🔗 Share this article Delap Back in Action as The Blues Aim to Solve Attacking Problems Liam Delap scored his only goal for Chelsea at the global competition during summer Attacker Liam Delap is recovering from a hamstring injury at a time of need for Chelsea. The West London club lost 2-1 against surprise package Sunderland at their home ground on Saturday, with manager Enzo Maresca attributing "limited inventiveness" and his side's crossing being "not the best". Chelsea's attackers are struggling for goals and key passes as Delap is back available in the EFL Cup against bottom-half Wolves on this week (prime time), having sat out 10 fixtures since picking up the problem in the victory over Fulham in August. Maresca said the 22-year-old will be gradually introduced "gradually", and the recent acquisition's return is important for a side facing criticism over their mixed results, which has left the national tournaments their primary hope of claiming silverware this campaign. Delap to Share Load With Joao Pedro Delap (to the left) and Joao Pedro signed for Chelsea this summer transfer window for a combined £85m Chelsea acquired Delap from the Tractor Boys for £30m despite pursuit by the Red Devils, St James' Park side and the Toffees. Yet the England Under-21s forward was behind £55 million acquisition Joao Pedro in the team ranking at this summer's Club World Cup - and with solid justification. Joao Pedro registered a trio of strikes in three outings as Chelsea won the inaugural tournament in the America. The Brazil striker scored another two and three goal contributions in his initial four top-flight matches after moving from the Seagulls. More lately, however, Joao Pedro has failed to score in his last seven games. Maresca said he is one of a trio of players - along with midfielders Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who currently need to be "shielded". When queried about Joao Pedro's drop in output, Maresca remarked: "Certainly the conditioning element is important. When you are not at peak condition it's difficult to compete, notably in this competition." "Joao Pedro is not a classic center-forward that is going to score 20 goals annually. Joao's a superb talent, he's going to get goals and create chances but he's a distinctive forward to ones that score 20 to 25 goals each year like the Bayern legend, the PSG forward or [Erling] Haaland." Broader Issues in Chelsea's Attack Chelsea face additional challenges beyond their forwards and Joao Pedro's drought. Forward Cole Palmer has featured for ninety minutes twice all campaign and is unlikely to be back from a groin problem until December. Winger Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, acquired 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 a single strike in seven matches and induced an opposition error against Benfica. Estevao Willian, eighteen, has entertained since moving from Palmeiras for a fee rising to £51m, but has just two strikes and one assist - paralleling homegrown talent Tyrique George. Attacker Marc Guiu and Seagulls temporary signing Facundo Buonanotte have one goal each. Marc Cucurella, who got seven from left-back last term, is yet to find the net this season. Attacking player Pedro Neto has one score and two goal contributions in his last two games, but earlier found the net just once in the first 10 games. After thirteen games in various cups no forward has above two scores, with central players Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's equal leading marksmen with four strikes. Questioned whether a shortage of clinical finishers means duties need distributing, Maresca commented: "Certainly, yes. We repeatedly stated that the quintet of attackers at the front, we need numerous strikes from each, in the fashion we managed last term." Maresca has discovered methods to be competitive despite attacking inconsistency. Chelsea are runner-up in set-piece goals in the Premier League, one less than Arsenal. In moreover, the Blues are the first team to have ten various goalscorers in the Premier League this season. Will Chelsea's Number Nine Curse Be Broken? Khalid Boulahrouz didn't find the net while wearing the number nine for Chelsea Some Chelsea fans think the striker's jersey - assigned to Delap in the summer - is cursed. It had been available since 2023, and squad members who donned it since 2006 have struggled for goals, including: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - three goals in 21 appearances Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - 15 scores in 58 games Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - thirty strikes in 82 games Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five goals in 19 games Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - 24 scores in 72 appearances Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - one score in 12 games 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 20 games A engine room operator and defender are part of this selection, and some would contend Abraham ended the jinx with his achievement, while famous attackers such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink excelled with the number nine. But Delap was unmoved when queried about the curse. "I'm not the type of person [who believes in curses]," he stated at the Club World Cup. "In the final analysis it's a number on the back of your uniform. It's just a number that has traditionally been associated to attackers so it's something that I like and there's zero expectation."