🔗 Share this article Delap Returns as The Blues Look to Address Attacking Problems Liam Delap registered his sole strike for Chelsea at the international tournament during summer Forward Liam Delap is coming back from a thigh problem at a crucial moment for Chelsea. The Blues were beaten 2-1 against surprise package Sunderland at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, with boss Enzo Maresca citing "limited inventiveness" and his side's crossing being "not the best". Chelsea's strikers are having difficulty finding the net and assists as Delap returns in the Carabao Cup against lowly Wolves on midweek (19:45 GMT), having sat out 10 fixtures since suffering the setback in the 2-0 win over Fulham in the summer. Maresca said the 22-year-old will be gradually introduced "gradually", and the recent acquisition's availability is important for a team facing questions over their mixed results, which has left the domestic cups their best opportunity of winning a trophy this season. Delap to Take Pressure Off Joao Pedro Delap (on the left) and Joao Pedro signed for Chelsea this summer for a combined £85m Chelsea signed Delap from the Championship side for a £30 million fee despite attention from the Red Devils, Newcastle United and the Toffees. Yet the England Under-21s forward was behind £55m signing Joao Pedro in the selection hierarchy at this recent international tournament - and with solid justification. Joao Pedro scored three goals in three appearances as Chelsea claimed the first edition in the America. The Seleção attacker notched additional strikes and three goal contributions in his initial four top-flight matches after moving from the Seagulls. More recently, however, Joao Pedro has failed to score in his past seven matches. Maresca revealed he is one of three players - along with central players Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who presently require to be "shielded". When asked about Joao Pedro's drop in output, Maresca commented: "Definitely the conditioning element is vital. When you are not 100% it's difficult to compete, notably in this competition." "Joao Pedro is not a number nine that is going to score 20 goals every season. Joao's a excellent footballer, he's going to find the net and give assists but he's a alternative type of striker to players who get 20 to 25 goals every season like the Bayern legend, [Kylian] Mbappe or [Erling] Haaland." Wider Problems in Chelsea's Attack Chelsea confront wider issues apart from their strikers and Joao Pedro's scoreless streak. Attacker Cole Palmer has featured for ninety minutes twice all campaign and is unlikely to be back from a groin injury until the winter. Wide player Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, brought in from Borussia Dortmund for a £52m package, has no goals and a single assist in ten appearances. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40m acquisition from Manchester United, has one goal in seven games and induced an opposition error against Benfica. Estevao Willian, the teenager, has shown promise since arriving from Palmeiras for a potential £51 million deal, but has just two strikes and one setup - equaling academy forward Tyrique George. Attacker Marc Guiu and Brighton loanee Facundo Buonanotte have one goal each. Marc Cucurella, who notched seven from defensive position last term, is still to score this term. Wide man Pedro Neto has one goal and two setups in his past two matches, but earlier scored only once in the opening ten matches. After thirteen fixtures in every tournament no forward has above two scores, with midfielders Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's joint top scorers with four strikes. Asked whether a lack of natural goalscorers means goals must come from multiple sources, Maresca commented: "Certainly, yes. We frequently mentioned that the five players at the front, we need six, seven, eight, nine, 10 goals each, in the fashion we managed last campaign." Maresca has found ways to compete despite offensive unpredictability. Chelsea are second for set-piece goals in the English top division, one less than Arsenal. In moreover, the Blues are the initial club to have ten various goalscorers in the Premier League this season. Will Chelsea's Number Nine Curse Be Broken? Khalid Boulahrouz was goalless while bearing the nine shirt for Chelsea Some Chelsea supporters think the striker's jersey - taken by Delap in the summer - is jinxed. It had been available since recently, and squad members who wore it since 2006 have found scoring difficult, including: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - a trio of scores in 21 appearances Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - fifteen strikes in 58 games Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - 30 scores in 82 games Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five strikes in nineteen matches Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - twenty-four strikes in seventy-two matches Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - a single strike in 12 appearances Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): 45 scores in one hundred seventy-two matches Franco di Santo (2008-10) - failed to score in 16 games Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - one goal in 25 games Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - no goals in twenty matches A engine room operator and defensive specialist are among those listed, and some would suggest Abraham ended the jinx with his record, while legendary strikers such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink flourished with the number nine. But Delap was unmoved when questioned about the jinx. "I'm not the type of person [who believes in curses]," he said at the Club World Cup. "At the end of the day it's a figure on the jersey of your uniform. It's just a number that has historically been connected to attackers so it's something that I appreciate and there's no pressure."