Delap Back in Action as Chelsea Aim to Solve Attacking Problems

Forward Liam Delap is returning from a thigh problem at a crucial moment for Chelsea.

The West London club suffered a 2-1 defeat against shock contenders Sunderland at their home ground on Saturday, with head coach Enzo Maresca blaming "a lack of creativity" and his side's crossing being "not the best".

Chelsea's strikers are having difficulty finding the net and key passes as Delap returns in the League Cup against lowly Wolves on this week (evening kickoff), having sat out 10 fixtures since suffering the setback in the 2-0 win over Fulham in August.

Maresca said the 22-year-old will be gradually introduced "carefully", and the new recruit's return is vital for a club facing scrutiny over their mixed results, which has left the domestic cups their primary hope of securing honors this season.

Delap to Take Pressure Off Joao Pedro

Chelsea brought in Delap from the Championship side for £30m despite interest from Manchester United, the Magpies and Goodison Park team.

Yet the England Under-21s forward was behind expensive recruit Joao Pedro in the pecking order at this global competition - and with solid justification.

Joao Pedro found the net three times in three matches as Chelsea secured the maiden title in the America. The Brazil striker scored another two and three assists in his first four Premier League games after joining from Brighton.

More recently, however, Joao Pedro has not scored in his last seven games. Maresca revealed he is one of a trio of players - along with central players Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who presently require to be "shielded".

When questioned about Joao Pedro's drop in output, Maresca remarked: "Definitely the physical part is vital. When you are not fully fit it's challenging to excel, especially in this competition."

"Joao Pedro is not a classic center-forward that is going to reach twenty strikes annually. Joao's a excellent footballer, he's going to score and create chances but he's a different kind of nine to ones that score 20 to 25 goals annually like the Polish striker, [Kylian] Mbappe or the City striker."

Additional Concerns in Chelsea's Offense

Chelsea face wider issues apart from their strikers and Joao Pedro's drought.

Forward Cole Palmer has featured for ninety minutes twice all season and is not expected return from a groin problem until next month.

Wide player Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, signed from Borussia Dortmund for a potential £52 million deal, has failed to score and one assist in ten games. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40m recruit from Manchester United, has one goal in seven games and induced an opposition error against Benfica.

Estevao Willian, 18, has impressed since joining from Palmeiras for a fee rising to £51m, but has just two strikes and one setup - equaling homegrown talent Tyrique George.

Striker Marc Guiu and Seagulls temporary signing Facundo Buonanotte have one score each.

Marc Cucurella, who notched seven from left-back last term, is yet to find the net this campaign. Wide man Pedro Neto has one score and two setups in his past two matches, but before that found the net just once in the opening ten matches.

After 13 matches in every tournament no attacker has above two scores, with midfielders Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's joint top scorers with four strikes.

Queried whether a absence of prolific strikers means responsibility must be shared, Maresca said: "Absolutely, yes. We said many times that the quintet of attackers at the front, we need numerous strikes from each, in the way we have done last campaign."

Maresca has found ways to challenge despite offensive unpredictability. Chelsea are runner-up in dead-ball situations in the English top division, one behind Arsenal. In addition, the West London club are the first team to have 10 different scorers in the first division this season.

Will Chelsea's Number Nine Curse Be Broken?

Some Chelsea supporters believe the striker's jersey - claimed by Delap in the transfer window - is jinxed. It had been available since 2023, and players who sported it since the mid-2000s have struggled for goals, including:

• Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - three strikes in 21 appearances
• Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - fifteen strikes in fifty-eight matches
• 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 goals in 72 games
• Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - one score in 12 appearances
• Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): 45 goals in one hundred seventy-two matches
• Franco di Santo (2008-10) - failed to score in sixteen matches
• Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - a single strike in 25 games
• Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - failed to score in twenty matches

A central player and backline player are included in this group, and some would contend Abraham broke the curse with his record, while legendary strikers such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink flourished with the number nine.

But Delap was unconcerned when queried about the curse. "I don't believe [who believes in curses]," he stated at the Club World Cup.

"In the final analysis it's a figure on the jersey of your kit. It's just a number that has traditionally been associated to strikers so it's something that I enjoy and there's no pressure."