🔗 Share this article

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

The Stamford Bridge outfit were beaten 2-1 against unexpected challengers Sunderland at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, with manager Enzo Maresca blaming "a lack of creativity" and his team's delivery being "below standard".

Chelsea's strikers are having difficulty finding the net and goal contributions as Delap returns in the League Cup against struggling Wolves on midweek (evening kickoff), having been absent for 10 matches since sustaining the injury in the 2-0 win over Fulham in the summer.

Maresca stated the young striker will be phased in "carefully", and the recent acquisition's return is vital for a club facing scrutiny over their unpredictability, which has left the domestic cups their most realistic chance of securing honors this campaign.

Delap to Take Pressure Off Joao Pedro

Chelsea acquired Delap from the Championship side for £30m despite interest from Old Trafford club, the Magpies and Goodison Park team.

Yet the young English striker was behind £55m signing Joao Pedro in the selection hierarchy at this global competition - and with valid cause.

Joao Pedro found the net three times in three appearances as Chelsea claimed the first edition in the United States. The Brazilian forward added two more goals and three assists in his first four Premier League games after arriving from Brighton.

More of late, however, Joao Pedro has not scored in his previous seven fixtures. Maresca said he is one of a trio of players - along with central players Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who currently need to be "handled carefully".

When asked about Joao Pedro's dip in form, Maresca said: "Definitely the conditioning element is crucial. When you are not 100% it's hard to perform, particularly in this league."

"Joao Pedro is not a traditional striker that is going to net twenty times every season. Joao's a excellent footballer, he's going to score and provide assists but he's a distinctive forward to those who net 20 to 25 goals annually like the Polish striker, [Kylian] Mbappe or the City striker."

Additional Concerns in Chelsea's Forward Line

Chelsea face broader problems in addition to their forwards and Joao Pedro's scoreless streak.

Attacker Cole Palmer has completed two games all term and is unlikely to be back from a groin injury until next month.

Wide player Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, acquired from Borussia Dortmund for a fee rising to £52m, has zero strikes and one goal contribution in 10 matches. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40m recruit from Manchester United, has one goal in seven games and caused an own goal against Benfica.

Estevao Willian, eighteen, has entertained since arriving from Palmeiras for a fee rising to £51m, but has just two strikes and a single assist - paralleling academy forward Tyrique George.

Forward Marc Guiu and loan signing Facundo Buonanotte have one score each.

Marc Cucurella, who scored seven from defensive position last campaign, is yet to find the net this season. Winger Pedro Neto has one goal and two assists in his past two matches, but before that found the net just once in the initial ten fixtures.

After thirteen games in all competitions no forward has above two scores, with central players Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's equal leading marksmen with four strikes.

Asked whether a absence of prolific strikers means goals must come from multiple sources, Maresca stated: "Absolutely, yes. We frequently mentioned that the quintet of attackers at the front, we need six, seven, eight, nine, 10 goals each, in the manner we achieved last campaign."

Maresca has found ways to compete despite goal-scoring variability. Chelsea are second place for free-kick and corner scores in the top flight, trailing by one Arsenal. In moreover, the Stamford Bridge side are the pioneering side to have ten various goalscorers in the top flight this campaign.

Will Chelsea's Number Nine Curse Be Broken?

Some Chelsea followers think the number nine shirt - claimed by Delap in the transfer window - is cursed. It had been available since recently, and players who donned it since 2006 have struggled for goals, including:

• Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - three goals in twenty-one matches
• Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - fifteen strikes in fifty-eight matches
• Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - thirty strikes in 82 appearances
• Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five strikes in nineteen matches
• Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - 24 scores in seventy-two matches
• 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) - no goals in 16 games
• Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - one goal in twenty-five matches
• Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - failed to score in 20 appearances

A central player and defensive specialist are part of this selection, and some would argue Abraham ended the jinx with his performance, while famous attackers such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink flourished with the number nine.

But Delap was unfazed when questioned about the hoodoo. "I'm not the type of person [who believes in curses]," he said at the international tournament.

"Ultimately it's a number on the back of your uniform. It's just a figure that has historically been connected to forwards so it's something that I enjoy and there's no added burden."