Delap Makes Comeback as Chelsea Aim to Solve Forward Concerns

Striker Liam Delap is returning from a hamstring injury at a time of need for Chelsea.

The Blues suffered a 2-1 defeat against unexpected challengers Sunderland at their home ground on recently, with manager Enzo Maresca attributing "limited inventiveness" and his squad's passes being "subpar".

Chelsea's attackers are finding it hard to score and key passes as Delap is back available in the League Cup against lowly Wolves on Wednesday (prime time), having sat out 10 fixtures since sustaining the injury in the 2-0 win over Fulham in August.

Maresca stated the emerging talent will be gradually introduced "carefully", and the recent acquisition's availability is vital for a club facing questions over their mixed results, which has left the cup competitions their best opportunity of securing honors this season.

Delap to Take Pressure Off Joao Pedro

Chelsea signed Delap from Ipswich Town for £30m despite interest from the Red Devils, Newcastle United and the Toffees.

Yet the England Under-21s forward was below expensive recruit Joao Pedro in the pecking order at this summer's Club World Cup - and with good reason.

Joao Pedro scored three goals in three appearances as Chelsea claimed the first edition in the United States. The Brazilian forward scored another two and three assists in his opening quartet of league fixtures after arriving from Brighton.

More recently, however, Joao Pedro has been goalless in his past seven matches. Maresca said he is one of three players - along with central players Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who at the moment demand to be "shielded".

When questioned about Joao Pedro's decline in performance, Maresca said: "Certainly the fitness aspect is vital. When you are not fully fit it's hard to perform, especially in this league."

"Joao Pedro is not a number nine that is going to reach twenty strikes each year. Joao's a fantastic player, he's going to get goals and give assists but he's a distinctive forward to those who net 20 to 25 goals each year like [Robert] Lewandowski, [Kylian] Mbappe or the Norwegian goal machine."

Additional Concerns in Chelsea's Attack

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

Winger Cole Palmer has completed two games all season and is not anticipated to feature from a groin injury until next month.

Attacking midfielder 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 one goal in seven outings and caused an own goal against Benfica.

Estevao Willian, the teenager, has impressed since moving from Palmeiras for a fee rising to £51m, but has only two goals and a single assist - paralleling academy forward Tyrique George.

Forward Marc Guiu and Brighton loanee Facundo Buonanotte have one score each.

Marc Cucurella, who got seven from full-back last season, is without a goal this season. Wide man Pedro Neto has a single strike and two goal contributions in his past two matches, but prior to that found the net just once in the opening ten matches.

After 13 matches in all competitions no forward has over two strikes, with engine room operators Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's shared top goalscorers with four.

Queried whether a shortage of clinical finishers means duties need distributing, Maresca said: "Absolutely, yes. We repeatedly stated that the front five at the attack, we need numerous strikes from each, in the way we have done last term."

Maresca has found ways to challenge despite offensive unpredictability. Chelsea are second for dead-ball situations in the English top division, one behind Arsenal. In furthermore, the Blues are the pioneering side to have 10 different scorers in the top flight this season.

Can Chelsea's Striker Jinx End?

Some Chelsea followers think the number nine shirt - assigned to Delap in the transfer window - is jinxed. It had been unoccupied since recently, and players who donned it since the mid-2000s have had goal droughts, including:

• Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - a trio of scores in 21 games
• Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - fifteen strikes in 58 appearances
• Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - 30 goals in 82 appearances
• Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five scores in 19 games
• Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - 24 goals in 72 appearances
• Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - one score in twelve matches
• Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): 45 goals in 172 appearances
• Franco di Santo (2008-10) - zero strikes in 16 appearances
• Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - one score in 25 games
• Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - no goals in 20 appearances

A midfielder and defensive specialist are part of this selection, and some would suggest Abraham ended the jinx with his record, while iconic forwards such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink excelled with the number nine.

But Delap was unconcerned when asked about the curse. "I don't believe [who believes in curses]," he stated at the international tournament.

"Ultimately it's a number on the back of your kit. It's just a number that has always been related to forwards so it's something that I like and there's zero expectation."