Despite the outside noise labeling his £30m move a flop, the internal message from Chelsea is clear: the club remains fully committed to Liam Delap.
Liam Delap‘s move from Ipswich Town just hasn’t gone to plan so far, scoring just two goals in all competitions for Chelsea.
One key criticism of Delap has been the fact that he’s not strong enough, which is strange when you consider how much of a wrecking ball he was at Ipswich Town.
However, Liam Rosenior continues to put his trust in the striker, gifting him an opportunity against Wrexham last time out, where he made Chelsea’s first goal.
But, it seems as if there is more than meets the eyes, as Chelsea believes he’s struggling because of Joao Pedro‘s form at Stamford Bridge.
Joao Pedro is the BEST signing of the Todd Boehly era 💵
At £60m, he seems to be a bit of a bargain!
Chelsea continue to put their trust in Liam Delap
Reporter Kaveh Solhekol gave an update on Liam Delap’s situation when speaking on Sky Sports, and it looks as if he’s very much here to stay.
“They will give him a chance. They believe in him.. I think they just feel behind the scenes that he’s been a little bit unlucky with injuries and also because Joao Pedro has been playing so well.
“The message from inside the club is you gotta back him, trust him, just give him a little bit more time because he is very young.”
Chelsea currently only have Marc Guiu as the other option up front, other than Joao Pedro, so it’s not a surprise that Chelsea are willing to give Liam Delap more time.
He has shown his creative side of things with four assists, doubling his goal tally.
What’s the most you’d be willing to spend on Lautaro Martinez? 💸
Is Joao Pedro to blame for Liam Delap’s struggles?
Blaming Joao Pedro for Liam Delap’s difficult start at Chelsea is a matter of perspective rather than direct fault. On one hand, Pedro’s world-class form since his arrival has essentially barricaded the starting striker position, leaving Delap to feed on scrap minutes and cup cameos.
For a young forward who thrives on physical rhythm and consistent service, playing second fiddle to a player of Pedro’s caliber has undoubtedly stunted his integration into Liam Rosenior’s setup.
However, Pedro is merely the benchmark, not the obstacle. Delap’s struggles are more accurately attributed to the steep jump in expectations from Ipswich to Stamford Bridge. He’s had opportunities to make an impact, but he just hasn’t taken them at times.
And of course, injuries haven’t helped.
Receive a digest of our best Chelsea content each week direct to your mailbox
