🔗 Share this article Delap Returns as Chelsea Look to Address Striker Issues Liam Delap registered his sole strike for Chelsea at the Club World Cup during the summer months Forward Liam Delap is recovering from a muscle issue at a crucial moment for Chelsea. The Stamford Bridge outfit lost 2-1 against unexpected challengers Sunderland at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, with boss Enzo Maresca citing "a lack of creativity" and his side's crossing being "below standard". Chelsea's forwards are struggling for goals and key passes as Delap makes his comeback in the League Cup against struggling Wolves on Wednesday (prime time), having been absent for 10 matches since picking up the problem in the victory over Fulham in the summer. Maresca said the emerging talent will be slowly integrated "slowly", and the summer signing's comeback is crucial for a team facing criticism over their mixed results, which has left the national tournaments their best opportunity of claiming silverware this season. Delap to Share Load With Joao Pedro Delap (left) and Joao Pedro arrived at Chelsea this summer for a combined £85m Chelsea brought in Delap from Ipswich Town for £30m despite interest from Old Trafford club, Newcastle United and the Toffees. Yet the Three Lions prospect was below £55 million acquisition Joao Pedro in the team ranking at this recent international tournament - and with good reason. Joao Pedro found the net three times in three matches as Chelsea secured the maiden title in the United States. The Seleção attacker notched additional strikes and three assists in his initial four top-flight matches after joining from Brighton. More recently, however, Joao Pedro has not scored in his past seven matches. Maresca stated he is one of a trio of players - along with central players Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who currently need to be "shielded". When questioned about Joao Pedro's dip in form, Maresca remarked: "Certainly the physical part is vital. When you are not fully fit it's hard to perform, notably in this league." "Joao Pedro is not a traditional striker that is going to score 20 goals every season. Joao's a fantastic player, he's going to score and create chances but he's a different kind of nine to players who get 20 to 25 goals each year like the Polish striker, the French superstar or the City striker." Wider Problems in Chelsea's Offense Chelsea confront additional challenges beyond their forwards and Joao Pedro's goalless run. Attacker Cole Palmer has completed two games all season and is unlikely to be back from a groin injury until December. Wide player Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, signed from Borussia Dortmund for a potential £52 million deal, has failed to score and one goal contribution in ten games. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40m acquisition from Manchester United, has a single strike in seven outings and forced an own goal against Benfica. Estevao Willian, eighteen, has impressed since arriving from Palmeiras for a fee rising to £51m, but has just two strikes and a single assist - matching academy forward Tyrique George. Forward Marc Guiu and Seagulls temporary signing Facundo Buonanotte have one goal each. Marc Cucurella, who scored seven from defensive position last campaign, is still to score this term. Wide man Pedro Neto has a single strike and two setups in his past two matches, but earlier found the net just once in the opening ten matches. After thirteen fixtures in all competitions no attacker has above two scores, with engine room operators Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's shared top goalscorers with four goals. Asked whether a lack of natural goalscorers means goals must come from multiple sources, Maresca stated: "Certainly, yes. We said many times that the quintet of attackers at the offense, we need six, seven, eight, nine, 10 goals each, in the manner we achieved last season." Maresca has found ways to be competitive despite goal-scoring variability. Chelsea are runner-up in dead-ball situations in the top flight, one less than Arsenal. In furthermore, the Blues are the pioneering side to have ten distinct net-finders in the Premier League this term. Will Chelsea's Number Nine Curse Be Broken? Khalid Boulahrouz didn't find the net while bearing the nine shirt for Chelsea Some Chelsea supporters think the number nine shirt - taken by Delap in the summer - is jinxed. It had been available since recently, and squad members who sported it since 2006 have found scoring difficult, including: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - a trio of scores in 21 games Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - 15 goals in 58 appearances Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - thirty strikes in 82 appearances Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five scores in 19 games Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - twenty-four strikes in seventy-two matches Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - one score in 12 games Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): forty-five strikes in one hundred seventy-two matches 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) - failed to score in 20 games A engine room operator and defender are among those listed, and some would contend Abraham broke the curse with his record, while iconic forwards such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink flourished with the striker's jersey. But Delap was unconcerned when questioned about the curse. "I don't believe [who believes in curses]," he stated at the Club World Cup. "In the final analysis it's a number on the back of your kit. It's just a figure that has historically been connected to forwards so it's something that I like and there's no pressure."