🔗 Share this article Delap Makes Comeback as Stamford Bridge Side Look to Address Attacking Problems Liam Delap found the net for Chelsea at the global competition during the warm season Striker Liam Delap is coming back from a hamstring injury at a crucial moment for Chelsea. The Stamford Bridge outfit suffered a 2-1 defeat against unexpected challengers Sunderland at Stamford Bridge on the weekend, with head coach Enzo Maresca blaming "insufficient imagination" and his team's delivery being "below standard". Chelsea's attackers are struggling for goals and assists as Delap returns in the League Cup against lowly Wolves on this week (prime time), having sat out 10 fixtures since suffering the setback in the success over Fulham in August. Maresca said the young striker will be slowly integrated "carefully", and the recent acquisition's availability is important for a team facing questions over their inconsistency, which has left the domestic cups their most realistic chance of winning a trophy this campaign. Delap to Share Load With Joao Pedro Delap (left) and Joao Pedro joined Chelsea this summer for a aggregate £85m Chelsea acquired Delap from the Championship side for a £30 million fee despite attention from Manchester United, Newcastle United and the Toffees. Yet the England Under-21s forward was behind £55m signing Joao Pedro in the pecking order at this summer's Club World Cup - and with solid justification. Joao Pedro found the net three times in three matches as Chelsea secured the maiden title in the USA. The Brazilian forward scored another two and three goal contributions in his opening quartet of league fixtures after moving from the Seagulls. More recently, however, Joao Pedro has failed to score in his last seven games. Maresca revealed he is one of three squad members - along with midfielders Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who currently need to be "protected". When questioned about Joao Pedro's dip in form, Maresca remarked: "Definitely the physical part is vital. When you are not fully fit it's challenging to excel, particularly in this league." "Joao Pedro is not a traditional striker that is going to net twenty times each year. Joao's a fantastic player, he's going to find the net and provide assists but he's a alternative type of striker to ones that score 20 to 25 goals annually like the Polish striker, [Kylian] Mbappe or [Erling] Haaland." Additional Concerns in Chelsea's Offense Chelsea deal with wider issues in addition to their forwards and Joao Pedro's goalless run. Winger Cole Palmer has featured for ninety minutes twice all term and is not expected return from a groin problem until the winter. Wide player Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, acquired from Borussia Dortmund for a fee rising to £52m, has no goals and one goal contribution in ten games. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40m acquisition from Manchester United, has one goal in seven games and induced an opposition error against Benfica. Estevao Willian, 18, has entertained since joining from Palmeiras for a £51m package, but has only two goals and one assist - matching youth product Tyrique George. Attacker Marc Guiu and loan signing Facundo Buonanotte have one goal each. Marc Cucurella, who scored seven from defensive position last campaign, is yet to find the net this campaign. Attacking player Pedro Neto has a single strike and two setups in his last two games, but earlier scored only once in the initial ten fixtures. After thirteen fixtures in various cups no forward has over two strikes, with central players Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's shared top goalscorers with four strikes. Queried whether a absence of prolific strikers means responsibility must be shared, Maresca stated: "Definitely, yes. We frequently mentioned that the front five at the front, we need multiple goals per player, in the manner we achieved last term." Maresca has discovered methods to challenge despite offensive unpredictability. Chelsea are second for free-kick and corner scores in the top flight, one behind Arsenal. In moreover, the Stamford Bridge side are the pioneering side to have ten distinct net-finders in the top flight this season. Can Chelsea's Striker Jinx End? Khalid Boulahrouz failed to score while sporting the number nine for Chelsea Some Chelsea followers think the striker's jersey - assigned to Delap in the summer - is hexed. It had been vacant since 2023, and footballers who donned it since 2006 have had goal droughts, including: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - three goals in 21 appearances 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 strikes in nineteen matches Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - 24 scores in 72 games Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - one goal in 12 games Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): 45 scores in 172 games Franco di Santo (2008-10) - failed to score in 16 appearances Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - one goal in 25 appearances Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - failed to score in 20 appearances A engine room operator and defensive specialist are part of this selection, and some would argue Abraham broke the curse with his achievement, while iconic forwards such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink flourished with the number nine. But Delap was unconcerned when queried about the hoodoo. "I'm not one [who believes in curses]," he stated at the global competition. "Ultimately it's a figure on the jersey of your uniform. It's just a figure that has traditionally been associated to forwards so it's something that I like and there's zero expectation."