🔗 Share this article Delap Back in Action as Chelsea Look to Address Forward Concerns Liam Delap registered his sole strike for Chelsea at the Club World Cup during the summer months Forward Liam Delap is returning from a muscle issue at a important period for Chelsea. The West London club lost 2-1 against surprise package Sunderland at their stadium on the weekend, with manager Enzo Maresca citing "insufficient imagination" and his squad's passes being "below standard". Chelsea's forwards are struggling for goals and goal contributions as Delap returns in the League Cup against lowly Wolves on Wednesday (prime time), having missed 10 games since picking up the problem in the 2-0 win over Fulham in last month. Maresca stated the 22-year-old will be slowly integrated "carefully", and the new recruit's return is important for a club facing questions over their inconsistency, which has left the cup competitions their primary hope of claiming silverware this term. Delap to Share Load With Joao Pedro Delap (to the left) and Joao Pedro signed for Chelsea this summer for a aggregate £85m Chelsea acquired Delap from the Championship side for £30m despite pursuit by Manchester United, the Magpies and the Toffees. Yet the England Under-21s forward was behind £55 million acquisition Joao Pedro in the selection hierarchy at this global competition - and with valid cause. Joao Pedro scored three goals in three matches as Chelsea claimed the first edition in the USA. The Brazilian forward notched additional strikes and three goal contributions in his first four Premier League games after moving from the Seagulls. More of late, however, Joao Pedro has not scored in his last seven games. Maresca stated he is one of three squad members - along with engine room operators Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who currently need to be "protected". When queried about Joao Pedro's drop in output, Maresca said: "Definitely the physical part is crucial. When you are not at peak condition it's difficult to compete, particularly in this competition." "Joao Pedro is not a traditional striker that is going to net twenty times annually. Joao's a excellent footballer, he's going to score and provide assists but he's a distinctive forward to players who get 20 to 25 goals annually like [Robert] Lewandowski, the PSG forward or the Norwegian goal machine." Additional Concerns in Chelsea's Forward Line Chelsea face additional challenges beyond their forwards and Joao Pedro's drought. Forward Cole Palmer has completed two games all term and is unlikely to be back from a lower body issue until next month. Attacking midfielder Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, signed from Borussia Dortmund for a fee rising to £52m, has failed to score and one goal contribution in ten appearances. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40 million signing from Manchester United, has one goal in seven games and induced an opposition error against Benfica. Estevao Willian, 18, has entertained since moving from Palmeiras for a fee rising to £51m, but has just two strikes and one assist - matching academy forward Tyrique George. Forward Marc Guiu and Brighton loanee Facundo Buonanotte have one goal each. Marc Cucurella, who got seven from full-back last term, is yet to find the net this season. Attacking player Pedro Neto has one goal and two goal contributions in his last two games, but before that found the net just once in the opening ten matches. After thirteen games in all competitions no attacker has over two strikes, with central players Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's shared top goalscorers with four goals. Questioned whether a shortage of clinical finishers means duties need distributing, Maresca said: "Absolutely, yes. We said many times that the five players at the offense, we need six, seven, eight, nine, 10 goals each, in the manner we achieved last campaign." Maresca has found ways to be competitive despite goal-scoring variability. Chelsea are runner-up in free-kick and corner scores in the Premier League, one less than Arsenal. In addition, the Stamford Bridge side are the pioneering side to have ten various goalscorers in the top flight this season. Can Chelsea's Striker Jinx End? Khalid Boulahrouz failed to score while wearing the number nine for Chelsea Some Chelsea fans feel the number nine shirt - claimed by Delap in the off-season - is hexed. It had been unoccupied since 2023, and players who sported it since 2006 have found scoring difficult, including: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - a trio of scores in 21 games Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - 15 scores in 58 appearances Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - thirty strikes in 82 games Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five goals in nineteen matches 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): forty-five strikes in 172 appearances Franco di Santo (2008-10) - zero strikes in 16 appearances Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - one score in 25 appearances Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - zero strikes in 20 games A central player and backline player are among those listed, and some would argue Abraham broke the curse with his achievement, while famous attackers such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink thrived with the striker's jersey. But Delap was unfazed when queried about the jinx. "I'm not one [who believes in curses]," he commented at the global competition. "Ultimately it's a digit on the shirt of your uniform. It's just a figure that has traditionally been associated to attackers so it's something that I enjoy and there's no pressure."