🔗 Share this article

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

The Stamford Bridge outfit were beaten 2-1 against shock contenders Sunderland at their home ground on Saturday, with manager Enzo Maresca blaming "limited inventiveness" 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 (19:45 GMT), having been absent for 10 matches since picking up the problem in the victory over Fulham in the summer.

Maresca stated the emerging talent will be phased in "slowly", and the recent acquisition's availability is crucial for a club facing criticism over their inconsistency, which has left the domestic cups their best opportunity of claiming silverware this term.

Delap to Ease Burden On Joao Pedro

Chelsea acquired Delap from the Championship side for thirty million pounds despite interest from the Red Devils, the Magpies and the Toffees.

Yet the young English striker was behind £55 million acquisition Joao Pedro in the team ranking at this global competition - and with valid cause.

Joao Pedro registered a trio of strikes in three appearances as Chelsea claimed the first edition in the United States. The Brazilian forward scored another two and three setups in his initial four top-flight matches after moving from the Seagulls.

More lately, however, Joao Pedro has failed to score in his last seven games. Maresca stated he is one of three players - along with midfielders Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who presently require to be "handled carefully".

When asked about Joao Pedro's drop in output, Maresca remarked: "Certainly the physical part is crucial. When you are not fully fit it's challenging to excel, particularly in this competition."

"Joao Pedro is not a number nine that is going to score 20 goals annually. Joao's a excellent footballer, he's going to score and give assists but he's a alternative type of striker to those who net 20 to 25 goals every season like [Robert] Lewandowski, the PSG forward or the City striker."

Broader Issues in Chelsea's Forward Line

Chelsea confront wider issues apart from their strikers and Joao Pedro's scoreless streak.

Forward Cole Palmer has played two full matches all campaign and is unlikely to be back from a groin problem until December.

Winger Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, acquired from Borussia Dortmund for a fee rising to £52m, has no goals and a single assist in ten appearances. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40m acquisition from Manchester United, has a single strike in seven matches and induced an opposition error against Benfica.

Estevao Willian, 18, has impressed since moving from Palmeiras for a fee rising to £51m, but has just two strikes and one setup - paralleling youth product Tyrique George.

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

Marc Cucurella, who scored seven from left-back last term, is still to score this campaign. Winger Pedro Neto has a single strike and two assists in his past two matches, but before that scored only once in the initial ten fixtures.

After thirteen games in every tournament no attacker has above two scores, with central players Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's joint top scorers with four strikes.

Queried whether a absence of prolific strikers means duties need distributing, Maresca commented: "Absolutely, yes. We frequently mentioned that the quintet of attackers at the front, we need six, seven, eight, nine, 10 goals each, in the fashion we managed last campaign."

Maresca has developed approaches to compete despite goal-scoring variability. Chelsea are second for free-kick and corner scores in the Premier League, one behind Arsenal. In furthermore, the Blues are the pioneering side to have ten various goalscorers in the Premier League this season.

Will Chelsea's Number Nine Curse Be Broken?

Some Chelsea supporters think the striker's jersey - taken by Delap in the summer - is cursed. It had been unoccupied since last year, and players who donned it since 2006 have had goal droughts, including:

• Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - three strikes in 21 appearances
• Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - 15 goals in fifty-eight matches
• Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - 30 goals in 82 games
• Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five scores in 19 games
• Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - 24 goals in 72 games
• Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - one score in 12 appearances
• 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 score in twenty-five matches
• Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - no goals in twenty matches

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

But Delap was unconcerned when questioned about the hoodoo. "I'm not one [who believes in curses]," he commented at the Club World Cup.

"At the end of the day it's a digit on the shirt of your kit. It's just a number that has traditionally been associated to attackers so it's something that I like and there's no added burden."