Delap Returns as Stamford Bridge Side Seek to Fix Forward Concerns

Striker Liam Delap is recovering from a hamstring injury at a time of need for Chelsea.

The Blues were beaten 2-1 against surprise package Sunderland at their stadium on the weekend, with manager Enzo Maresca attributing "insufficient imagination" and his side's crossing being "not the best".

Chelsea's attackers are having difficulty finding the net and key passes as Delap makes his comeback in the Carabao Cup against lowly Wolves on this week (19:45 GMT), having been absent for 10 matches since suffering the setback in the 2-0 win over Fulham in the summer.

Maresca stated the young striker will be gradually introduced "slowly", and the new recruit's comeback is vital for a team facing scrutiny over their mixed results, which has left the domestic cups their most realistic chance of winning a trophy this campaign.

Delap to Share Load With Joao Pedro

Chelsea brought in Delap from the Tractor Boys for a £30 million fee despite interest from Manchester United, the Magpies and Goodison Park team.

Yet the young English striker was behind £55m signing Joao Pedro in the selection hierarchy 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 United States. The Seleção attacker added two more goals and three assists in his first four Premier League games after arriving from Brighton.

More of late, however, Joao Pedro has not scored in his previous seven fixtures. Maresca said he is one of a trio of players - along with engine room operators Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who presently require to be "protected".

When asked about Joao Pedro's decline in performance, Maresca remarked: "Definitely the physical part is crucial. When you are not 100% it's challenging to excel, especially in this competition."

"Joao Pedro is not a traditional striker that is going to score 20 goals annually. Joao's a fantastic player, he's going to find the net and give assists but he's a different kind of nine to players who get 20 to 25 goals each year like the Bayern legend, [Kylian] Mbappe or the Norwegian goal machine."

Additional Concerns in Chelsea's Forward Line

Chelsea confront additional challenges beyond their strikers and Joao Pedro's drought.

Forward Cole Palmer has completed two games all campaign and is unlikely to be back from a lower body issue until December.

Attacking midfielder Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, signed from Borussia Dortmund for a potential £52 million deal, has failed to score and one goal contribution in 10 matches. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40m recruit from Manchester United, has one goal in seven matches and induced an opposition error against Benfica.

Estevao Willian, the teenager, has shown promise since arriving from Palmeiras for a £51m package, but has merely two scores and one setup - 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 term, is yet to find the net this season. Attacking player Pedro Neto has one score and two setups in his past two matches, but prior to that scored only once in the opening ten matches.

After 13 matches in various cups no striker has more than two goals, with engine room operators Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's shared top goalscorers with four.

Asked whether a absence of prolific strikers means duties need distributing, Maresca commented: "Definitely, yes. We frequently mentioned 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 goal-scoring variability. Chelsea are runner-up in set-piece goals in the top flight, one less than Arsenal. In addition, the Blues 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 supporters feel the striker's jersey - taken by Delap in the summer - is jinxed. It had been unoccupied since recently, and footballers who sported it since the mid-2000s have found scoring difficult, including:

• Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - a trio of scores in twenty-one matches
• 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 strikes in nineteen matches
• Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - 24 goals in seventy-two matches
• Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - one score in 12 games
• Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): 45 goals in one hundred seventy-two matches
• Franco di Santo (2008-10) - no goals in 16 games
• Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - one score in 25 appearances
• Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - no goals in 20 appearances

A midfielder and backline player are included in this group, and some would contend Abraham broke the curse with his achievement, while legendary strikers such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink excelled with the striker's jersey.

But Delap was unconcerned when asked about the jinx. "I'm not one [who believes in curses]," he commented at the international tournament.

"Ultimately it's a number on the back of your shirt. It's just a figure that has always been related to attackers so it's something that I appreciate and there's zero expectation."