🔗 Share this article Delap Makes Comeback as Stamford Bridge Side Aim to Solve Striker Issues Liam Delap found the net for Chelsea at the international tournament during the summer months Attacker Liam Delap is recovering from a hamstring injury at a important period for Chelsea. The West London club suffered a 2-1 defeat against surprise package Sunderland at their stadium on the weekend, with boss Enzo Maresca attributing "limited inventiveness" and his squad's passes being "not the best". Chelsea's forwards are having difficulty finding the net and key passes as Delap returns in the League Cup against lowly Wolves on Wednesday (prime time), having been absent for 10 matches since sustaining the injury in the success over Fulham in last month. Maresca stated the young striker will be phased in "slowly", and the recent acquisition's return is important for a side facing scrutiny over their unpredictability, which has left the cup competitions their most realistic chance of claiming silverware this season. Delap to Take Pressure Off Joao Pedro Delap (left) and Joao Pedro signed for Chelsea this summer for a total £85 million Chelsea brought in Delap from the Championship side for thirty million pounds despite pursuit by Manchester United, the Magpies and Goodison Park team. Yet the England Under-21s forward was second to £55m signing Joao Pedro in the team ranking at this global competition - and with good reason. Joao Pedro scored three goals in three outings as Chelsea won the inaugural tournament in the USA. The Brazilian forward scored another two and three assists in his first four Premier League games 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 central players Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who currently need to be "shielded". When asked about Joao Pedro's decline in performance, Maresca said: "Certainly the conditioning element is crucial. When you are not 100% it's hard to perform, notably in this competition." "Joao Pedro is not a number nine that is going to score 20 goals each year. Joao's a excellent footballer, he's going to find the net and create chances but he's a different kind of nine to players who get 20 to 25 goals each year like [Robert] Lewandowski, the PSG forward or [Erling] Haaland." Additional Concerns in Chelsea's Offense Chelsea face wider issues in addition to their forwards and Joao Pedro's drought. Winger Cole Palmer has featured for ninety minutes twice all term and is not expected return from a lower body issue until the winter. Winger Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, acquired from Borussia Dortmund for a fee rising to £52m, has zero strikes and a single assist in 10 matches. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40 million signing from Manchester United, has one goal in seven outings and forced an own goal against Benfica. Estevao Willian, the teenager, has entertained since joining from Palmeiras for a fee rising to £51m, but has only two goals and one assist - matching academy forward Tyrique George. Forward Marc Guiu and Seagulls temporary signing Facundo Buonanotte have one goal each. Marc Cucurella, who scored seven from defensive position last season, is still to score this season. Winger Pedro Neto has a single strike and two goal contributions in his past two matches, but before that found the net just once in the opening ten matches. After thirteen games in all competitions no forward has over two strikes, with central players Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's equal leading marksmen with four goals. Asked whether a shortage of clinical finishers means responsibility must be shared, Maresca stated: "Certainly, yes. We repeatedly stated that the quintet of attackers at the offense, we need numerous strikes from each, in the fashion we managed last term." Maresca has found ways to challenge despite offensive unpredictability. Chelsea are second place for set-piece goals in the English top division, trailing by one Arsenal. In moreover, the Blues are the initial club to have 10 different scorers in the first division this season. Is the Number Nine Hoodoo About to Lift? Khalid Boulahrouz didn't find the net while sporting the number nine for Chelsea Some Chelsea followers believe the number nine shirt - taken by Delap in the off-season - is cursed. It had been available since 2023, and squad members who wore it since 2006 have had goal droughts, including: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - a trio of scores in 21 appearances Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - 15 goals in 58 games Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - thirty strikes in 82 appearances Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five goals in 19 appearances Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - twenty-four strikes in 72 games Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - a single strike in twelve matches Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): 45 scores in one hundred seventy-two matches Franco di Santo (2008-10) - no goals in 16 games Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - one score in twenty-five matches Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - zero strikes in 20 appearances A central player and defensive specialist are among those listed, and some would contend Abraham broke the curse with his achievement, while legendary strikers such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink excelled with the striker's jersey. But Delap was unconcerned when queried about the jinx. "I'm not the type of person [who believes in curses]," he said at the global competition. "In the final analysis it's a figure on the jersey of your shirt. It's just a figure that has always been related to attackers so it's something that I like and there's no added burden."