Delap Returns as Chelsea Seek to Fix Forward Concerns
Striker Liam Delap is returning from a thigh problem at a important period for Chelsea.
The Blues lost 2-1 against surprise package Sunderland at their stadium on Saturday, with boss Enzo Maresca attributing "a lack of creativity" and his squad's passes being "not the best".
Chelsea's strikers are having difficulty finding the net and goal contributions as Delap makes his comeback in the Carabao Cup against lowly Wolves on midweek (evening kickoff), having sat out 10 fixtures since picking up the problem in the victory over Fulham in the summer.
Maresca said the 22-year-old will be gradually introduced "carefully", and the recent acquisition's availability is crucial for a team facing criticism over their mixed results, which has left the domestic cups their best opportunity of claiming silverware this season.
Delap to Ease Burden On Joao Pedro
Chelsea signed Delap from the Championship side for a £30 million fee despite pursuit by the Red Devils, the Magpies and the Toffees.
Yet the England Under-21s forward was below £55 million acquisition Joao Pedro in the team ranking at this global competition - and with solid justification.
Joao Pedro found the net three times in three outings as Chelsea won the inaugural tournament in the America. The Seleção attacker added two more goals and three setups in his initial four top-flight matches after arriving from Brighton.
More of late, however, Joao Pedro has failed to score in his previous seven fixtures. Maresca revealed he is one of three squad members - along with central players Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who currently need to be "shielded".
When asked about Joao Pedro's drop in output, Maresca said: "For sure the fitness aspect is crucial. When you are not at peak condition it's difficult to compete, especially in this competition."
"Joao Pedro is not a classic center-forward that is going to score 20 goals every season. Joao's a fantastic player, he's going to find the net and create chances but he's a different kind of nine to players who get 20 to 25 goals every season like the Bayern legend, the PSG forward or the City striker."
Wider Problems in Chelsea's Attack
Chelsea confront additional challenges in addition to their forwards and Joao Pedro's scoreless streak.
Forward Cole Palmer has completed two games all season and is not anticipated to feature from a lower body issue until December.
Wide player Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, brought in from Borussia Dortmund for a fee rising to £52m, has zero strikes and one goal contribution in ten games. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40 million signing from Manchester United, has one goal in seven outings and induced an opposition error against Benfica.
Estevao Willian, eighteen, has impressed since joining from Palmeiras for a £51m package, but has merely two scores and one setup - equaling homegrown talent Tyrique George.
Forward Marc Guiu and loan signing Facundo Buonanotte have one score each.
Marc Cucurella, who notched seven from left-back last campaign, is without a goal this campaign. Wide man Pedro Neto has one goal and two assists in his last two games, but earlier got only one goal in the first 10 games.
After thirteen games in all competitions no striker has above two scores, with central players Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's equal leading marksmen with four goals.
Queried whether a lack of natural goalscorers means goals must come from multiple sources, Maresca commented: "Certainly, yes. We said many times that the quintet of attackers at the attack, we need numerous strikes from each, in the manner we achieved last campaign."
Maresca has found ways to compete despite attacking inconsistency. Chelsea are runner-up in set-piece goals in the Premier League, trailing by one Arsenal. In addition, the Stamford Bridge side are the initial club to have 10 different scorers in the top flight this campaign.
Can Chelsea's Striker Jinx End?
Some Chelsea fans think the center-forward number - claimed by Delap in the summer - is cursed. It had been vacant since recently, and squad members who sported 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 fifty-eight matches
- Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - 30 scores in eighty-two matches
- Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five strikes in 19 appearances
- Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - 24 scores in seventy-two matches
- Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - one score in 12 games
- Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): 45 goals in one hundred seventy-two matches
- Franco di Santo (2008-10) - no goals in 16 games
- Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - one goal in twenty-five matches
- Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - no goals in 20 games
A central player and backline player are part of this selection, and some would suggest Abraham lifted the hoodoo with his achievement, while famous attackers such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink flourished with the striker's jersey.
But Delap was unconcerned when asked about the hoodoo. "I'm not the type of person [who believes in curses]," he said at the international tournament.
"In the final analysis it's a digit on the shirt of your shirt. It's just a number that has always been related to attackers so it's something that I appreciate and there's no pressure."