🔗 Share this article Delap Back in Action as Stamford Bridge Side Look to Address Forward Concerns Liam Delap registered his sole strike for Chelsea at the global competition during summer Attacker Liam Delap is returning from a thigh problem at a important period for Chelsea. The West London club lost 2-1 against unexpected challengers Sunderland at Stamford Bridge on the weekend, with manager Enzo Maresca attributing "a lack of creativity" and his squad's passes being "subpar". Chelsea's forwards are having difficulty finding the net and key passes as Delap is back available in the League Cup against struggling Wolves on Wednesday (19:45 GMT), having sat out 10 fixtures since suffering the setback in the victory over Fulham in August. Maresca commented the 22-year-old will be phased in "gradually", and the summer signing's availability is important for a club facing scrutiny 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 combined £85m Chelsea signed Delap from the Tractor Boys for £30m despite attention from Old Trafford club, the Magpies and Everton. Yet the Three Lions prospect was behind £55 million acquisition Joao Pedro in the selection hierarchy at this recent international tournament - and with solid justification. Joao Pedro found the net three times in three appearances as Chelsea claimed the first edition in the America. The Seleção attacker notched additional strikes and three setups in his first four Premier League games after moving from the Seagulls. More recently, however, Joao Pedro has failed to score in his previous seven fixtures. Maresca revealed he is one of three players - along with midfielders Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who currently need to be "protected". When asked about Joao Pedro's dip in form, Maresca said: "For sure the physical part is vital. When you are not fully fit it's hard to perform, notably in this division." "Joao Pedro is not a number nine that is going to net twenty times each year. Joao's a fantastic player, he's going to get goals and provide assists but he's a different kind of nine to ones that score 20 to 25 goals each year like the Bayern legend, [Kylian] Mbappe or the Norwegian goal machine." Broader Issues in Chelsea's Attack Chelsea face additional challenges beyond their attackers and Joao Pedro's goalless run. Forward Cole Palmer has completed two games all term and is not expected return from a groin problem until the winter. Attacking midfielder Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, brought in from Borussia Dortmund for a potential £52 million deal, has no goals and one assist in 10 matches. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40m acquisition from Manchester United, has one score in seven games and caused an own goal against Benfica. Estevao Willian, eighteen, has impressed since moving from Palmeiras for a £51m package, but has only two goals and one assist - equaling academy forward Tyrique George. Attacker Marc Guiu and Brighton loanee Facundo Buonanotte have a single strike apiece. Marc Cucurella, who got seven from defensive position last season, is yet to find the net this campaign. Attacking player Pedro Neto has one score and two assists in his last two games, but before that scored only once in the opening ten matches. After thirteen games in all competitions no striker has more than two goals, with central players Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's joint top scorers with four. Questioned whether a lack of natural goalscorers means goals must come from multiple sources, Maresca said: "Definitely, yes. We repeatedly stated that the front five at the offense, we need six, seven, eight, nine, 10 goals each, in the fashion we managed last season." Maresca has developed approaches to be competitive despite attacking inconsistency. Chelsea are runner-up in dead-ball situations in the English top division, one behind Arsenal. In furthermore, the Stamford Bridge side are the pioneering side to have ten various goalscorers in the first division this term. Can Chelsea's Striker Jinx End? Khalid Boulahrouz was goalless while wearing the number nine for Chelsea Some Chelsea supporters believe the number nine shirt - taken by Delap in the transfer window - is jinxed. It had been unoccupied since recently, and players who donned it since the mid-2000s have struggled for goals, including: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - a trio of scores in 21 games Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - 15 scores in fifty-eight matches Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - thirty strikes in 82 appearances Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five scores in 19 games Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - 24 scores in 72 appearances Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - one score in 12 games Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): forty-five strikes in one hundred seventy-two matches Franco di Santo (2008-10) - failed to score in sixteen matches Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - one goal in twenty-five matches Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - failed to score in twenty matches A midfielder and backline player are included in this group, and some would argue Abraham ended the jinx with his achievement, while iconic forwards such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink excelled with nine on their back. But Delap was unfazed when asked about the curse. "I don't believe [who believes in curses]," he commented at the international tournament. "In the final analysis it's a number on the back of your kit. It's just a figure that has always been related to forwards so it's something that I enjoy and there's zero expectation."