🔗 Share this article Delap Back in Action as Chelsea Seek to Fix Striker Issues Liam Delap scored his only goal for Chelsea at the international tournament during the warm season Attacker Liam Delap is recovering from a muscle issue at a important period for Chelsea. The Blues were beaten 2-1 against surprise package Sunderland at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, with head coach Enzo Maresca citing "limited inventiveness" and his side's crossing being "subpar". Chelsea's attackers are finding it hard to score and goal contributions as Delap makes his comeback in the League Cup against lowly Wolves on Wednesday (evening kickoff), having missed 10 games since picking up the problem in the victory over Fulham in August. Maresca stated the 22-year-old will be slowly integrated "gradually", and the new recruit's return is important for a team facing questions over their unpredictability, which has left the national tournaments their best opportunity of claiming silverware this campaign. Delap to Ease Burden On Joao Pedro Delap (left) and Joao Pedro joined Chelsea this off-season for a aggregate £85m Chelsea signed Delap from the Championship side for £30m despite pursuit by Old Trafford club, Newcastle United and the Toffees. Yet the Three Lions prospect was second to £55 million acquisition Joao Pedro in the team ranking at this summer's Club World Cup - and with good reason. Joao Pedro registered a trio of strikes in three matches as Chelsea secured the maiden title in the United States. The Seleção attacker added two more goals and three goal contributions in his initial four top-flight matches after joining from Brighton. More of late, however, Joao Pedro has not scored in his last seven games. Maresca said he is one of a trio of players - along with midfielders Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who at the moment demand to be "protected". When queried about Joao Pedro's drop in output, Maresca commented: "For sure the fitness aspect is vital. When you are not at peak condition it's difficult to compete, notably in this competition." "Joao Pedro is not a traditional striker that is going to reach twenty strikes every season. Joao's a superb talent, he's going to score and give assists but he's a distinctive forward to those who net 20 to 25 goals annually like [Robert] Lewandowski, the PSG forward or the Norwegian goal machine." Broader Issues in Chelsea's Forward Line Chelsea confront additional challenges apart from their forwards and Joao Pedro's goalless run. Attacker Cole Palmer has completed two games all season and is not anticipated to feature from a lower body issue until next month. Wide player Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, brought in from Borussia Dortmund for a fee rising to £52m, has failed to score and one assist 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, eighteen, has entertained since joining from Palmeiras for a fee rising to £51m, but has just two strikes and a single assist - paralleling 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 season, is yet to find the net this season. Wide man Pedro Neto has one score and two setups in his last two games, but earlier got only one goal in the initial ten fixtures. After thirteen games in all competitions no attacker has over two strikes, with midfielders Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's shared top goalscorers with four. Questioned whether a lack of natural goalscorers means goals must come from multiple sources, Maresca said: "Certainly, yes. We said many times that the quintet of attackers at the attack, we need six, seven, eight, nine, 10 goals each, in the way we have done last season." Maresca has discovered methods to compete despite attacking inconsistency. Chelsea are second for free-kick and corner scores in the top flight, trailing by one Arsenal. In addition, the Blues are the first team to have 10 different scorers in the Premier League this term. Will Chelsea's Number Nine Curse Be Broken? Khalid Boulahrouz didn't find the net while sporting the number nine for Chelsea Some Chelsea supporters think the number nine shirt - taken by Delap in the transfer window - is cursed. It had been available since 2023, and players who sported it since 2006 have had goal droughts, including: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - a trio of scores in 21 appearances Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - 15 goals in fifty-eight matches Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - 30 scores in 82 appearances Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five goals in 19 games Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - 24 goals in seventy-two matches Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - a single strike in 12 games Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): 45 goals in 172 appearances Franco di Santo (2008-10) - no goals in 16 games Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - one goal in 25 games Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - failed to score in twenty matches A midfielder and defensive specialist are among those listed, and some would argue Abraham lifted the hoodoo with his achievement, while legendary strikers such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink thrived with the number nine. But Delap was unfazed when queried about the curse. "I'm not the type of person [who believes in curses]," he commented at the Club World Cup. "Ultimately it's a figure on the jersey of your kit. It's just a digit that has historically been connected to forwards so it's something that I enjoy and there's no pressure."