Forward Liam Delap is recovering from a muscle issue at a crucial moment for Chelsea.
The Blues lost 2-1 against shock contenders Sunderland at their home ground on recently, with head coach Enzo Maresca blaming "insufficient imagination" and his side's crossing being "not the best".
Chelsea's forwards are having difficulty finding the net and assists as Delap returns in the EFL Cup against lowly Wolves on this week (evening kickoff), having missed 10 games since sustaining the injury in the success over Fulham in August.
Maresca said the 22-year-old will be slowly integrated "carefully", and the summer signing's return is important for a team facing criticism over their unpredictability, which has left the domestic cups their primary hope of securing honors this campaign.
Chelsea acquired Delap from the Championship side for thirty million pounds despite interest from Old Trafford club, Newcastle United and Goodison Park team.
Yet the England Under-21s forward was second to expensive recruit Joao Pedro in the team ranking at this recent international tournament - and with valid cause.
Joao Pedro found the net three times in three outings as Chelsea claimed the first edition in the America. The Seleção attacker notched additional strikes and three setups in his first four Premier League games after arriving from Brighton.
More of late, however, Joao Pedro has not scored in his last seven games. Maresca stated he is one of a trio of players - along with central players Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who presently require to be "handled carefully".
When asked about Joao Pedro's decline in performance, Maresca commented: "Certainly the fitness aspect is vital. When you are not 100% it's challenging to excel, particularly in this competition."
"Joao Pedro is not a traditional striker that is going to reach twenty strikes every season. Joao's a excellent footballer, he's going to find the net and create chances but he's a different kind of nine to those who net 20 to 25 goals each year like the Polish striker, the French superstar or the Norwegian goal machine."
Chelsea face wider issues apart from their attackers and Joao Pedro's goalless run.
Forward Cole Palmer has featured for ninety minutes twice all season and is unlikely to be back from a lower body issue until December.
Attacking midfielder Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, brought in from Borussia Dortmund for a £52m package, has failed to score and one goal contribution in ten appearances. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40 million signing from Manchester United, has one goal in seven outings and caused an own goal against Benfica.
Estevao Willian, the teenager, has entertained since arriving from Palmeiras for a potential £51 million deal, but has only two goals and one assist - equaling homegrown talent Tyrique George.
Attacker Marc Guiu and Seagulls temporary signing Facundo Buonanotte have a single strike apiece.
Marc Cucurella, who got seven from full-back last campaign, is yet to find the net this term. Attacking player Pedro Neto has a single strike and two assists in his past two matches, but earlier scored only once in the opening ten matches.
After thirteen games in every tournament no striker has over two strikes, with central players Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's shared top goalscorers with four goals.
Asked whether a lack of natural goalscorers means goals must come from multiple sources, Maresca said: "Certainly, yes. We frequently mentioned that the front five at the front, we need multiple goals per player, in the way we have done last campaign."
Maresca has discovered methods to challenge despite goal-scoring variability. Chelsea are runner-up in free-kick and corner scores in the top flight, one less than Arsenal. In furthermore, the West London club are the pioneering side to have ten various goalscorers in the first division this season.
Some Chelsea followers believe the number nine shirt - claimed by Delap in the transfer window - is jinxed. It had been vacant since recently, and footballers who donned it since the mid-2000s have found scoring difficult, including:
A engine room operator and defensive specialist are included in this group, and some would contend Abraham broke the curse with his achievement, while famous attackers such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink thrived with the striker's jersey.
But Delap was unconcerned when questioned about the curse. "I don't believe [who believes in curses]," he said at the global competition.
"Ultimately it's a figure on the jersey of your uniform. It's just a number that has traditionally been associated to forwards so it's something that I like and there's zero expectation."
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