Delap Back in Action as Chelsea Seek to Fix Forward Concerns

Striker Liam Delap is returning from a hamstring injury at a important period for Chelsea.

The West London club suffered a 2-1 defeat against unexpected challengers Sunderland at their stadium on recently, with head coach Enzo Maresca attributing "a lack of creativity" and his squad's passes being "subpar".

Chelsea's forwards are having difficulty finding the net and goal contributions as Delap makes his comeback in the League Cup against bottom-half Wolves on Wednesday (evening kickoff), having missed 10 games since suffering the setback in the 2-0 win over Fulham in last month.

Maresca said the 22-year-old will be phased in "gradually", and the summer signing's availability is vital for a team facing scrutiny over their mixed results, which has left the domestic cups their primary hope of winning a trophy this campaign.

Delap to Share Load With Joao Pedro

Chelsea brought in Delap from the Tractor Boys for £30m despite attention from Old Trafford club, St James' Park side and the Toffees.

Yet the young English striker was behind £55m signing Joao Pedro in the selection hierarchy at this summer's Club World Cup - and with valid cause.

Joao Pedro registered a trio of strikes in three outings as Chelsea claimed the first edition in the USA. The Brazilian forward scored another two and three assists in his initial four top-flight matches after joining from Brighton.

More recently, 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 currently need to be "protected".

When queried about Joao Pedro's drop in output, Maresca said: "Definitely the conditioning element is important. When you are not fully fit it's hard to perform, particularly in this competition."

"Joao Pedro is not a number nine that is going to reach twenty strikes each year. Joao's a excellent footballer, he's going to get goals and create chances but he's a alternative type of striker to those who net 20 to 25 goals annually like the Bayern legend, [Kylian] Mbappe or the City striker."

Wider Problems in Chelsea's Forward Line

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

Attacker Cole Palmer has completed two games all season and is not expected return from a lower body issue until the winter.

Winger Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, signed from Borussia Dortmund for a £52m package, has zero strikes and a single assist in 10 matches. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40m recruit from Manchester United, has a single strike in seven matches and forced an own goal against Benfica.

Estevao Willian, 18, has shown promise since arriving from Palmeiras for a potential £51 million deal, but has only two goals and a single assist - equaling academy forward Tyrique George.

Striker Marc Guiu and loan signing Facundo Buonanotte have a single strike apiece.

Marc Cucurella, who got seven from full-back last campaign, is without a goal this season. Attacking player Pedro Neto has one goal and two assists in his last two games, but prior to that found the net just once in the opening ten matches.

After thirteen games in various cups no forward has above two scores, with central players Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's joint top scorers with four.

Questioned whether a absence of prolific strikers means duties need distributing, Maresca said: "Definitely, yes. We said many times that the five players at the attack, we need six, seven, eight, nine, 10 goals each, in the way we have done last season."

Maresca has developed approaches to compete despite attacking inconsistency. Chelsea are second place for free-kick and corner scores in the top flight, trailing by one Arsenal. In furthermore, the West London club are the initial club to have ten various goalscorers in the Premier League this term.

Is the Number Nine Hoodoo About to Lift?

Some Chelsea supporters feel the striker's jersey - claimed by Delap in the transfer window - is cursed. It had been available since last year, and squad members who sported it since 2006 have struggled for goals, including:

• Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - three strikes in 21 appearances
• Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - fifteen strikes in 58 games
• Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - 30 scores in 82 games
• Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five goals in 19 games
• Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - twenty-four strikes in 72 games
• Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - one goal in twelve matches
• Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): forty-five strikes in one hundred seventy-two matches
• Franco di Santo (2008-10) - zero strikes in sixteen matches
• Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - one goal in twenty-five matches
• Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - failed to score in 20 appearances

A engine room operator and defender are among those listed, and some would argue Abraham ended the jinx with his achievement, while famous attackers such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink flourished with nine on their back.

But Delap was unconcerned when asked about the curse. "I'm not the type of person [who believes in curses]," he said at the global competition.

"Ultimately it's a figure on the jersey of your shirt. It's just a digit that has always been related to attackers so it's something that I like and there's zero expectation."