🔗 Share this article Delap Makes Comeback as Stamford Bridge Side Seek to Fix Forward Concerns Liam Delap scored his only goal for Chelsea at the Club World Cup during the warm season Attacker Liam Delap is recovering from a thigh problem at a important period for Chelsea. The Stamford Bridge outfit were beaten 2-1 against unexpected challengers Sunderland at their stadium on the weekend, with head coach Enzo Maresca citing "insufficient imagination" and his team's delivery being "subpar". Chelsea's attackers are finding it hard to score and assists as Delap is back available in the League Cup against struggling Wolves on Wednesday (prime time), having been absent for 10 matches since picking up the problem in the success over Fulham in the summer. Maresca stated the young striker will be slowly integrated "carefully", and the new recruit's comeback is vital for a club facing scrutiny over their mixed results, which has left the cup competitions their best opportunity of securing honors this season. Delap to Ease Burden On Joao Pedro Delap (to the left) and Joao Pedro signed for Chelsea this summer transfer window for a aggregate £85m Chelsea brought in Delap from Ipswich Town for thirty million pounds despite interest from Manchester United, the Magpies and Everton. Yet the young English striker was second to expensive recruit Joao Pedro in the team ranking at this recent international tournament - and with valid cause. Joao Pedro registered a trio of strikes in three outings as Chelsea won the inaugural tournament in the United States. The Seleção attacker scored another two and three setups in his first four Premier League games after moving from the Seagulls. More of late, however, Joao Pedro has not scored in his previous seven fixtures. Maresca revealed he is one of three squad members - along with central players Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who presently require to be "handled carefully". When asked about Joao Pedro's dip in form, Maresca said: "For sure the fitness aspect is vital. When you are not fully fit it's difficult to compete, particularly in this division." "Joao Pedro is not a classic center-forward that is going to reach twenty strikes annually. Joao's a superb talent, he's going to find the net and provide assists but he's a different kind of nine to those who net 20 to 25 goals each year like the Bayern legend, [Kylian] Mbappe or the Norwegian goal machine." Wider Problems in Chelsea's Attack Chelsea deal with additional challenges apart from their strikers and Joao Pedro's scoreless streak. Forward Cole Palmer has completed two games all campaign and is not expected return from a groin problem until December. Wide player Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, signed from Borussia Dortmund for a £52m package, has zero strikes and one goal contribution in ten appearances. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40 million signing from Manchester United, has a single strike in seven games and induced an opposition error against Benfica. Estevao Willian, 18, has shown promise since arriving from Palmeiras for a potential £51 million deal, but has just two strikes and a single assist - equaling academy forward Tyrique George. Forward Marc Guiu and Seagulls temporary signing Facundo Buonanotte have one score each. Marc Cucurella, who scored seven from left-back last campaign, is without a goal this term. Winger Pedro Neto has one goal 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 over two strikes, with engine room operators Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's joint top scorers with four strikes. Asked whether a lack of natural goalscorers means goals must come from multiple sources, Maresca said: "Definitely, yes. We frequently mentioned that the quintet of attackers at the front, we need numerous strikes from each, in the way we have done last campaign." Maresca has discovered methods to be competitive despite goal-scoring variability. Chelsea are second place for dead-ball situations in the English top division, one behind Arsenal. In moreover, the Blues are the first team to have 10 different scorers in the first division this term. Can Chelsea's Striker Jinx End? Khalid Boulahrouz was goalless while bearing the nine shirt for Chelsea Some Chelsea supporters think the center-forward number - taken by Delap in the summer - is cursed. It had been unoccupied since last year, and squad members who donned it since 2006 have struggled for goals, including: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - three strikes in 21 games Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - fifteen strikes in 58 appearances Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - 30 goals in eighty-two matches Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five scores in 19 games Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - 24 scores in 72 games 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) - failed to score in sixteen matches Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - a single strike in 25 games Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - zero strikes in 20 appearances A central player and backline player are among those listed, and some would contend Abraham broke the curse with his performance, while famous attackers such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink excelled with nine on their back. But Delap was unmoved when queried about the hoodoo. "I'm not the type of person [who believes in curses]," he stated at the global competition. "Ultimately it's a number on the back of your uniform. It's just a figure that has always been related to strikers so it's something that I like and there's no pressure."