🔗 Share this article Delap Makes Comeback as Stamford Bridge Side Seek to Fix Attacking Problems Liam Delap found the net for Chelsea at the Club World Cup during the summer months Striker Liam Delap is recovering from a muscle issue at a time of need for Chelsea. The Stamford Bridge outfit suffered a 2-1 defeat against surprise package Sunderland at their home ground on the weekend, with head coach Enzo Maresca blaming "limited inventiveness" and his side's crossing being "below standard". Chelsea's strikers are having difficulty finding the net and assists as Delap makes his comeback in the Carabao Cup against bottom-half Wolves on midweek (prime time), having missed 10 games since sustaining the injury in the 2-0 win over Fulham in last month. Maresca said the 22-year-old will be slowly integrated "slowly", and the summer signing's return is important for a team facing scrutiny over their inconsistency, which has left the national tournaments their best opportunity of winning a trophy this campaign. Delap to Take Pressure Off Joao Pedro Delap (to the left) and Joao Pedro signed for Chelsea this summer transfer window for a aggregate £85m Chelsea signed Delap from the Championship side for £30m despite attention from the Red Devils, St James' Park side and Everton. Yet the England Under-21s forward was below £55m signing Joao Pedro in the selection hierarchy at this summer's Club World Cup - and with solid justification. Joao Pedro registered a trio of strikes in three matches as Chelsea claimed the first edition in the America. The Seleção attacker scored another two and three assists in his opening quartet of league fixtures after moving from the Seagulls. More of late, however, Joao Pedro has not scored in his past seven matches. Maresca said he is one of a trio of players - along with central players Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who at the moment demand to be "shielded". When asked about Joao Pedro's dip in form, Maresca commented: "Definitely the physical part is crucial. When you are not 100% it's hard to perform, particularly in this division." "Joao Pedro is not a traditional striker that is going to score 20 goals each year. Joao's a superb talent, he's going to find the net and create chances but he's a different kind of nine to ones that score 20 to 25 goals every season like the Polish striker, the PSG forward or the City striker." Additional Concerns in Chelsea's Offense Chelsea confront wider issues in addition to their attackers and Joao Pedro's goalless run. Forward Cole Palmer has featured for ninety minutes twice all campaign and is not expected return from a lower body issue until December. Attacking midfielder Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, signed from Borussia Dortmund for a £52m package, has zero strikes and a single assist in 10 matches. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40m acquisition from Manchester United, has one goal in seven games and forced an own goal against Benfica. Estevao Willian, 18, has shown promise since moving from Palmeiras for a potential £51 million deal, but has merely two scores and one setup - paralleling homegrown talent Tyrique George. Attacker Marc Guiu and Brighton loanee Facundo Buonanotte have one goal each. Marc Cucurella, who notched seven from left-back last campaign, is without a goal this campaign. Wide man Pedro Neto has one goal and two assists in his last two games, but earlier found the net just once in the opening ten matches. After thirteen games in various cups no attacker has more than two goals, with central players Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's equal leading marksmen with four strikes. Questioned whether a absence of prolific strikers means duties need distributing, Maresca stated: "Certainly, yes. We said many times that the five players at the front, we need multiple goals per player, in the fashion we managed last term." Maresca has developed approaches to compete despite offensive unpredictability. Chelsea are second for set-piece goals in the English top division, one less than Arsenal. In furthermore, the Blues are the pioneering side to have ten distinct net-finders in the top flight this term. Can Chelsea's Striker Jinx End? Khalid Boulahrouz was goalless while sporting the number nine for Chelsea Some Chelsea supporters think the number nine shirt - taken by Delap in the transfer window - is hexed. It had been unoccupied since 2023, and squad members who wore it since 2006 have struggled for goals, including: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - three strikes in twenty-one matches Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - 15 goals in fifty-eight matches Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - 30 scores in 82 appearances Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five scores in nineteen matches Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - 24 scores in seventy-two matches Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - one goal in 12 games Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): 45 scores in 172 appearances Franco di Santo (2008-10) - zero strikes in sixteen matches Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - one score in 25 appearances Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - failed to score in 20 games A midfielder and defensive specialist are among those listed, and some would suggest Abraham broke the curse with his achievement, while famous attackers such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink flourished with the number nine. But Delap was unmoved when questioned about the hoodoo. "I don't believe [who believes in curses]," he commented 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 historically been connected to strikers so it's something that I enjoy and there's no added burden."