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Attacker Liam Delap is recovering from a thigh problem at a time of need for Chelsea.

The West London club lost 2-1 against shock contenders Sunderland at Stamford Bridge on recently, with head coach Enzo Maresca blaming "insufficient imagination" and his side's crossing being "not the best".

Chelsea's strikers are finding it hard to score and goal contributions as Delap is back available in the Carabao Cup against struggling Wolves on Wednesday (prime time), having sat out 10 fixtures since sustaining the injury in the 2-0 win over Fulham in the summer.

Maresca said the young striker will be gradually introduced "slowly", and the summer signing's availability is important for a club facing scrutiny over their mixed results, which has left the domestic cups their primary hope of winning a trophy this season.

Delap to Ease Burden On Joao Pedro

Chelsea acquired Delap from Ipswich Town for £30m despite interest from Old Trafford club, the Magpies and the Toffees.

Yet the young English striker was behind £55m signing Joao Pedro in the selection hierarchy at this global competition - and with good reason.

Joao Pedro registered a trio of strikes in three matches as Chelsea claimed the first edition in the America. The Brazil striker added two more goals and three goal contributions in his opening quartet of league fixtures after moving from the Seagulls.

More of late, however, Joao Pedro has not scored in his previous seven fixtures. Maresca stated he is one of three squad members - along with midfielders Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who at the moment demand to be "protected".

When queried about Joao Pedro's drop in output, Maresca said: "Definitely the physical part is vital. When you are not at peak condition it's hard to perform, notably in this division."

"Joao Pedro is not a traditional striker that is going to reach twenty strikes annually. Joao's a superb talent, he's going to score and give assists but he's a distinctive forward to players who get 20 to 25 goals each year like the Bayern legend, [Kylian] Mbappe or the Norwegian goal machine."

Wider Problems in Chelsea's Offense

Chelsea deal with additional challenges in addition to their attackers and Joao Pedro's scoreless streak.

Attacker Cole Palmer has featured for ninety minutes twice all season and is not anticipated to feature from a groin problem until the winter.

Wide player Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, acquired from Borussia Dortmund for a potential £52 million deal, has no goals and one assist in ten appearances. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40m acquisition from Manchester United, has one score in seven outings and induced an opposition error against Benfica.

Estevao Willian, eighteen, has shown promise since arriving from Palmeiras for a potential £51 million deal, but has just two strikes and a single assist - equaling academy forward Tyrique George.

Striker Marc Guiu and Brighton loanee Facundo Buonanotte have a single strike apiece.

Marc Cucurella, who got seven from defensive position last campaign, is still to score this campaign. Winger Pedro Neto has one goal and two assists in his previous two fixtures, but earlier got only one goal in the initial ten fixtures.

After thirteen games in various cups no attacker has more than two goals, with central players Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's joint top scorers with four strikes.

Questioned whether a lack of natural goalscorers means duties need distributing, Maresca said: "Absolutely, yes. We frequently mentioned that the quintet of attackers at the front, we need six, seven, eight, nine, 10 goals each, in the way we have done last season."

Maresca has developed approaches to compete despite attacking inconsistency. Chelsea are runner-up in dead-ball situations in the Premier League, one less than Arsenal. In moreover, the Blues are the initial club to have 10 different scorers in the top flight this season.

Is the Number Nine Hoodoo About to Lift?

Some Chelsea fans think the center-forward number - claimed by Delap in the transfer window - is jinxed. It had been available since last year, and players who donned it since the mid-2000s have found scoring difficult, including:

• Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - a trio of scores in 21 games
• Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - 15 goals in 58 appearances
• Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - 30 goals in eighty-two matches
• Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five strikes in nineteen matches
• Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - 24 scores in 72 games
• Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - a single strike in twelve matches
• Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): 45 scores in 172 appearances
• Franco di Santo (2008-10) - no goals in 16 appearances
• Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - one score in 25 games
• Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - failed to score in 20 appearances

A central player and backline player are part of this selection, and some would contend Abraham broke the curse with his achievement, while iconic forwards such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink flourished with the number nine.

But Delap was unconcerned when asked about the curse. "I don't believe [who believes in curses]," he stated at the global competition.

"At the end of the day it's a digit on the shirt of your uniform. It's just a digit that has traditionally been associated to attackers so it's something that I like and there's no pressure."