🔗 Share this article Delap Makes Comeback as Chelsea Aim to Solve Striker Issues Liam Delap found the net for Chelsea at the global competition during summer Attacker Liam Delap is coming back from a thigh problem at a crucial moment for Chelsea. The Stamford Bridge outfit suffered a 2-1 defeat against surprise package Sunderland at their home ground on the weekend, with boss Enzo Maresca blaming "limited inventiveness" and his squad's passes being "subpar". Chelsea's strikers are finding it hard to score and key passes as Delap returns in the League Cup against lowly Wolves on midweek (19:45 GMT), having been absent for 10 matches since suffering the setback in the success over Fulham in August. Maresca stated the young striker will be gradually introduced "slowly", and the recent acquisition's availability is vital for a team facing questions over their mixed results, which has left the domestic cups their best opportunity of claiming silverware this campaign. Delap to Ease Burden On Joao Pedro Delap (to the left) and Joao Pedro signed for Chelsea this summer for a aggregate £85m Chelsea brought in Delap from the Championship side for £30m despite interest from Manchester United, St James' Park side and the Toffees. Yet the England Under-21s forward was second to £55 million acquisition Joao Pedro in the pecking order at this recent international tournament - and with valid cause. Joao Pedro found the net three times in three appearances as Chelsea won the inaugural tournament in the America. The Seleção attacker scored another two and three assists in his initial four top-flight matches after joining from Brighton. More of late, however, Joao Pedro has been goalless in his last seven games. Maresca stated he is one of a trio of players - along with central players Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who presently require to be "shielded". When asked about Joao Pedro's dip in form, Maresca commented: "Certainly the conditioning element is important. When you are not at peak condition it's difficult to compete, particularly in this division." "Joao Pedro is not a number nine that is going to reach twenty strikes every season. Joao's a superb talent, he's going to score and give assists but he's a different kind of nine to players who get 20 to 25 goals every season like the Bayern legend, the PSG forward or [Erling] Haaland." Broader Issues in Chelsea's Offense Chelsea deal with broader problems in addition to their strikers and Joao Pedro's goalless run. Attacker Cole Palmer has played two full matches all term and is unlikely to be back from a lower body issue until December. Winger Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, signed from Borussia Dortmund for a fee rising to £52m, has failed to score and one assist in 10 matches. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40m acquisition from Manchester United, has one goal in seven matches and forced an own goal against Benfica. Estevao Willian, 18, has entertained since arriving from Palmeiras for a £51m package, but has just two strikes and one assist - matching youth product Tyrique George. Striker Marc Guiu and Brighton loanee Facundo Buonanotte have a single strike apiece. Marc Cucurella, who got seven from defensive position last campaign, is yet to find the net this campaign. Wide man Pedro Neto has one goal and two setups in his previous two fixtures, but prior to that scored only once in the first 10 games. After 13 matches in every tournament no striker has more than two goals, with midfielders Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's shared top goalscorers with four goals. Questioned whether a shortage of clinical finishers means duties need distributing, Maresca said: "Definitely, yes. We repeatedly stated that the quintet of attackers at the offense, we need numerous strikes from each, in the manner we achieved last term." Maresca has discovered methods to challenge despite attacking inconsistency. Chelsea are second place for set-piece goals in the Premier League, one less than Arsenal. In furthermore, the West London club are the initial club to have ten distinct net-finders in the Premier League this term. Will Chelsea's Number Nine Curse Be Broken? Khalid Boulahrouz was goalless while sporting the number nine for Chelsea Some Chelsea supporters think the center-forward number - assigned to Delap in the transfer window - is jinxed. It had been available since 2023, and squad members who wore 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) - thirty strikes in 82 appearances Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five scores in 19 games Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - 24 scores in 72 games Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - a single strike in 12 games Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): 45 goals in 172 games Franco di Santo (2008-10) - no goals in 16 appearances Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - a single strike in 25 games Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - no goals in 20 games A central player and defensive specialist are included in this group, and some would contend Abraham lifted the hoodoo with his achievement, while famous attackers such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink thrived with the striker's jersey. But Delap was unfazed when asked about the hoodoo. "I'm not one [who believes in curses]," he said at the Club World Cup. "In the final analysis it's a figure on the jersey of your uniform. It's just a figure that has traditionally been associated to strikers so it's something that I appreciate and there's zero expectation."