Delap Back in Action as The Blues Aim to Solve Striker Issues

Striker Liam Delap is coming back from a thigh problem at a crucial moment for Chelsea.

The Stamford Bridge outfit lost 2-1 against shock contenders Sunderland at their home ground on the weekend, with head coach Enzo Maresca attributing "limited inventiveness" and his squad's passes being "not the best".

Chelsea's forwards are struggling for goals and goal contributions as Delap makes his comeback in the EFL Cup against bottom-half Wolves on midweek (19:45 GMT), having missed 10 games since picking up the problem in the success over Fulham in the summer.

Maresca commented the young striker will be slowly integrated "carefully", and the new recruit's comeback is important for a team facing criticism over their mixed results, which has left the national tournaments their best opportunity of securing honors this term.

Delap to Take Pressure Off Joao Pedro

Chelsea signed Delap from Ipswich Town for thirty million pounds despite interest from the Red Devils, Newcastle United and Goodison Park team.

Yet the young English striker was second to £55 million acquisition Joao Pedro in the selection hierarchy at this global competition - and with good reason.

Joao Pedro registered a trio of strikes in three outings as Chelsea secured the maiden title in the United States. The Brazil striker added two more goals and three goal contributions in his first four Premier League games after joining from Brighton.

More of late, however, Joao Pedro has not scored in his past seven matches. Maresca stated he is one of a trio of players - along with midfielders Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who at the moment demand to be "shielded".

When questioned about Joao Pedro's decline in performance, Maresca commented: "Definitely the physical part is vital. When you are not fully fit it's difficult to compete, especially in this division."

"Joao Pedro is not a traditional striker that is going to score 20 goals each year. Joao's a excellent footballer, he's going to get goals and give assists but he's a different kind of nine to players who get 20 to 25 goals each year like the Polish striker, [Kylian] Mbappe or the Norwegian goal machine."

Additional Concerns in Chelsea's Attack

Chelsea face broader problems in addition to their strikers and Joao Pedro's drought.

Forward Cole Palmer has featured for ninety minutes twice all term and is unlikely to be back from a lower body issue until next month.

Winger Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, signed from Borussia Dortmund for a £52m package, has failed to score and one assist in ten appearances. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40 million signing from Manchester United, has a single strike in seven outings and caused an own goal against Benfica.

Estevao Willian, 18, has impressed since joining from Palmeiras for a fee rising to £51m, but has just two strikes and a single assist - paralleling academy forward Tyrique George.

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

Marc Cucurella, who got seven from full-back last season, is still to score this season. Winger Pedro Neto has a single strike and two goal contributions in his last two games, but before that scored only once in the initial ten fixtures.

After 13 matches in every tournament no forward has above two scores, with central players Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's equal leading marksmen with four.

Questioned whether a absence of prolific strikers means goals must come from multiple sources, Maresca said: "Definitely, yes. We repeatedly stated that the five players at the offense, we need numerous strikes from each, in the manner we achieved last season."

Maresca has developed approaches to be competitive despite attacking inconsistency. Chelsea are second for free-kick and corner scores in the English top division, one less than Arsenal. In furthermore, the Stamford Bridge side are the initial club to have 10 different scorers in the top flight this season.

Is the Number Nine Hoodoo About to Lift?

Some Chelsea fans believe the striker's jersey - assigned to Delap in the transfer window - is jinxed. It had been available since recently, and footballers who wore it since 2006 have had goal droughts, including:

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

A central player and defensive specialist are among those listed, and some would argue Abraham lifted the hoodoo with his achievement, while legendary strikers such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink flourished with the striker's jersey.

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

"At the end of the day it's a figure on the jersey of your shirt. It's just a number that has always been related to forwards so it's something that I enjoy and there's no added burden."