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Attacker Liam Delap is returning from a hamstring injury at a time of need for Chelsea.

The Blues lost 2-1 against shock contenders Sunderland at their stadium on recently, with manager Enzo Maresca citing "insufficient imagination" and his squad's passes being "not the best".

Chelsea's forwards are having difficulty finding the net and goal contributions as Delap returns in the Carabao Cup against struggling Wolves on Wednesday (evening kickoff), having sat out 10 fixtures since sustaining the injury in the victory over Fulham in the summer.

Maresca said the young striker will be slowly integrated "carefully", and the recent acquisition's comeback is vital for a side facing scrutiny over their unpredictability, which has left the cup competitions their most realistic chance of securing honors this term.

Delap to Share Load With Joao Pedro

Chelsea brought in Delap from Ipswich Town for thirty million pounds despite attention from the Red Devils, the Magpies and the Toffees.

Yet the Three Lions prospect was below £55m signing Joao Pedro in the team ranking at this global competition - and with good reason.

Joao Pedro found the net three times in three appearances as Chelsea claimed the first edition in the USA. The Brazil striker scored another two and three assists in his initial four top-flight matches after moving from the Seagulls.

More lately, however, Joao Pedro has failed to score in his previous seven fixtures. Maresca revealed he is one of three squad members - along with engine room operators Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who at the moment demand to be "protected".

When questioned about Joao Pedro's decline in performance, Maresca remarked: "For sure the conditioning element is crucial. When you are not at peak condition it's hard to perform, especially in this competition."

"Joao Pedro is not a number nine 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 alternative type of striker to those who net 20 to 25 goals each year like the Bayern legend, the PSG forward or [Erling] Haaland."

Broader Issues in Chelsea's Attack

Chelsea confront broader problems beyond their attackers and Joao Pedro's drought.

Attacker Cole Palmer has featured for ninety minutes twice all campaign and is unlikely to be back from a groin injury until next month.

Winger Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, acquired from Borussia Dortmund for a £52m package, has no goals and a single assist in 10 matches. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40m acquisition from Manchester United, has one score in seven outings and forced an own goal against Benfica.

Estevao Willian, the teenager, has impressed since arriving from Palmeiras for a potential £51 million deal, but has only two goals and a single assist - matching academy forward Tyrique George.

Forward Marc Guiu and loan signing Facundo Buonanotte have one goal each.

Marc Cucurella, who got seven from full-back last season, is still to score this campaign. Winger Pedro Neto has one goal and two assists in his last two games, but earlier scored only once in the first 10 games.

After 13 matches in various cups no striker has over two strikes, with midfielders Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's equal leading marksmen with four.

Queried whether a lack of natural goalscorers means goals must come from multiple sources, Maresca said: "Definitely, yes. We frequently mentioned that the five players at the attack, we need six, seven, eight, nine, 10 goals each, in the fashion we managed last term."

Maresca has found ways to be competitive despite attacking inconsistency. Chelsea are second for set-piece goals in the top flight, trailing by one Arsenal. In moreover, the Stamford Bridge side are the first team to have 10 different scorers in the Premier League this season.

Is the Number Nine Hoodoo About to Lift?

Some Chelsea fans think the center-forward number - claimed by Delap in the summer - is cursed. It had been vacant since recently, and footballers who sported it since 2006 have found scoring difficult, including:

• Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2022-23) - a trio of scores in twenty-one matches
• Romelu Lukaku (2021-22) - 15 goals in 58 games
• Tammy Abraham (2019-20, 2021-22) - 30 goals in 82 games
• Gonzalo Higuain (2018-19) - five goals in 19 games
• Alvaro Morata (2017-18) - 24 goals in 72 appearances
• Radamel Falcao (2015-16) - a single strike in 12 games
• Fernando Torres (2010-11, 2014-15): forty-five strikes in 172 appearances
• Franco di Santo (2008-10) - zero strikes in 16 games
• Steve Sidwell (2007-08) - one score in 25 games
• Khalid Boulahrouz (2006-07) - no goals in 20 games

A engine room operator and defender are among those listed, and some would suggest Abraham broke the curse with his performance, while iconic forwards such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink thrived with nine on their back.

But Delap was unfazed when asked about the hoodoo. "I'm not the type of person [who believes in curses]," he said at the international tournament.

"At the end of the day it's a digit on the shirt of your kit. It's just a digit that has historically been connected to forwards so it's something that I like and there's no pressure."