🔗 Share this article Delap Returns as Chelsea Seek to Fix Attacking Problems Liam Delap found the net for Chelsea at the international tournament during summer Attacker Liam Delap is recovering from a thigh problem at a time of need for Chelsea. The Stamford Bridge outfit suffered a 2-1 defeat against surprise package Sunderland at their stadium on recently, with head coach Enzo Maresca blaming "insufficient imagination" and his team's delivery being "not the best". Chelsea's attackers are having difficulty finding the net and assists as Delap returns in the Carabao Cup against struggling Wolves on Wednesday (19:45 GMT), having missed 10 games since sustaining the injury in the victory over Fulham in last month. Maresca commented the 22-year-old will be gradually introduced "slowly", and the summer signing's availability is vital for a team facing scrutiny over their mixed results, which has left the national tournaments their best opportunity of claiming silverware this campaign. Delap to Ease Burden On Joao Pedro Delap (on the left) and Joao Pedro signed for Chelsea this summer for a combined £85m Chelsea brought in Delap from the Championship side for thirty million pounds despite interest from Manchester United, Newcastle United and Everton. Yet the England Under-21s forward was below expensive recruit Joao Pedro in the pecking order at this recent international tournament - and with valid cause. Joao Pedro scored three goals in three matches as Chelsea won the inaugural tournament in the United States. The Seleção attacker added two more goals and three assists in his initial four top-flight matches after moving from the Seagulls. More of late, however, Joao Pedro has been goalless in his past seven matches. Maresca said he is one of three players - along with engine room operators Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who presently require to be "handled carefully". When questioned about Joao Pedro's decline in performance, Maresca remarked: "For sure the conditioning element is vital. When you are not at peak condition it's hard to perform, especially in this competition." "Joao Pedro is not a traditional striker that is going to reach twenty strikes annually. Joao's a fantastic player, he's going to find the net and give assists but he's a different kind of nine to ones that score 20 to 25 goals annually like [Robert] Lewandowski, [Kylian] Mbappe or [Erling] Haaland." Broader Issues in Chelsea's Attack Chelsea deal with broader problems apart from their attackers and Joao Pedro's goalless run. Attacker Cole Palmer has completed two games all season and is not expected return from a groin problem until December. Attacking midfielder Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, acquired from Borussia Dortmund for a £52m package, has no goals and one assist in ten games. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40m recruit from Manchester United, has a single strike in seven outings and caused an own goal against Benfica. Estevao Willian, the teenager, has shown promise since arriving from Palmeiras for a fee rising to £51m, but has merely two scores and one assist - matching youth product Tyrique George. Forward Marc Guiu and loan signing Facundo Buonanotte have one goal each. Marc Cucurella, who notched seven from full-back last campaign, is still to score this season. Winger Pedro Neto has one goal and two assists in his last two games, but earlier found the net just once in the first 10 games. After thirteen games in all competitions no attacker has above two scores, with midfielders Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's equal leading marksmen with four goals. Queried whether a shortage of clinical finishers means responsibility must be shared, Maresca commented: "Definitely, yes. We repeatedly stated that the quintet of attackers at the offense, we need multiple goals per player, in the way we have done last term." Maresca has found ways to compete despite attacking inconsistency. Chelsea are second for dead-ball situations in the top flight, one behind Arsenal. In moreover, the Stamford Bridge side are the pioneering side to have ten distinct net-finders in the top flight this campaign. Can Chelsea's Striker Jinx End? Khalid Boulahrouz didn't find the net while sporting the number nine for Chelsea Some Chelsea followers feel the number nine shirt - assigned to Delap in the summer - is cursed. It had been available since last year, and players who sported it since the mid-2000s have struggled for goals, including: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - three strikes in 21 appearances Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - 15 scores in fifty-eight matches Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - thirty strikes in 82 games Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five scores in nineteen matches Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - twenty-four strikes in 72 games Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - one goal in 12 appearances Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): forty-five strikes 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 backline player are among those listed, and some would argue Abraham ended the jinx with his record, while legendary strikers such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink flourished with nine on their back. But Delap was unconcerned when asked about the jinx. "I'm not the type of person [who believes in curses]," he commented at the international tournament. "Ultimately it's a number on the back of your kit. It's just a digit that has historically been connected to strikers so it's something that I appreciate and there's no added burden."