🔗 Share this article Delap Makes Comeback as Stamford Bridge Side Seek to Fix Striker Issues Liam Delap scored his only goal for Chelsea at the global competition during the summer months Striker Liam Delap is returning from a thigh problem at a crucial moment for Chelsea. The West London club lost 2-1 against unexpected challengers Sunderland at their stadium on Saturday, with head coach Enzo Maresca blaming "a lack of creativity" and his side's crossing being "not the best". Chelsea's attackers are struggling for goals and key passes as Delap makes his comeback in the EFL Cup against struggling Wolves on this week (evening kickoff), having been absent for 10 matches since sustaining the injury in the victory over Fulham in last month. Maresca commented the emerging talent will be phased in "carefully", and the recent acquisition's return is crucial for a team facing scrutiny over their inconsistency, which has left the national tournaments their primary hope of claiming silverware this term. Delap to Share Load With Joao Pedro Delap (to the left) and Joao Pedro arrived at Chelsea this summer transfer window for a aggregate £85m Chelsea acquired Delap from the Tractor Boys for a £30 million fee despite interest from Manchester United, Newcastle United and Goodison Park team. Yet the Three Lions prospect was second to £55 million acquisition Joao Pedro in the pecking order at this summer's Club World Cup - and with valid cause. Joao Pedro scored three goals in three appearances as Chelsea won the inaugural tournament in the United States. The Brazilian forward added two more goals and three assists in his first four Premier League games after arriving from Brighton. More of late, however, Joao Pedro has not scored in his previous seven fixtures. Maresca said he is one of three squad members - along with midfielders Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who presently require to be "handled carefully". When questioned about Joao Pedro's dip in form, Maresca commented: "For sure the fitness aspect is vital. When you are not 100% it's difficult to compete, especially in this league." "Joao Pedro is not a number nine that is going to reach twenty strikes annually. Joao's a superb talent, he's going to score and provide assists but he's a distinctive forward to ones that score 20 to 25 goals annually like [Robert] Lewandowski, [Kylian] Mbappe or the Norwegian goal machine." Wider Problems in Chelsea's Forward Line Chelsea deal with wider issues in addition to their forwards and Joao Pedro's drought. Winger Cole Palmer has completed two games all campaign and is not anticipated to feature from a groin problem until the winter. Attacking midfielder Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, acquired from Borussia Dortmund for a £52m package, has zero strikes and a single assist in 10 matches. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40m acquisition from Manchester United, has a single strike in seven games and caused an own goal against Benfica. Estevao Willian, eighteen, has entertained since moving from Palmeiras for a £51m package, but has only two goals and a single assist - equaling homegrown talent Tyrique George. Attacker Marc Guiu and loan signing Facundo Buonanotte have one score each. Marc Cucurella, who got seven from defensive position last term, is still to score this campaign. Winger Pedro Neto has a single strike and two assists in his past two matches, but prior to that got only one goal in the initial ten fixtures. After thirteen fixtures in every tournament no forward has above two scores, with engine room operators Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's shared top goalscorers with four goals. Queried whether a absence of prolific strikers means duties need distributing, Maresca said: "Certainly, yes. We said many times that the five players 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 be competitive despite goal-scoring variability. Chelsea are second place for dead-ball situations in the English top division, one less than Arsenal. In addition, the Blues are the first team to have 10 different scorers in the first division this campaign. Is the Number Nine Hoodoo About to Lift? Khalid Boulahrouz didn't find the net while sporting the number nine for Chelsea Some Chelsea followers think the striker's jersey - assigned to Delap in the summer - is jinxed. It had been vacant since last year, and footballers who wore it since 2006 have found scoring difficult, including: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - three goals in 21 games Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - 15 goals in fifty-eight matches Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - 30 goals in 82 games Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five goals in 19 appearances Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - 24 scores in seventy-two matches Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - one goal in twelve matches Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): 45 goals in 172 appearances Franco di Santo (2008-10) - no goals in sixteen matches Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - a single strike in 25 appearances Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - no goals in 20 games A central player and defender are part of this selection, and some would argue Abraham broke the curse with his performance, while legendary strikers such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink thrived with nine on their back. But Delap was unconcerned when questioned about the hoodoo. "I'm not the type of person [who believes in curses]," he said at the global competition. "At the end of the day it's a number on the back of your uniform. It's just a figure that has traditionally been associated to forwards so it's something that I like and there's no added burden."