By Martin Graham
Chelsea will welcome the return of Liam Delap this week as the young forward returns from a hamstring problem that kept him out for 10 games.
The 22-year-old has been sidelined since the 2-0 win Fulham in August but is expected to feature in Wednesday’s Carabao Cup tie at Wolves.
Manager Enzo Maresca confirmed Delap will be eased out carefully, stressing his importance as the Blues look to regain form after a 2-1 home defeat to high-flyers. Sunderland.
Maresca criticized his side’s lack of inventiveness in attack and poor delivery from wide areas, with Chelsea’s inconsistency leaving domestic cups as the most realistic route to silverware this season.
Delap hoped to ease the pressure on Joao Pedro
Chelsea paid £30m to sign Delap from Ipswich Town in the summer, fending off interest from Manchester United, Newcastle and Everton. He joined a forward line led by a £55m signing João Pedrowho had been the protagonist of the Club World Cup triumph in the United States with three goals in three outings.
The Brazilian carried that form into the Premier League with two goals and three assists in his first four appearances, but has since failed to score in seven games.
Maresca admitted Joao Pedro, next Enzo Fernandez i Moises Caicedohe is among several players who are “protected” amid fatigue issues. He added that Pedro is a creative striker rather than a prolific one, drawing comparisons with top goalscorers such as Robert Lewandowski, Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland.
Concerns about creativity go beyond the number 9 paper
Chelsea’s attacking problems extend beyond one player. Cole Palmer he has completed just two full games this season and is not expected to return from a groin injury until December.
Jamie Bynoe-Gittensa £52m arrival from Borussia Dortmund, has managed one assist in 10 games, while Alejandro Garnachosigned by Manchester United, has scored once in seven games.
A young man of eighteen Estevao Willian has shown bright promise since joining Palmeiras, contributing two goals and an assist, the same return as academy talent Tyrique George.
Other attacking options, such as Marc Guiu and Brighton loanee Facundo Buonanotte, have just one goal each. Even Marc Cucurella, who scored seven goals from left back last season, is yet to score this campaign.
Maresca has urged his forward line to share the goalscoring load, noting that none of his forwards have more than two goals in all competitions, while midfielders Fernández and Caicedo lead the way with four each.
Still, set pieces have become a strength – Chelsea are second in the Premier League in goals from set pieces, and remain the only team with 10 different goalscorers this season.
Can Delap end ‘curse’ number nine?
Delap’s return also reignites talk among supporters about the so-called number nine curse at Stamford Bridge. The shirt, vacant since 2023, has been worn by a number of players who have struggled to deliver on a consistent basis.
Previous starters include Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Romelu Lukaku, Gonzalo Higuain, Alvaro Morata, Radamel Falcao and Fernando Torres, with varying levels of success. Tammy Abraham remains the most productive of the last nine, scoring 30 goals in 82 games.
Despite the superstition, Delap dispelled any notion of a curse, saying the number simply represents his role. “It’s just a number that’s always been associated with strikers,” he said during the Club World Cup. “There’s no pressure, it’s just part of the job.”
