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

The Stamford Bridge outfit lost 2-1 against shock contenders Sunderland at their stadium on Saturday, with head coach Enzo Maresca citing "limited inventiveness" and his team's delivery being "subpar".

Chelsea's attackers are struggling for goals and key passes as Delap makes his comeback in the League Cup against lowly Wolves on midweek (prime time), having missed 10 games since picking up the problem in the victory over Fulham in August.

Maresca said the young striker will be phased in "gradually", and the recent acquisition's comeback is vital for a club facing scrutiny over their unpredictability, which has left the cup competitions their primary hope of winning a trophy this term.

Delap to Ease Burden On Joao Pedro

Chelsea brought in Delap from Ipswich Town for £30m despite attention from the Red Devils, Newcastle United and the Toffees.

Yet the Three Lions prospect was below £55m signing Joao Pedro in the selection hierarchy at this recent international tournament - and with solid justification.

Joao Pedro found the net three times in three matches as Chelsea claimed the first edition in the USA. The Brazilian forward notched additional strikes and three setups in his initial four top-flight matches after moving from the Seagulls.

More lately, however, Joao Pedro has not scored in his past seven matches. Maresca stated he is one of three players - along with central players Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who at the moment demand to be "handled carefully".

When queried about Joao Pedro's decline in performance, Maresca commented: "For sure the physical part is crucial. When you are not at peak condition it's challenging to excel, particularly in this league."

"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 score and create chances but he's a alternative type of striker to players who get 20 to 25 goals annually like the Bayern legend, the French superstar or the City striker."

Broader Issues in Chelsea's Offense

Chelsea deal with additional challenges beyond their forwards and Joao Pedro's drought.

Attacker Cole Palmer has played two full matches all season and is not expected return from a groin injury until next month.

Attacking midfielder Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, acquired from Borussia Dortmund for a fee rising to £52m, has zero strikes and a single assist in ten games. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40 million signing from Manchester United, has one goal in seven games and forced an own goal against Benfica.

Estevao Willian, the teenager, has impressed since arriving from Palmeiras for a fee rising to £51m, but has merely two scores and a single assist - paralleling homegrown talent Tyrique George.

Striker Marc Guiu and loan signing Facundo Buonanotte have one score each.

Marc Cucurella, who notched seven from defensive position last season, is yet to find the net this term. Wide man Pedro Neto has one goal and two setups in his previous two fixtures, but prior to that found the net just once in the initial ten fixtures.

After thirteen fixtures in every tournament no forward has over two strikes, with central players Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's equal leading marksmen with four strikes.

Queried whether a lack of natural goalscorers means duties need distributing, Maresca commented: "Absolutely, yes. We repeatedly stated that the five players at the offense, we need numerous strikes from each, in the way we have done last term."

Maresca has developed approaches to challenge despite offensive unpredictability. Chelsea are second for set-piece goals in the Premier League, one behind Arsenal. In addition, the Stamford Bridge side are the initial club to have 10 different scorers in the first division this term.

Can Chelsea's Striker Jinx End?

Some Chelsea supporters feel the center-forward number - assigned to Delap in the transfer window - is jinxed. It had been available since recently, and squad members who donned it since 2006 have found scoring difficult, including:

• Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - three strikes in 21 appearances
• Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - 15 scores in 58 appearances
• Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - 30 scores in 82 appearances
• Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five strikes in 19 appearances
• Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - 24 scores in 72 appearances
• Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - a single strike in 12 games
• 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 twenty-five matches
• Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - failed to score in 20 games

A midfielder and backline player are among those listed, and some would suggest Abraham lifted the hoodoo with his record, while famous attackers such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink flourished with the number nine.

But Delap was unmoved when questioned about the curse. "I'm not one [who believes in curses]," he said at the Club World Cup.

"In the final analysis it's a figure on the jersey of your kit. It's just a figure that has always been related to strikers so it's something that I enjoy and there's zero expectation."