Just when Liam Delap appeared to be finding his feet at Chelsea, disaster has struck again.
The 22-year-old striker lasted only 31 minutes of Saturday’s goalless draw at Bournemouth before being forced off with a serious-looking shoulder injury, after Marcos Senesi landed awkwardly on him during a corner.
Speaking in his post-match press conference, Enzo Maresca delivered the news Chelsea fans had been dreading.
“Unfortunately he will be out again,” the Italian confirmed. “We don’t know how long yet, but his shoulder looks quite bad. He has been unlucky – he has been out two months already and needs to be out again.”
The setback is a bitter blow for Delap, who only returned two months after suffering a hamstring injury against Fulham in late August. Maresca had publicly backed the former Ipswich Town man just days ago, insisting he was “very close” to scoring his first Premier League goal for the club following his strike against Barcelona in the Champions League.
Now, instead of building momentum, Delap faces another spell on the sidelines – reigniting uncomfortable questions about Chelsea’s ongoing injury problems and whether the club’s intense training methods or sheer bad luck are once again sabotaging their season.
With Delap out, Maresca will turn to the likes of João Pedro, Marc Guiu, highly-rated teenager Tyrique George, and even Pedro Neto as makeshift number-nine options.
But the sight of yet another key attacking player heading to the treatment room has left Stamford Bridge reeling – and supporters furious at what feels like a never-ending fitness curse.