Sports
Liam Rosenior Can’t Trust Liam Delap After Chelsea 1-0 Pafos
A late winner from Moises Caicedo spared Chelsea‘s blushes as they beat Cypriot minnows Pafos FC 1-0 in their Champions League meeting. Caicedo headed home in the 78th minute, stepping up when his attacking teammates put in a lackluster display.
The Blues were looking to make it two wins on the bounce under Liam Rosenior following their 2-0 win over Brentford last weekend. There were signs in that game that there was still plenty of work for the new manager to do, and tonight’s display has further highlighted this.
The hosts couldn’t find the cutting edge against a side sitting 27th in the Champions League table, and several of Rosenior’s attackers were a sight for sore eyes. It took Caicedo to come up with the goods with a headed finish that let several of his colleagues off the hook.
Chelsea 1-0 Pafos – Fans Rip Into ‘Fraud’ Delap
Chelsea won the race to sign Liam Delap in the summer, seeing off competition from Manchester United and Newcastle United for the English striker. He joined the club in a £30 million deal after a fine debut season in the Premier League with Ipswich Town.
Delap was tenacious and a real nuisance up top for the Tractor Boys, but the Stamford Bridge faithful have yet to see such domineering displays from the 22-year-old. He was quiet tonight against the Cypriot outfit, unable to build on a bright cameo appearance in the win over Brentford.
The Englishman had 12 touches, managed two shots, and was rarely effective, albeit coming up with two key passes. His unconvincing outing didn’t go unnoticed by fans who appear to have already lost faith.
One fan slammed Delap’s performance and pointed out his lack of movement: “Delap is not good enough we are playing with a statue as a ST he lacks movement he stands around and watches no instincts whatsoever.”
This was echoed by another supporter who hit out at his showing: “Delap doesn’t even help in build up he’s a literal statue my god.”
One went as far as to call him a “fraud”, perhaps alluding to his impressive Ipswich spell: “Delap just looks lost. Take this fraud out.”
Another suggested the English frontman went missing against the Cypriots: “It’s 60 minutes already and Delap has been nonexistent in this game.”
Delap lasted 70 minutes until Rosenior opted to bring Joao Pedro on to try and find a winner on home soil. He failed to take the chance handed to him by his new coach tonight and might be settling for more time on the bench as a result.
‘It’s Very Difficult’ – Delap on his Slow Chelsea Start
Delap has been plagued by injuries this season, starting with a hamstring issue before returning and being sent off in a Carabao Cup fourth-round win over Wolverhampton Wanderers in October. He has since been used off the bench rather than as a regular starter and he’s also dealt with other fitness problems.
The former Hull City man, who played under Rosenior during his time with the Tigers, spoke about the difficulties he has faced since arriving at Stamford Bridge. He told reporters ahead of tonight’s game:
“Obviously, I am still young, and I want to keep improving. I think at the moment it’s very difficult to get that rhythm of playing. It is so important to have that match fitness and feeling sharp. I’m here to win and score goals for Chelsea so that is the aim.”
Delap has appeared 18 times across competitions this season, posting two goals and one assist. He might feel Rosenior’s appointment will give him a fresh chance to stake his claim for a starting berth in the West Londoners’ side, but performances like tonight won’t help.
