🔗 Share this article Delap Back in Action as Chelsea Look to Address Striker Issues Liam Delap found the net for Chelsea at the international tournament during the summer months Attacker Liam Delap is returning from a muscle issue at a important period for Chelsea. The Blues lost 2-1 against shock contenders Sunderland at their stadium on Saturday, with boss Enzo Maresca citing "a lack of creativity" and his team's delivery being "below standard". Chelsea's forwards are having difficulty finding the net and goal contributions as Delap returns in the Carabao Cup against struggling Wolves on Wednesday (19:45 GMT), having sat out 10 fixtures since suffering the setback in the success over Fulham in last month. Maresca said the emerging talent will be gradually introduced "carefully", and the new recruit's availability is vital for a club facing questions over their mixed results, which has left the domestic cups their most realistic chance of claiming silverware this campaign. Delap to Ease Burden On Joao Pedro Delap (to the left) and Joao Pedro arrived at Chelsea this summer transfer window for a combined £85m Chelsea brought in Delap from Ipswich Town for thirty million pounds despite attention from Old Trafford club, Newcastle United and the Toffees. Yet the Three Lions prospect was second to £55m signing Joao Pedro in the pecking order at this global competition - and with good reason. Joao Pedro registered a trio of strikes in three matches as Chelsea won the inaugural tournament in the United States. The Seleção attacker scored another two and three assists in his opening quartet of league fixtures after joining from Brighton. More lately, however, Joao Pedro has failed to score in his last seven games. Maresca revealed he is one of three squad members - along with engine room operators Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who currently need to be "protected". When asked about Joao Pedro's drop in output, Maresca remarked: "For sure the physical part is crucial. When you are not fully fit it's hard to perform, particularly in this league." "Joao Pedro is not a traditional striker that is going to net twenty times every season. Joao's a superb talent, he's going to score and create chances but he's a alternative type of striker to ones that score 20 to 25 goals annually like [Robert] Lewandowski, the French superstar or [Erling] Haaland." Broader Issues in Chelsea's Offense Chelsea face wider issues in addition to their forwards and Joao Pedro's drought. Forward Cole Palmer has featured for ninety minutes twice all season 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 zero strikes and one goal contribution in ten games. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40 million signing from Manchester United, has a single strike in seven outings and induced an opposition error against Benfica. Estevao Willian, the teenager, has impressed since joining from Palmeiras for a fee rising to £51m, but has only two goals and one setup - matching homegrown talent Tyrique George. Attacker Marc Guiu and Seagulls temporary signing Facundo Buonanotte have one goal each. Marc Cucurella, who got seven from full-back last term, is yet to find the net this term. Wide man Pedro Neto has one goal and two setups in his previous two fixtures, but prior to that found the net just once in the first 10 games. After thirteen games in all competitions no attacker has above two scores, with central players Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's equal leading marksmen with four goals. Asked whether a shortage of clinical finishers means duties need distributing, Maresca commented: "Certainly, yes. We frequently mentioned that the front five at the front, we need six, seven, eight, nine, 10 goals each, in the way we have done last campaign." Maresca has discovered methods to challenge despite goal-scoring variability. Chelsea are second for dead-ball situations in the English top division, trailing by one Arsenal. In addition, the Stamford Bridge side are the pioneering side to have ten various goalscorers in the first division this season. Will Chelsea's Number Nine Curse Be Broken? Khalid Boulahrouz failed to score while bearing the nine shirt for Chelsea Some Chelsea supporters feel the center-forward number - taken by Delap in the off-season - is cursed. It had been available since last year, and players who donned it since the mid-2000s have had goal droughts, including: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - three strikes in 21 games Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - fifteen strikes in fifty-eight matches Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - thirty strikes in eighty-two matches Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five strikes in 19 appearances Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - twenty-four strikes in 72 appearances Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - one goal in twelve matches Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): 45 scores in 172 games Franco di Santo (2008-10) - no goals in 16 games Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - one score in 25 games Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - failed to score in 20 games A central player and defender are among those listed, and some would argue Abraham ended the jinx with his performance, while legendary strikers such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink flourished with the striker's jersey. But Delap was unconcerned when queried about the curse. "I don't believe [who believes in curses]," he stated at the global competition. "At the end of the day it's a number on the back of your shirt. It's just a digit that has always been related to forwards so it's something that I enjoy and there's zero expectation."