🔗 Share this article Delap Makes Comeback as The Blues Look to Address Forward Concerns Liam Delap scored his only goal for Chelsea at the international tournament during the warm season Striker Liam Delap is coming back from a muscle issue at a important period for Chelsea. The Stamford Bridge outfit were beaten 2-1 against shock contenders Sunderland at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, with manager Enzo Maresca citing "a lack of creativity" and his squad's passes being "subpar". Chelsea's strikers are struggling for goals and goal contributions as Delap makes his comeback in the League Cup against lowly Wolves on Wednesday (19:45 GMT), having missed 10 games since suffering the setback in the 2-0 win over Fulham in the summer. Maresca commented the emerging talent will be slowly integrated "gradually", and the recent acquisition's availability is crucial for a team facing questions over their mixed results, which has left the national tournaments their most realistic chance of winning a trophy this term. Delap to Share Load With Joao Pedro Delap (on the left) and Joao Pedro arrived at Chelsea this off-season for a combined £85m Chelsea signed Delap from the Championship side for a £30 million fee despite interest from Manchester United, Newcastle United and Everton. Yet the young English striker was below £55 million acquisition Joao Pedro in the team ranking at this recent international tournament - and with solid justification. Joao Pedro scored three goals in three appearances 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 arriving from Brighton. More recently, however, Joao Pedro has not scored in his last seven games. Maresca said he is one of three players - along with midfielders Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who currently need to be "handled carefully". When asked about Joao Pedro's drop in output, Maresca said: "Certainly the physical part is important. When you are not fully fit it's hard to perform, notably in this league." "Joao Pedro is not a number nine that is going to reach twenty strikes every season. Joao's a excellent footballer, he's going to get goals and give assists but he's a different kind of nine to those who net 20 to 25 goals every season like [Robert] Lewandowski, the PSG forward or [Erling] Haaland." Broader Issues in Chelsea's Offense Chelsea confront wider issues beyond their attackers and Joao Pedro's scoreless streak. Attacker Cole Palmer has featured for ninety minutes twice all term and is not anticipated to feature from a lower body issue until next month. Wide player Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, signed from Borussia Dortmund for a £52m package, has zero strikes and one goal contribution in 10 matches. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40m recruit from Manchester United, has a single strike in seven matches and caused an own goal against Benfica. Estevao Willian, the teenager, has impressed since arriving from Palmeiras for a £51m package, but has just two strikes and a single assist - equaling homegrown talent Tyrique George. Attacker Marc Guiu and Brighton loanee Facundo Buonanotte have one goal each. Marc Cucurella, who notched seven from full-back last season, is still to score this season. Attacking player Pedro Neto has one score and two setups in his last two games, but earlier scored only once in the initial ten fixtures. After thirteen fixtures in all competitions no forward has above two scores, with midfielders Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's shared top goalscorers with four goals. Queried whether a lack of natural goalscorers means goals must come from multiple sources, Maresca stated: "Definitely, yes. We repeatedly stated that the five players at the front, we need numerous strikes from each, in the fashion we managed last campaign." Maresca has discovered methods to compete despite goal-scoring variability. Chelsea are second for set-piece goals in the Premier League, one less than Arsenal. In furthermore, the West London club are the first team to have 10 different scorers in the Premier League this campaign. Can Chelsea's Striker Jinx End? Khalid Boulahrouz didn't find the net while wearing the number nine for Chelsea Some Chelsea fans think the center-forward number - assigned to Delap in the transfer window - is hexed. It had been available since last year, and players who wore it since 2006 have struggled for goals, including: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - a trio of scores in 21 appearances Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - 15 goals in 58 appearances Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - 30 goals in 82 appearances Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five strikes in 19 games Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - 24 goals in 72 appearances Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - one score in twelve matches Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): 45 goals in 172 appearances Franco di Santo (2008-10) - no goals in 16 appearances Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - a single strike in 25 appearances Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - failed to score in 20 games A midfielder and backline player are part of this selection, and some would contend Abraham broke the curse with his achievement, while famous attackers such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink thrived with nine on their back. But Delap was unfazed when questioned about the curse. "I'm not one [who believes in curses]," he stated at the global competition. "In the final analysis it's a figure on the jersey of your uniform. It's just a figure that has historically been connected to strikers so it's something that I appreciate and there's no added burden."