🔗 Share this article

Attacker Liam Delap is returning from a muscle issue at a important period for Chelsea.

The Stamford Bridge outfit suffered a 2-1 defeat against shock contenders Sunderland at their home ground on the weekend, with boss Enzo Maresca citing "a lack of creativity" and his team's delivery being "below standard".

Chelsea's attackers are having difficulty finding the net and goal contributions as Delap returns in the Carabao Cup against struggling Wolves on midweek (19:45 GMT), having missed 10 games since sustaining the injury in the victory over Fulham in last month.

Maresca stated the 22-year-old will be slowly integrated "gradually", and the summer signing's comeback is vital for a club facing criticism over their unpredictability, which has left the domestic cups their best opportunity of securing honors this season.

Delap to Take Pressure Off Joao Pedro

Chelsea brought in Delap from Ipswich Town for a £30 million fee despite pursuit by Old Trafford club, the Magpies and the Toffees.

Yet the Three Lions prospect was below expensive recruit Joao Pedro in the pecking order at this recent international tournament - and with solid justification.

Joao Pedro scored three goals in three appearances as Chelsea secured the maiden title in the USA. The Brazil striker notched additional strikes and three assists in his initial four top-flight matches after arriving from Brighton.

More recently, however, Joao Pedro has been goalless in his past seven matches. Maresca stated he is one of three squad members - along with central players Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who currently need to be "handled carefully".

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

"Joao Pedro is not a classic center-forward that is going to score 20 goals every season. Joao's a superb talent, he's going to get goals and provide assists but he's a distinctive forward to ones that score 20 to 25 goals each year like the Bayern legend, [Kylian] Mbappe or [Erling] Haaland."

Additional Concerns in Chelsea's Attack

Chelsea deal with wider issues beyond their forwards and Joao Pedro's drought.

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

Wide player Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, acquired from Borussia Dortmund for a £52m package, has failed to score and a single assist in ten games. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40 million signing from Manchester United, has one goal in seven outings and induced an opposition error against Benfica.

Estevao Willian, 18, has shown promise since moving from Palmeiras for a potential £51 million deal, but has only two goals and one setup - paralleling academy forward Tyrique George.

Forward Marc Guiu and Seagulls temporary signing Facundo Buonanotte have one goal each.

Marc Cucurella, who notched seven from full-back last campaign, is yet to find the net this season. Attacking player Pedro Neto has one score and two goal contributions in his previous two fixtures, but earlier got only one goal in the initial ten fixtures.

After 13 matches in all competitions no forward has more than two goals, with central players Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's equal leading marksmen with four goals.

Asked whether a absence of prolific strikers means responsibility must be shared, Maresca stated: "Certainly, yes. We repeatedly stated that the front five at the offense, we need numerous strikes from each, in the manner we achieved last term."

Maresca has developed approaches to compete despite attacking inconsistency. Chelsea are second for dead-ball situations in the Premier League, one less than Arsenal. In addition, the West London club are the initial club to have ten various goalscorers in the first division this campaign.

Will Chelsea's Number Nine Curse Be Broken?

Some Chelsea fans think the number nine shirt - taken by Delap in the off-season - is cursed. It had been available since 2023, and squad members who wore it since 2006 have struggled for goals, including:

• Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - three strikes in 21 games
• Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - 15 scores in 58 games
• Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - thirty strikes in 82 appearances
• Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five strikes in 19 appearances
• Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - 24 goals in 72 appearances
• Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - one goal in 12 games
• Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): 45 goals in 172 appearances
• Franco di Santo (2008-10) - failed to score in 16 appearances
• Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - one goal in twenty-five matches
• Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - zero strikes in 20 appearances

A engine room operator and backline player are part of this selection, and some would argue Abraham ended the jinx with his record, while legendary strikers such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink flourished with the striker's jersey.

But Delap was unmoved when queried about the curse. "I'm not the type of person [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 traditionally been associated to forwards so it's something that I like and there's no pressure."