pedro has been goalless in his previous seven fixtures. Maresca revealed he is one of three squad members - along with central players Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who presently require to be "shielded".
When questioned about Joao Pedro's decline in performance, Maresca said: "Definitely the physical part is vital. When you are not 100% it's challenging to excel, especially in this competition."
"Joao Pedro is not a classic center-forward that is going to score 20 goals each year. Joao's a excellent footballer, he's going to get goals and give assists but he's a different kind of nine to ones that score 20 to 25 goals each year like the Bayern legend, [Kylian] Mbappe or the Norwegian goal machine."
Broader Issues in Chelsea's Attack
Chelsea confront additional challenges in addition to their strikers and Joao Pedro's goalless run.
Forward Cole Palmer has completed two games all term and is unlikely to be back from a groin injury until December.
Winger Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, acquired from Borussia Dortmund for a £52m package, has zero strikes and one goal contribution in ten games. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40m acquisition from Manchester United, has one score in seven games and induced an opposition error against Benfica.
Estevao Willian, eighteen, has entertained since moving from Palmeiras for a £51m package, but has only two goals and one setup - matching youth product Tyrique George.
Attacker Marc Guiu and loan signing Facundo Buonanotte have one goal each.
Marc Cucurella, who got seven from defensive position last season, is without a goal this season. Winger Pedro Neto has one score and two setups in his last two games, but prior to that scored only once in the first 10 games.
After 13 matches in all competitions no forward has more than two goals, with midfielders Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's equal leading marksmen with four goals.
Queried whether a lack of natural goalscorers means duties need distributing, Maresca commented: "Absolutely, yes. We frequently mentioned that the front five at the front, we need six, seven, eight, nine, 10 goals each, in the way we have done last campaign."
Maresca has developed approaches to be competitive despite goal-scoring variability. Chelsea are second place for set-piece goals in the Premier League, trailing by one Arsenal. In furthermore, the West London club are the initial club to have ten distinct net-finders in the top flight this term.
Can Chelsea's Striker Jinx End?
Some Chelsea fans think the striker's jersey - claimed by Delap in the transfer window - is hexed. It had been available since recently, and players who donned it since 2006 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 scores in 82 appearances
- Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five strikes in nineteen matches
- Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - twenty-four strikes in 72 appearances
- Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - one score in 12 games
- Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): forty-five strikes in one hundred seventy-two matches
- Franco di Santo (2008-10) - zero strikes in 16 games
- Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - one score in twenty-five matches
- Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - no goals in 20 appearances
A central player and defender are among those listed, and some would suggest Abraham lifted the hoodoo with his achievement, while legendary strikers such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink flourished with nine on their back.
But Delap was unmoved when queried about the jinx. "I don't believe [who believes in curses]," he commented at the global competition.
"Ultimately it's a number on the back of your uniform. It's just a number that has always been related to forwards so it's something that I like and there's no pressure."
