Delap Back in Action as Chelsea Aim to Solve Attacking Problems

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

The Blues were beaten 2-1 against surprise package Sunderland at their stadium on recently, with manager Enzo Maresca attributing "a lack of creativity" and his side's crossing being "subpar".

Chelsea's forwards are finding it hard to score and assists as Delap returns in the Carabao Cup against lowly Wolves on this week (evening kickoff), having sat out 10 fixtures since picking up the problem in the 2-0 win over Fulham in last month.

Maresca said the emerging talent will be gradually introduced "carefully", and the recent acquisition's availability is crucial for a team facing criticism over their inconsistency, which has left the domestic cups their best opportunity of securing honors this campaign.

Delap to Take Pressure Off Joao Pedro

Chelsea brought in Delap from the Championship side for £30m despite attention from Manchester United, the Magpies and Everton.

Yet the Three Lions prospect was below £55m signing Joao Pedro in the pecking order at this recent international tournament - and with valid cause.

Joao Pedro registered a trio of strikes in three appearances as Chelsea won the inaugural tournament in the America. The Brazil striker added two more goals and three goal contributions in his initial four top-flight matches after arriving from Brighton.

More recently, however, Joao Pedro has not scored in his previous seven fixtures. Maresca revealed he is one of a trio of players - along with engine room operators Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who presently require to be "protected".

When asked about Joao Pedro's dip in form, Maresca remarked: "Certainly the fitness aspect is crucial. When you are not at peak condition it's challenging to excel, particularly in this division."

"Joao Pedro is not a number nine that is going to reach twenty strikes annually. Joao's a superb talent, he's going to score and give assists but he's a distinctive forward to players who get 20 to 25 goals each year like the Bayern legend, the PSG forward or the City striker."

Additional Concerns in Chelsea's Attack

Chelsea face broader problems apart from their attackers and Joao Pedro's goalless run.

Forward Cole Palmer has played two full matches all season and is not expected return from a groin problem until December.

Wide player Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, acquired from Borussia Dortmund for a fee rising to £52m, has failed to score and a single assist in 10 matches. 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, eighteen, has impressed since joining from Palmeiras for a potential £51 million deal, but has just two strikes and one assist - paralleling youth product Tyrique George.

Forward Marc Guiu and Brighton loanee Facundo Buonanotte have a single strike apiece.

Marc Cucurella, who notched seven from full-back last term, is without a goal this term. 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 thirteen fixtures in various cups no forward has over two strikes, with midfielders Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's shared top goalscorers with four.

Queried whether a absence of prolific strikers means responsibility must be shared, Maresca stated: "Certainly, yes. We frequently mentioned that the five players at the attack, we need multiple goals per player, in the fashion we managed last season."

Maresca has discovered methods to be competitive despite goal-scoring variability. Chelsea are runner-up in dead-ball situations in the English top division, one less than Arsenal. In moreover, the West London club are the initial club to have 10 different scorers in the top flight this season.

Can Chelsea's Striker Jinx End?

Some Chelsea fans feel the center-forward number - taken by Delap in the summer - 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) - three strikes in 21 appearances
• 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 strikes in nineteen matches
• Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - 24 goals in 72 appearances
• Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - one goal in 12 appearances
• 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 games
• Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - failed to score in twenty matches

A engine room operator and defender are part of this selection, and some would contend Abraham broke the curse 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 asked about the hoodoo. "I'm not one [who believes in curses]," he commented at the Club World Cup.

"In the final analysis it's a figure on the jersey of your uniform. It's just a number that has historically been connected to strikers so it's something that I appreciate and there's zero expectation."