🔗 Share this article Delap Makes Comeback as Stamford Bridge Side Seek to Fix Forward Concerns Liam Delap registered his sole strike for Chelsea at the Club World Cup during summer Forward Liam Delap is returning from a muscle issue at a important period for Chelsea. The Stamford Bridge outfit suffered a 2-1 defeat against shock contenders Sunderland at their stadium on recently, with manager Enzo Maresca attributing "limited inventiveness" and his team's delivery being "subpar". Chelsea's forwards are having difficulty finding the net and key passes as Delap returns in the Carabao Cup against struggling Wolves on this week (19:45 GMT), having been absent for 10 matches since suffering the setback in the 2-0 win over Fulham in August. Maresca said the young striker will be phased in "slowly", and the recent acquisition's comeback is crucial for a club facing questions over their mixed results, which has left the national tournaments their best opportunity of claiming silverware this season. Delap to Share Load With Joao Pedro Delap (to the left) and Joao Pedro signed for Chelsea this summer transfer window for a total £85 million Chelsea signed Delap from Ipswich Town for thirty million pounds despite pursuit by the Red Devils, St James' Park side and the Toffees. Yet the England Under-21s forward was second to expensive recruit Joao Pedro in the team ranking at this recent international tournament - and with good reason. Joao Pedro registered a trio of strikes in three outings as Chelsea won the inaugural tournament in the USA. The Seleção attacker added two more goals and three assists in his initial four top-flight matches after arriving from Brighton. More of late, however, Joao Pedro has failed to score in his previous seven fixtures. Maresca stated he is one of a trio of players - along with engine room operators Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who currently need to be "handled carefully". When queried about Joao Pedro's drop in output, Maresca remarked: "For sure the conditioning element is important. When you are not at peak condition it's difficult to compete, particularly in this division." "Joao Pedro is not a traditional striker that is going to score 20 goals annually. Joao's a superb talent, he's going to get goals and give assists but he's a distinctive forward to ones that score 20 to 25 goals each year like the Bayern legend, [Kylian] Mbappe or the Norwegian goal machine." Additional Concerns in Chelsea's Offense Chelsea deal with wider issues beyond their attackers and Joao Pedro's goalless run. Winger Cole Palmer has completed two games all season and is unlikely to be back from a groin problem until the winter. Attacking midfielder Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, signed from Borussia Dortmund for a fee rising to £52m, has zero strikes and one goal contribution in 10 matches. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40 million signing from Manchester United, has one score in seven games and forced an own goal against Benfica. Estevao Willian, eighteen, has impressed since joining from Palmeiras for a fee rising to £51m, but has just two strikes and a single assist - equaling homegrown talent Tyrique George. Forward Marc Guiu and Brighton loanee Facundo Buonanotte have a single strike apiece. Marc Cucurella, who scored seven from full-back last campaign, is without a goal this term. Attacking player Pedro Neto has one goal and two goal contributions in his previous two fixtures, but earlier scored only once in the first 10 games. After thirteen games in various cups no attacker has above two scores, with engine room operators Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's equal leading marksmen with four goals. Queried whether a lack of natural goalscorers means responsibility must be shared, Maresca commented: "Absolutely, yes. We said many times that the quintet of attackers at the offense, we need numerous strikes from each, in the manner we achieved last season." Maresca has discovered methods to challenge despite attacking inconsistency. Chelsea are second place for set-piece goals in the top flight, one behind Arsenal. In addition, the Stamford Bridge side are the initial club to have ten various goalscorers in the top flight this term. Is the Number Nine Hoodoo About to Lift? Khalid Boulahrouz was goalless while wearing the number nine for Chelsea Some Chelsea fans believe the striker's jersey - taken by Delap in the transfer window - is hexed. It had been available since 2023, and squad members who wore it since the mid-2000s have had goal droughts, including: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - three goals in 21 appearances Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - 15 scores in 58 games Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - 30 scores in 82 appearances Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five strikes in 19 games Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - 24 goals in 72 games Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - a single strike in 12 games Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): 45 scores in one hundred seventy-two matches 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 appearances A central player and backline player are included in this group, and some would contend Abraham ended the jinx with his performance, while iconic forwards such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink flourished with nine on their back. But Delap was unmoved when questioned about the hoodoo. "I'm not one [who believes in curses]," he stated at the international tournament. "In the final analysis it's a digit on the shirt of your kit. It's just a number that has always been related to attackers so it's something that I enjoy and there's no pressure."