🔗 Share this article Delap Makes Comeback as Stamford Bridge Side Seek to Fix Striker Issues Liam Delap scored his only goal for Chelsea at the global competition during summer Forward Liam Delap is coming back from a thigh problem at a time of need for Chelsea. The Blues lost 2-1 against surprise package Sunderland at their home ground on the weekend, with head coach Enzo Maresca blaming "insufficient imagination" and his team's delivery being "subpar". Chelsea's attackers are finding it hard to score and key passes as Delap returns in the Carabao Cup against lowly Wolves on this week (19:45 GMT), having missed 10 games since sustaining the injury in the victory over Fulham in last month. Maresca said the young striker will be phased in "carefully", and the summer signing's return is crucial for a side facing questions over their mixed results, which has left the domestic cups their most realistic chance of winning a trophy this campaign. Delap to Share Load With Joao Pedro Delap (left) and Joao Pedro joined Chelsea this summer for a total £85 million Chelsea brought in Delap from Ipswich Town for £30m despite pursuit by the Red Devils, the Magpies and Everton. Yet the young English striker was behind expensive recruit Joao Pedro in the selection hierarchy at this global competition - and with good reason. Joao Pedro scored three goals in three outings as Chelsea secured the maiden title in the United States. The Seleção attacker added two more goals and three setups in his initial four top-flight matches after joining from Brighton. More lately, however, Joao Pedro has not scored in his past seven matches. Maresca stated he is one of three squad members - along with central players Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who currently need to be "protected". When asked about Joao Pedro's decline in performance, Maresca said: "For sure the fitness aspect is important. When you are not fully fit it's challenging to excel, especially in this league." "Joao Pedro is not a classic center-forward that is going to reach twenty strikes each year. Joao's a superb talent, he's going to find the net and create chances but he's a distinctive forward to those who net 20 to 25 goals each year like [Robert] Lewandowski, the French superstar or the City striker." Broader Issues in Chelsea's Attack Chelsea deal with broader problems in addition to their strikers and Joao Pedro's goalless run. Attacker Cole Palmer has featured for ninety minutes twice all term and is not expected return from a groin problem until December. Wide player Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, brought in from Borussia Dortmund for a fee rising to £52m, has zero strikes and one assist in 10 matches. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40 million signing from Manchester United, has one goal in seven matches and induced an opposition error against Benfica. Estevao Willian, eighteen, has entertained since joining from Palmeiras for a £51m package, but has only two goals and one setup - matching academy forward Tyrique George. Striker Marc Guiu and Seagulls temporary signing Facundo Buonanotte have one score each. Marc Cucurella, who got seven from defensive position last term, is without a goal this season. Attacking player Pedro Neto has one goal and two goal contributions in his previous two fixtures, but before that found the net just once in the first 10 games. After thirteen fixtures in all competitions no forward has above two scores, with midfielders Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's shared top goalscorers with four. Asked whether a shortage of clinical finishers means duties need distributing, Maresca stated: "Absolutely, yes. We frequently mentioned that the front five at the front, we need multiple goals per player, in the fashion we managed last campaign." Maresca has discovered methods to be competitive despite attacking inconsistency. Chelsea are second place for set-piece goals in the Premier League, one behind Arsenal. In addition, the West London club are the first team to have ten distinct net-finders in the top flight this season. Will Chelsea's Number Nine Curse Be Broken? Khalid Boulahrouz didn't find the net while bearing the nine shirt for Chelsea Some Chelsea followers think the number nine shirt - claimed by Delap in the summer - is jinxed. It had been available since recently, and squad members who wore it since 2006 have had goal droughts, including: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - three strikes in 21 appearances Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - fifteen strikes in fifty-eight matches Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - 30 scores in eighty-two matches Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five scores in 19 games Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - twenty-four strikes in 72 appearances Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - a single strike in 12 games Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): 45 scores in 172 games Franco di Santo (2008-10) - failed to score in 16 appearances Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - one score in 25 games Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - no goals in 20 games A midfielder and backline player are among those listed, and some would contend Abraham ended the jinx with his achievement, while legendary strikers such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink excelled with nine on their back. But Delap was unfazed when questioned about the jinx. "I don't believe [who believes in curses]," he commented at the Club World Cup. "Ultimately it's a digit on the shirt of your kit. It's just a digit that has traditionally been associated to forwards so it's something that I like and there's no pressure."