Striker Liam Delap is recovering from a muscle issue at a crucial moment for Chelsea.
The West London club were beaten 2-1 against shock contenders Sunderland at their home ground on Saturday, with manager Enzo Maresca attributing "a lack of creativity" and his team's delivery being "below standard".
Chelsea's forwards are having difficulty finding the net and goal contributions as Delap returns in the League Cup against bottom-half Wolves on this week (evening kickoff), having been absent for 10 matches since picking up the problem in the 2-0 win over Fulham in the summer.
Maresca stated the 22-year-old will be phased in "gradually", and the recent acquisition's availability is crucial for a side facing questions over their unpredictability, which has left the national tournaments their best opportunity of winning a trophy this term.
Chelsea brought in Delap from the Championship side for a £30 million fee despite attention from Old Trafford club, the Magpies and Goodison Park team.
Yet the Three Lions prospect was second to £55 million acquisition Joao Pedro in the team ranking at this summer's Club World Cup - and with solid justification.
Joao Pedro found the net three times in three outings as Chelsea claimed the first edition in the United States. The Brazil striker added two more goals and three setups in his first four Premier League games after moving from the Seagulls.
More of late, however, Joao Pedro has not scored in his previous seven fixtures. Maresca stated he is one of three squad members - along with midfielders Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo - who presently require to be "protected".
When asked about Joao Pedro's drop in output, Maresca said: "Certainly the physical part is crucial. When you are not at peak condition it's difficult to compete, notably in this league."
"Joao Pedro is not a number nine that is going to net twenty times every season. Joao's a excellent footballer, he's going to score and create chances but he's a distinctive forward to those who net 20 to 25 goals annually like the Bayern legend, [Kylian] Mbappe or the Norwegian goal machine."
Chelsea deal with wider issues apart from their strikers and Joao Pedro's drought.
Winger Cole Palmer has featured for ninety minutes twice all season and is not anticipated to feature from a groin problem until December.
Attacking midfielder Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, acquired from Borussia Dortmund for a fee rising to £52m, has no goals and one goal contribution in ten appearances. Alejandro Garnacho, a £40m recruit from Manchester United, has one goal in seven matches and caused an own goal against Benfica.
Estevao Willian, 18, has shown promise since joining from Palmeiras for a £51m package, but has merely two scores and a single assist - matching homegrown talent Tyrique George.
Striker Marc Guiu and Brighton loanee Facundo Buonanotte have one score each.
Marc Cucurella, who notched seven from defensive position last term, is without a goal this term. Attacking player Pedro Neto has one score and two assists in his previous two fixtures, but earlier scored only once in the initial ten fixtures.
After thirteen games in every tournament no attacker has more than two goals, with midfielders Fernandez and Caicedo Chelsea's joint top scorers with four.
Questioned whether a absence of prolific strikers means goals must come from multiple sources, Maresca commented: "Absolutely, yes. We frequently mentioned that the five players at the front, we need multiple goals per player, in the fashion we managed last season."
Maresca has found ways to challenge despite offensive unpredictability. Chelsea are runner-up in free-kick and corner scores in the top flight, trailing by one Arsenal. In moreover, the West London club are the first team to have 10 different scorers in the top flight this campaign.
Some Chelsea followers feel the striker's jersey - taken by Delap in the transfer window - is cursed. It had been unoccupied since recently, and squad members who wore it since the mid-2000s have struggled for goals, including:
A midfielder and defensive specialist are included in this group, and some would contend Abraham broke the curse with his record, while legendary strikers such as Peter Osgood and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink excelled with the number nine.
But Delap was unconcerned when questioned about the hoodoo. "I'm not one [who believes in curses]," he commented at the Club World Cup.
"At the end of the day it's a digit on the shirt of your shirt. It's just a number that has historically been connected to attackers so it's something that I enjoy and there's no added burden."
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