Delap Back in Action as Chelsea Look to Address Forward Concerns

Forward Liam Delap is recovering from a thigh problem at a important period for Chelsea.

The Blues were beaten 2-1 against unexpected challengers Sunderland at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, with head coach Enzo Maresca attributing "a lack of creativity" and his squad's passes being "subpar".

Chelsea's attackers are finding it hard to score and assists as Delap is back available in the EFL Cup against bottom-half Wolves on midweek (evening kickoff), having sat out 10 fixtures since picking up the problem in the 2-0 win over Fulham in the summer.

Maresca stated the young striker will be gradually introduced "carefully", and the new recruit's comeback is crucial for a club facing questions over their inconsistency, which has left the cup competitions their best opportunity of winning a trophy this term.

Delap to Share Load With Joao Pedro

Chelsea acquired Delap from the Championship side for a £30 million fee despite interest from the Red Devils, St James' Park side and the Toffees.

Yet the England Under-21s forward was below £55m signing Joao Pedro in the pecking order at this recent international tournament - and with good reason.

Joao Pedro found the net three times in three matches as Chelsea won the inaugural tournament in the America. The Brazil striker scored another two and three setups in his opening quartet of league fixtures after arriving from Brighton.

More of late, however, Joao Pedro has failed to score in his last seven games. Maresca revealed he is one of three players - along with central players Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who at the moment demand to be "handled carefully".

When queried about Joao Pedro's dip in form, Maresca commented: "Certainly the conditioning element is crucial. When you are not fully fit it's difficult to compete, especially in this competition."

"Joao Pedro is not a number nine that is going to reach twenty strikes annually. Joao's a superb talent, he's going to find the net and give assists but he's a alternative type of striker to ones that score 20 to 25 goals each year like the Bayern legend, the PSG forward or [Erling] Haaland."

Broader Issues in Chelsea's Forward Line

Chelsea confront additional challenges apart from their forwards and Joao Pedro's scoreless streak.

Winger Cole Palmer has played two full matches all campaign and is not expected return from a lower body issue until the winter.

Wide player Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, brought in from Borussia Dortmund for a £52m package, has failed to score and a single assist in ten games. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40 million signing from Manchester United, has a single strike in seven games and induced an opposition error against Benfica.

Estevao Willian, the teenager, has impressed since moving from Palmeiras for a £51m package, but has just two strikes and one assist - paralleling homegrown talent Tyrique George.

Striker Marc Guiu and loan signing Facundo Buonanotte have one goal each.

Marc Cucurella, who notched seven from left-back last season, is without a goal this term. Attacking player Pedro Neto has one score and two setups in his past two matches, but prior to that found the net just once in the opening ten matches.

After thirteen games in all competitions no attacker has more than two goals, with engine room operators Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's joint top scorers with four.

Questioned whether a absence of prolific strikers means responsibility must be shared, Maresca stated: "Certainly, yes. We said many times that the front five at the attack, we need six, seven, eight, nine, 10 goals each, in the fashion we managed last campaign."

Maresca has developed approaches to challenge despite offensive unpredictability. Chelsea are second for free-kick and corner scores in the Premier League, one less than Arsenal. In addition, the West London club are the initial club to have 10 different scorers in the Premier League this season.

Can Chelsea's Striker Jinx End?

Some Chelsea fans believe the number nine shirt - claimed by Delap in the off-season - is hexed. It had been unoccupied since recently, and players who wore it since the mid-2000s have had goal droughts, including:

• Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - a trio of scores in twenty-one matches
• Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - fifteen strikes in 58 appearances
• Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - thirty strikes in 82 games
• Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five goals in nineteen matches
• Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - twenty-four strikes in 72 appearances
• Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - one score in twelve matches
• Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): forty-five strikes in one hundred seventy-two matches
• Franco di Santo (2008-10) - no goals in sixteen matches
• Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - one score in 25 appearances
• Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - no goals in twenty matches

A midfielder and defender are included in this group, and some would argue Abraham ended the jinx with his achievement, while iconic forwards such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink flourished with the number nine.

But Delap was unfazed when queried about the jinx. "I'm not one [who believes in curses]," he said at the global competition.

"At the end of the day it's a digit on the shirt of your uniform. It's just a number that has always been related to attackers so it's something that I enjoy and there's zero expectation."