🔗 Share this article Delap Returns as Chelsea Aim to Solve Striker Issues Liam Delap registered his sole strike for Chelsea at the international tournament during the warm season Striker Liam Delap is returning from a muscle issue at a crucial moment for Chelsea. The West London club were beaten 2-1 against unexpected challengers Sunderland at their stadium on the weekend, with head coach Enzo Maresca blaming "insufficient imagination" and his side's crossing being "subpar". Chelsea's strikers are finding it hard to score and assists as Delap returns in the League Cup against struggling Wolves on Wednesday (19:45 GMT), having sat out 10 fixtures since sustaining the injury in the success over Fulham in the summer. Maresca commented the emerging talent will be gradually introduced "gradually", and the new recruit's comeback is crucial for a side facing criticism over their unpredictability, which has left the national tournaments their best opportunity of winning a trophy this season. Delap to Ease Burden On Joao Pedro Delap (on the left) and Joao Pedro joined Chelsea this summer transfer window for a aggregate £85m Chelsea signed Delap from Ipswich Town for £30m despite interest from the Red Devils, Newcastle United and Everton. Yet the young English striker was second to expensive recruit Joao Pedro in the team ranking at this global competition - and with valid cause. Joao Pedro registered a trio of strikes in three appearances as Chelsea secured the maiden title in the America. The Seleção attacker notched additional strikes and three assists in his opening quartet of league fixtures after moving from the Seagulls. More recently, however, Joao Pedro has failed to score in his previous seven fixtures. Maresca revealed he is one of a trio of players - along with central players Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who at the moment demand to be "protected". When questioned about Joao Pedro's decline in performance, Maresca said: "Certainly the fitness aspect is crucial. When you are not fully fit it's hard to perform, particularly in this division." "Joao Pedro is not a number nine that is going to reach twenty strikes each year. Joao's a superb talent, he's going to get goals and provide assists but he's a distinctive forward to players who get 20 to 25 goals annually like [Robert] Lewandowski, [Kylian] Mbappe or the Norwegian goal machine." Wider Problems in Chelsea's Attack Chelsea deal with additional challenges in addition to their strikers and Joao Pedro's scoreless streak. Attacker Cole Palmer has featured for ninety minutes twice all season and is not anticipated to feature from a lower body issue until the winter. Wide player Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, brought in from Borussia Dortmund for a potential £52 million deal, has no goals and one goal contribution in ten games. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40m recruit from Manchester United, has a single strike in seven matches and induced an opposition error against Benfica. Estevao Willian, the teenager, has entertained since arriving from Palmeiras for a fee rising to £51m, but has only two goals and one assist - equaling youth product Tyrique George. Forward Marc Guiu and Seagulls temporary signing Facundo Buonanotte have a single strike apiece. Marc Cucurella, who got seven from defensive position last campaign, is still to score this term. Wide man Pedro Neto has a single strike and two goal contributions in his last two games, but before that got only one goal in the initial ten fixtures. After 13 matches in various cups no forward has over two strikes, with midfielders Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's equal leading marksmen with four goals. Asked whether a absence of prolific strikers means goals must come from multiple sources, Maresca said: "Certainly, yes. We frequently mentioned that the quintet of attackers at the offense, we need multiple goals per player, in the manner we achieved last season." Maresca has discovered methods to challenge despite offensive unpredictability. Chelsea are runner-up in set-piece goals in the English top division, one behind Arsenal. In addition, the Blues are the pioneering side to have 10 different scorers in the first division this campaign. Can Chelsea's Striker Jinx End? Khalid Boulahrouz didn't find the net while sporting the number nine for Chelsea Some Chelsea supporters feel the number nine shirt - claimed by Delap in the transfer window - is jinxed. It had been vacant since last year, and squad members who sported it since 2006 have struggled for goals, including: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - three goals in 21 games Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - 15 goals in 58 games Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - 30 goals in 82 appearances Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five scores in 19 games Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - twenty-four strikes in seventy-two matches Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - one goal 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 appearances Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - one goal in twenty-five matches Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - failed to score in 20 games A engine room operator and defender are among those listed, and some would suggest Abraham broke the curse with his performance, while legendary strikers such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink flourished with nine on their back. But Delap was unmoved when queried about the curse. "I'm not the type of person [who believes in curses]," he commented at the Club World Cup. "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 appreciate and there's no added burden."