Delap Back in Action as The Blues Seek to Fix Striker Issues

Striker Liam Delap is recovering from a muscle issue at a important period for Chelsea.

The Blues suffered a 2-1 defeat against surprise package Sunderland at their home ground on the weekend, with head coach Enzo Maresca attributing "insufficient imagination" and his side's crossing being "subpar".

Chelsea's attackers are having difficulty finding the net and key passes as Delap makes his comeback in the EFL Cup against struggling Wolves on Wednesday (evening kickoff), having sat out 10 fixtures since sustaining the injury in the success over Fulham in last month.

Maresca said the young striker will be phased in "carefully", and the summer signing's availability is vital for a team facing scrutiny over their inconsistency, which has left the cup competitions their primary hope of claiming silverware this campaign.

Delap to Share Load With Joao Pedro

Chelsea brought in Delap from Ipswich Town for thirty million pounds despite pursuit by the Red Devils, St James' Park side and Everton.

Yet the Three Lions prospect was below expensive recruit Joao Pedro in the team ranking at this global competition - and with solid justification.

Joao Pedro registered a trio of strikes in three appearances as Chelsea won the inaugural tournament in the America. The Brazil striker added two more goals and three goal contributions in his initial four top-flight matches after moving from the Seagulls.

More recently, however, Joao Pedro has been goalless in his past seven matches. Maresca stated he is one of three players - along with midfielders Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who presently require to be "protected".

When questioned about Joao Pedro's drop in output, Maresca said: "For sure the conditioning element is vital. When you are not 100% it's hard to perform, especially in this competition."

"Joao Pedro is not a traditional striker that is going to score 20 goals each year. Joao's a fantastic player, he's going to score and give assists but he's a distinctive forward to players who get 20 to 25 goals annually like the Polish striker, [Kylian] Mbappe or [Erling] Haaland."

Additional Concerns in Chelsea's Offense

Chelsea face wider issues in addition to their attackers and Joao Pedro's scoreless streak.

Winger Cole Palmer has featured for ninety minutes twice all season and is unlikely to be back from a groin injury until the winter.

Wide player Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, signed from Borussia Dortmund for a fee rising to £52m, has failed to score and one assist in ten games. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40m acquisition from Manchester United, has a single strike in seven games and forced an own goal against Benfica.

Estevao Willian, 18, has shown promise since joining from Palmeiras for a potential £51 million deal, but has merely two scores and one assist - paralleling homegrown talent Tyrique George.

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

Marc Cucurella, who scored seven from defensive position last term, is yet to find the net this term. Wide man Pedro Neto has a single strike and two setups in his last two games, but before that found the net just once in the first 10 games.

After thirteen fixtures in all competitions no forward has over two strikes, with midfielders Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's shared top goalscorers with four goals.

Queried whether a absence of prolific strikers means responsibility must be shared, Maresca commented: "Definitely, yes. We said many times that the five players at the attack, we need numerous strikes from each, in the manner we achieved last campaign."

Maresca has developed approaches to be competitive despite offensive unpredictability. Chelsea are second for dead-ball situations in the Premier League, trailing by one Arsenal. In addition, the Stamford Bridge side are the pioneering side to have ten various goalscorers in the top flight this term.

Is the Number Nine Hoodoo About to Lift?

Some Chelsea followers feel the number nine shirt - taken by Delap in the transfer window - is jinxed. It had been unoccupied since recently, and footballers who donned it since the mid-2000s have had goal droughts, including:

• Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - three goals in twenty-one matches
• Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - 15 goals in 58 appearances
• Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - 30 goals in eighty-two matches
• Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five strikes 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 172 games
• Franco di Santo (2008-10) - failed to score in 16 appearances
• Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - a single strike in twenty-five matches
• Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - zero strikes in twenty matches

A engine room operator and defensive specialist are among those listed, and some would suggest Abraham ended the jinx with his performance, while iconic forwards such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink thrived with nine on their back.

But Delap was unconcerned when questioned about the jinx. "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 shirt. It's just a digit that has historically been connected to attackers so it's something that I like and there's no added burden."