🔗 Share this article Delap Back in Action as Stamford Bridge Side Seek to Fix Striker Issues Liam Delap found the net for Chelsea at the Club World Cup during summer Forward Liam Delap is recovering from a hamstring injury at a important period for Chelsea. The West London club were beaten 2-1 against surprise package Sunderland at their home ground on recently, with boss Enzo Maresca attributing "limited inventiveness" and his squad's passes being "not the best". Chelsea's attackers are struggling for goals and goal contributions as Delap is back available in the Carabao Cup against bottom-half Wolves on Wednesday (prime time), having sat out 10 fixtures since suffering the setback in the 2-0 win over Fulham in last month. Maresca said the 22-year-old will be slowly integrated "gradually", and the summer signing's comeback is crucial for a team facing criticism over their inconsistency, which has left the cup competitions their best opportunity of claiming silverware this season. Delap to Take Pressure Off Joao Pedro Delap (on the left) and Joao Pedro arrived at Chelsea this off-season for a aggregate £85m Chelsea brought in Delap from Ipswich Town for £30m despite pursuit by Manchester United, the Magpies and Everton. Yet the England Under-21s forward was behind £55 million acquisition Joao Pedro in the team ranking at this global competition - and with solid justification. Joao Pedro found the net three times in three matches as Chelsea secured the maiden title in the America. The Brazil striker scored another two and three setups in his opening quartet of league fixtures after joining from Brighton. More of late, however, Joao Pedro has not scored in his past seven matches. Maresca revealed he is one of three squad members - along with engine room operators Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who currently need to be "protected". When asked about Joao Pedro's drop in output, Maresca remarked: "For sure the fitness aspect is important. When you are not fully fit it's challenging to excel, particularly in this competition." "Joao Pedro is not a classic center-forward that is going to net twenty times annually. Joao's a fantastic player, he's going to score and create chances but he's a alternative type of striker to those who net 20 to 25 goals annually like the Polish striker, [Kylian] Mbappe or the Norwegian goal machine." Additional Concerns in Chelsea's Forward Line Chelsea face broader problems beyond their strikers and Joao Pedro's drought. Attacker Cole Palmer has played two full matches all term and is not anticipated to feature from a groin problem until next month. Wide player Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, signed from Borussia Dortmund for a fee rising to £52m, has zero strikes and a single assist in ten games. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40m acquisition from Manchester United, has one goal in seven matches and induced an opposition error against Benfica. Estevao Willian, eighteen, has impressed since joining from Palmeiras for a potential £51 million deal, but has just two strikes and a single assist - paralleling homegrown talent Tyrique George. Attacker Marc Guiu and loan signing Facundo Buonanotte have one goal each. Marc Cucurella, who scored seven from left-back last season, is without a goal this campaign. Winger Pedro Neto has one score and two goal contributions in his past two matches, but earlier scored only once in the opening ten matches. After thirteen fixtures in various cups no attacker has above two scores, with central players Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's joint top scorers with four. Asked whether a shortage of clinical finishers means responsibility must be shared, Maresca said: "Certainly, yes. We frequently mentioned that the quintet of attackers at the attack, we need numerous strikes from each, in the manner we achieved last season." Maresca has discovered methods to compete despite attacking inconsistency. Chelsea are second for free-kick and corner scores in the English top division, one less than Arsenal. In addition, the West London club are the pioneering side 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 fans think the striker's jersey - claimed by Delap in the transfer window - is jinxed. It had been vacant since last year, and squad members who sported it since 2006 have found scoring difficult, including: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - three strikes in 21 appearances Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - 15 goals in fifty-eight matches Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - 30 scores in eighty-two matches Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five strikes in 19 appearances Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - twenty-four strikes in 72 games Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - one score in twelve matches Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): 45 goals in one hundred seventy-two matches Franco di Santo (2008-10) - zero strikes in sixteen matches Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - a single strike in twenty-five matches Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - no goals in 20 appearances A central player and defender are part of this selection, and some would suggest Abraham broke the curse with his achievement, while famous attackers such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink thrived with the number nine. But Delap was unmoved when asked about the curse. "I'm not one [who believes in curses]," he said at the global competition. "Ultimately it's a figure on the jersey of your kit. It's just a number that has traditionally been associated to strikers so it's something that I enjoy and there's no added burden."