🔗 Share this article Delap Back in Action as Stamford Bridge Side Seek to Fix Attacking Problems Liam Delap registered his sole strike for Chelsea at the Club World Cup during the warm season Attacker Liam Delap is returning from a hamstring injury at a crucial moment for Chelsea. The Stamford Bridge outfit were beaten 2-1 against surprise package Sunderland at Stamford Bridge on the weekend, with manager Enzo Maresca attributing "limited inventiveness" and his squad's passes being "below standard". Chelsea's forwards are having difficulty finding the net and goal contributions as Delap returns in the Carabao Cup against bottom-half Wolves on midweek (19:45 GMT), having sat out 10 fixtures since suffering the setback in the victory over Fulham in August. Maresca said the 22-year-old will be gradually introduced "gradually", and the new recruit's comeback is crucial for a team facing scrutiny over their inconsistency, which has left the cup competitions their best opportunity of winning a trophy this season. Delap to Take Pressure Off Joao Pedro Delap (left) and Joao Pedro arrived at Chelsea this summer for a aggregate £85m Chelsea signed Delap from the Championship side for £30m despite attention from the Red Devils, Newcastle United and Everton. Yet the Three Lions prospect was below expensive recruit Joao Pedro in the pecking order at this recent international tournament - and with valid cause. Joao Pedro found the net three times in three outings as Chelsea secured the maiden title in the United States. The Brazilian forward scored another two and three setups in his first four Premier League games after moving from the Seagulls. More lately, however, Joao Pedro has not scored in his previous seven fixtures. Maresca said he is one of three players - along with central players Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who currently need to be "handled carefully". When queried about Joao Pedro's decline in performance, Maresca remarked: "Certainly the physical part is vital. When you are not 100% it's difficult to compete, particularly in this competition." "Joao Pedro is not a classic center-forward that is going to reach twenty strikes each year. Joao's a fantastic player, he's going to get goals and provide assists but he's a distinctive forward to ones that score 20 to 25 goals every season like the Bayern legend, the PSG forward or the Norwegian goal machine." Broader Issues in Chelsea's Forward Line Chelsea confront wider issues beyond their attackers and Joao Pedro's goalless run. Forward Cole Palmer has featured for ninety minutes twice all season and is unlikely to be back from a groin injury until next month. Winger Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, signed from Borussia Dortmund for a fee rising to £52m, has no goals and one goal contribution in 10 matches. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40 million signing from Manchester United, has one goal in seven matches and forced an own goal against Benfica. Estevao Willian, eighteen, has impressed since arriving from Palmeiras for a potential £51 million deal, but has just two strikes and one setup - equaling youth product Tyrique George. Forward Marc Guiu and Brighton loanee Facundo Buonanotte have one score each. Marc Cucurella, who notched seven from full-back last campaign, is without a goal this season. Wide man Pedro Neto has one score and two assists in his last two games, but before that scored only once in the initial ten fixtures. After 13 matches in all competitions no striker has above two scores, with engine room operators Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's joint top scorers with four strikes. Asked whether a lack of natural goalscorers means responsibility must be shared, Maresca stated: "Absolutely, yes. We said many times that the quintet of attackers at the attack, we need six, seven, eight, nine, 10 goals each, in the way we have done last campaign." Maresca has discovered methods to compete despite goal-scoring variability. Chelsea are runner-up in free-kick and corner scores in the English top division, one behind Arsenal. In addition, the Stamford Bridge side are the pioneering side to have ten various goalscorers in the Premier League this season. Is the Number Nine Hoodoo About to Lift? Khalid Boulahrouz was goalless while wearing the number nine for Chelsea Some Chelsea followers feel the striker's jersey - assigned to Delap in the off-season - is cursed. It had been vacant since 2023, and footballers who sported it since 2006 have struggled for goals, including: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - a trio of scores in twenty-one matches Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - fifteen strikes in 58 appearances Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - thirty strikes in 82 games Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five scores in 19 games Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - twenty-four strikes in 72 appearances Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - one score in 12 games Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): 45 goals in 172 games Franco di Santo (2008-10) - zero strikes in 16 games Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - one score in 25 games Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - zero strikes in 20 games A midfielder and defensive specialist are included in this group, and some would contend Abraham broke the curse with his achievement, while iconic forwards such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink flourished with the striker's jersey. But Delap was unconcerned when questioned about the curse. "I don't believe [who believes in curses]," he commented at the Club World Cup. "At the end of the day it's a digit on the shirt of your shirt. It's just a digit that has traditionally been associated to forwards so it's something that I appreciate and there's no added burden."