{"id":1416955,"date":"2025-12-04T10:40:56","date_gmt":"2025-12-04T10:40:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/?post_type=features&#038;p=1416955"},"modified":"2025-12-04T10:40:57","modified_gmt":"2025-12-04T10:40:57","slug":"tactical-analysis-liam-delap-chelsea-struggles","status":"publish","type":"features","link":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/features\/tactical-analysis-liam-delap-chelsea-struggles\/","title":{"rendered":"Liam Delap analysis: Why the Chelsea striker\u2019s style is clashing with Maresca\u2019s system"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Leeds threw a spanner in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/stats\/clubs\/chelsea\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Chelsea\u2019s<\/a> title push on Wednesday night.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The relegation threatened <a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/features\/leeds-vs-chelsea-stats-and-analysis-chelsea-show-their-age-as-theyre-bullied-by-leeds\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Whites pulled out an impressive 3-1 win over the Blues<\/a> in midweek. Chelsea failed to respond to first half strikes from Jaka Bijol and Ao Tanaka. Pedro Neto pulled one back shortly after the break before Dominic Calvert-Lewin wrapped up the three points.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-yoast-seo-table-of-contents yoast-table-of-contents\"><h2>In this article, we&#8217;ll cover:<\/h2><ul><li><a href=\"#h-delap-struggling-to-adapt-style-to-change-in-approach\" data-level=\"3\">Delap struggling to adapt style to change in approach<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-lack-of-link-up-play-proving-a-hindrance\" data-level=\"3\">Lack of link up play proving a hindrance<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-hamstring-injury-prevented-delap-from-building-rapport\" data-level=\"3\">Hamstring injury prevented Delap from building rapport<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With Arsenal, Manchester City and Aston Villa all earning victory in midweek, Chelsea have dropped to fourth. They\u2019re now nine points off top spot. As difficult as it may seem for supporters, there was a positive to take from the Elland Road reverse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Cole Palmer made his first appearance since September in Yorkshire on Wednesday. Palmer has been sidelined for the best part of two months due to a groin injury, and then a fractured toe. Granted, he couldn\u2019t inspire a Blues comeback at Elland Road, yet with the games coming thick and fast; the 23-year-old\u2019s availability is a boost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">What that does mean, though, is Liam Delap\u2019s game time may suffer. Delap, who joined Chelsea from Ipswich over the summer, was tasked with leading the line at Leeds in midweek. It was another sub-par showing from young forward. It\u2019s somewhat ironic that the return of one former Manchester City trainee will impact another.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-delap-struggling-to-adapt-style-to-change-in-approach\">Delap struggling to adapt style to change in approach<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The 22-year-old did enough to warrant a \u00a330m move to west London over the summer having scored 12 league goals for the Tractor Boys last season. Even as Ipswich dropped straight back to the Championship, Delap rightly caught the eye. However, he\u2019s failed to translate that solid Ipswich form to Chelsea. Ultimately, that shouldn\u2019t come as a shock.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ipswich and Chelsea both played vastly different styles last season. Ipswich returned a possession average of just 40%, the lowest in the league. By comparison, Chelsea\u2019s average of 57.1% ranked third. Kieran McKenna implemented a counter-attacking approach that suited Delap\u2019s physically dominating style of play.<\/p>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"article-page__title\">Dabble sign-up offer: <b data-stringify-type=\"bold\">Bet \u00a310+ &amp; Receive \u00a310 In Free Bets<\/b><\/h2>\r\n<p><strong>Not signed up to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/bet\/betting-sites\/dabble-sign-up-offer\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Dabble<\/a> yet? Here's how to claim the <b data-stringify-type=\"bold\">Bet \u00a310+ &amp; Receive \u00a310 In Free Bets<\/b> welcome offer:<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<ol>\r\n<li>Sign up to Dabble through this <a href=\"\/en\/go\/dabble?q=gb-all-con-wof-s-spo\">link<\/a><\/li>\r\n<li>Register your account with accurate personal details<\/li>\r\n<li>Place your first bet of \u00a310 or more<\/li>\r\n<li>Receive your \u00a310 in free bets when your qualifying bet has setted<\/li>\r\n<li>Use your Free Bet on any eligible sportsbook market within 7 days<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<p><a href=\"\/en\/go\/dabble?q=gb-all-con-wof-s-spo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-1423518 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2026\/01\/12083841\/Screenshot-2026-01-12-083822-300x250.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"250\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2026\/01\/12083841\/Screenshot-2026-01-12-083822-300x250.png 300w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2026\/01\/12083841\/Screenshot-2026-01-12-083822-320x267.png 320w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2026\/01\/12083841\/Screenshot-2026-01-12-083822-240x200.png 240w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2026\/01\/12083841\/Screenshot-2026-01-12-083822-72x60.png 72w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2026\/01\/12083841\/Screenshot-2026-01-12-083822-150x125.png 150w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2026\/01\/12083841\/Screenshot-2026-01-12-083822-40x33.png 40w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2026\/01\/12083841\/Screenshot-2026-01-12-083822.png 712w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\r\n<p>#AD 18+ 7-day free bet expiry. Stake not returned. Promotional Terms Apply.\u00a0<a class=\"c-link\" href=\"http:\/\/gambleaware.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-stringify-link=\"http:\/\/GambleAware.org\" data-sk=\"tooltip_parent\">GambleAware.org<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Six of Ipswich\u2019s 36 league goals (16.7%) came following a counter attack. Of those six, four were scored by Delap; only Mohamed Salah (7) scored more counter-attacking goals in the 2024-25 Premier League campaign. Unfortunately for Delap, Chelsea continue to dominate opponents. Indeed, a 58.9% possession average is again the third highest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-lack-of-link-up-play-proving-a-hindrance\">Lack of link up play proving a hindrance<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As such, Delap can no longer rely entirely on the physical side to his game to overcome defences. Rather, he needs to operate better as a link up man on the frontline, something Delap struggles with. A 66.67% pass accuracy from 12.7 passes per 90 just isn\u2019t good enough for a striker who is required to bring others into play.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">By comparison, Joao Pedro boasts a 79.77% pass accuracy from 27 passes per 90. Admittedly, the Brazilian\u2019s numbers are skewed having been used as a number 10. Even so, Pedro is far more effective at linking up with teammates, which suits Enzo Maresca\u2019s gameplan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">What\u2019s more, having a player of Pedro\u2019s calibre leading the charge means Chelsea have an additional creator in attack. With a willingness to drop deeper, Pedro is able to bring teammates into play. As such, he is creating 1.3 chances per 90. Delap, meanwhile, is yet to create one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-hamstring-injury-prevented-delap-from-building-rapport\">Hamstring injury prevented Delap from building rapport<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Much of that, though, does stem from Pedro\u2019s greater playing time. A hamstring injury suffered in August means Delap has been restricted to just seven league outings. Pedro capitalised upon Delap\u2019s absence to really consolidate a spot in the Blues setup and strike up an understanding with his attacking teammates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In addition, Maresca\u2019s approach means Pedro is naturally a better fit on the frontline. As Chelsea dictate the tempo, there is less space in the final third for the forwards. This means the attackers are either capable dribblers or can play the requisite passes to bring others into play.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"819\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2025\/12\/04102239\/CFCUnsuccessfulTouches_04122025-819x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1416964\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2025\/12\/04102239\/CFCUnsuccessfulTouches_04122025-819x1024.jpg 819w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2025\/12\/04102239\/CFCUnsuccessfulTouches_04122025-240x300.jpg 240w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2025\/12\/04102239\/CFCUnsuccessfulTouches_04122025-768x960.jpg 768w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2025\/12\/04102239\/CFCUnsuccessfulTouches_04122025-1229x1536.jpg 1229w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2025\/12\/04102239\/CFCUnsuccessfulTouches_04122025-214x267.jpg 214w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2025\/12\/04102239\/CFCUnsuccessfulTouches_04122025-160x200.jpg 160w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2025\/12\/04102239\/CFCUnsuccessfulTouches_04122025-48x60.jpg 48w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2025\/12\/04102239\/CFCUnsuccessfulTouches_04122025-120x150.jpg 120w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2025\/12\/04102239\/CFCUnsuccessfulTouches_04122025-32x40.jpg 32w, https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2025\/12\/04102239\/CFCUnsuccessfulTouches_04122025.jpg 1620w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 819px) 100vw, 819px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is a quality of Delap\u2019s game that falls short. The young forward is averaging 3.1 unsuccessful touches per 90, and with space at a premium in the Chelsea attack, this so often sees attacks break down. Unfortunately for Delap, the disappointing hour-long showing on Wednesday may be his last league start for some time. It\u2019s clear that he\u2019s a square peg in a round hole for Maresca\u2019s side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And with Palmer now back to fitness, the likelihood is that Maresca will move Pedro forward again in his favoured 4-2-3-1 setup. Wednesday\u2019s loss at Leeds was hardly Delap\u2019s final chance to prove his worth in a Chelsea shirt. However, it was an opportunity to showcase just why the Blues sign the striker in the first place. He failed to maximise said chance.<\/p>\n\n\n<h3><strong>Read more:<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/news\/\"><strong>Latest football news<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/bet\/football-tips\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Football betting tips<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/bet\/betting-sites\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Best betting sites<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/bet\/betting-sites\/best-free-bet-offers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Best free bet offers<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/bet\/football-tips\/accumulator\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Football accumulator tips<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Leeds threw a spanner in Chelsea\u2019s title push on Wednesday night. The relegation threatened Whites pulled out an impressive 3-1 win over the Blues in midweek. Chelsea failed to respond to first half strikes from Jaka Bijol and Ao Tanaka. Pedro Neto pulled one back shortly after the break before Dominic Calvert-Lewin wrapped up the&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3564,"featured_media":1416959,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_focuskw":"","_yoast_wpseo_title":"","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"Liam Delap\u2019s struggles at Chelsea explained. Why his style doesn\u2019t fit Maresca\u2019s system and how Palmer\u2019s return may further limit his game time.","footnotes":""},"tags":[],"features-category":[],"squawka-category":[],"class_list":["post-1416955","features","type-features","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":{"external_featured_image_url":"","hide_featured_image_pattern":false},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v28.0 (Yoast SEO v28.0) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Liam Delap analysis: Why the Chelsea striker\u2019s style is clashing with Maresca\u2019s system | Squawka | EN<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Liam Delap\u2019s struggles at Chelsea explained. Why his style doesn\u2019t fit Maresca\u2019s system and how Palmer\u2019s return may further limit his game time.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/features\/tactical-analysis-liam-delap-chelsea-struggles\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Liam Delap analysis: Why the Chelsea striker\u2019s style is clashing with Maresca\u2019s system\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Liam Delap\u2019s struggles at Chelsea explained. Why his style doesn\u2019t fit Maresca\u2019s system and how Palmer\u2019s return may further limit his game time.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/features\/tactical-analysis-liam-delap-chelsea-struggles\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Squawka | EN\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/SquawkaFootballNews\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-12-04T10:40:57+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2025\/12\/04101754\/LiamDelap04122025_3D7GFMY.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2541\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1815\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@squawka\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Estimated reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"NewsArticle\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.squawka.com\\\/en\\\/features\\\/tactical-analysis-liam-delap-chelsea-struggles\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.squawka.com\\\/en\\\/features\\\/tactical-analysis-liam-delap-chelsea-struggles\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Ben McAleer\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.squawka.com\\\/en\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/d83177c024444113f28c89f65fde90b4\"},\"headline\":\"Liam Delap analysis: Why the Chelsea striker\u2019s style is clashing with Maresca\u2019s system\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-12-04T10:40:56+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-12-04T10:40:57+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.squawka.com\\\/en\\\/features\\\/tactical-analysis-liam-delap-chelsea-struggles\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":836,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.squawka.com\\\/en\\\/features\\\/tactical-analysis-liam-delap-chelsea-struggles\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/media.squawka.com\\\/images\\\/2025\\\/12\\\/04101754\\\/LiamDelap04122025_3D7GFMY.jpg\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"accessibilityFeature\":[\"tableOfContents\"]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.squawka.com\\\/en\\\/features\\\/tactical-analysis-liam-delap-chelsea-struggles\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.squawka.com\\\/en\\\/features\\\/tactical-analysis-liam-delap-chelsea-struggles\\\/\",\"name\":\"Liam Delap analysis: Why the Chelsea striker\u2019s style is clashing with Maresca\u2019s system | Squawka | EN\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.squawka.com\\\/en\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.squawka.com\\\/en\\\/features\\\/tactical-analysis-liam-delap-chelsea-struggles\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.squawka.com\\\/en\\\/features\\\/tactical-analysis-liam-delap-chelsea-struggles\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/media.squawka.com\\\/images\\\/2025\\\/12\\\/04101754\\\/LiamDelap04122025_3D7GFMY.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-12-04T10:40:56+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-12-04T10:40:57+00:00\",\"description\":\"Liam Delap\u2019s struggles at Chelsea explained. Why his style doesn\u2019t fit Maresca\u2019s system and how Palmer\u2019s return may further limit his game time.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.squawka.com\\\/en\\\/features\\\/tactical-analysis-liam-delap-chelsea-struggles\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.squawka.com\\\/en\\\/features\\\/tactical-analysis-liam-delap-chelsea-struggles\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.squawka.com\\\/en\\\/features\\\/tactical-analysis-liam-delap-chelsea-struggles\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/media.squawka.com\\\/images\\\/2025\\\/12\\\/04101754\\\/LiamDelap04122025_3D7GFMY.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/media.squawka.com\\\/images\\\/2025\\\/12\\\/04101754\\\/LiamDelap04122025_3D7GFMY.jpg\",\"width\":2541,\"height\":1815,\"caption\":\"3D7GFMY London, UK. 25th Nov, 2025. Liam Delap of Chelsea celebrates at the final whistle during the Chelsea vs FC Barcelona UEFA Champions League match at Stamford Bridge, London. Picture credit should read: Paul Terry\\\/Sportimage Credit: Sportimage Ltd\\\/Alamy Live News\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.squawka.com\\\/en\\\/features\\\/tactical-analysis-liam-delap-chelsea-struggles\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Squawka\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.squawka.com\\\/en\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Features\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.squawka.com\\\/en\\\/features\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"Liam Delap analysis: Why the Chelsea striker\u2019s style is clashing with Maresca\u2019s system\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.squawka.com\\\/en\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.squawka.com\\\/en\\\/\",\"name\":\"Squawka | EN\",\"description\":\"Football News, Stats, and More...\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.squawka.com\\\/en\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.squawka.com\\\/en\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/d83177c024444113f28c89f65fde90b4\",\"name\":\"Ben McAleer\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/ecc09a71c5a7a0a154f65a823b2d57f865ae282917ddd2eadc3272ff5a55348f?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/ecc09a71c5a7a0a154f65a823b2d57f865ae282917ddd2eadc3272ff5a55348f?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/ecc09a71c5a7a0a154f65a823b2d57f865ae282917ddd2eadc3272ff5a55348f?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Ben McAleer\"},\"description\":\"Ben has over 15 years\u2019 worth of experience in the world of football writing and has previously featured on The Guardian, The Independent, Sky Sports, The Irish Examiner, talksport, and more. Ben is, for his sins, a Tottenham fan with a soft spot for Barnet.\",\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/benmcaleer1\"],\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.squawka.com\\\/en\\\/author\\\/benmcaleer\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Liam Delap analysis: Why the Chelsea striker\u2019s style is clashing with Maresca\u2019s system | Squawka | EN","description":"Liam Delap\u2019s struggles at Chelsea explained. Why his style doesn\u2019t fit Maresca\u2019s system and how Palmer\u2019s return may further limit his game time.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/features\/tactical-analysis-liam-delap-chelsea-struggles\/","og_locale":"en_GB","og_type":"article","og_title":"Liam Delap analysis: Why the Chelsea striker\u2019s style is clashing with Maresca\u2019s system","og_description":"Liam Delap\u2019s struggles at Chelsea explained. Why his style doesn\u2019t fit Maresca\u2019s system and how Palmer\u2019s return may further limit his game time.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/features\/tactical-analysis-liam-delap-chelsea-struggles\/","og_site_name":"Squawka | EN","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/SquawkaFootballNews\/","article_modified_time":"2025-12-04T10:40:57+00:00","og_image":[{"width":2541,"height":1815,"url":"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2025\/12\/04101754\/LiamDelap04122025_3D7GFMY.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_site":"@squawka","twitter_misc":{"Estimated reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/features\/tactical-analysis-liam-delap-chelsea-struggles\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/features\/tactical-analysis-liam-delap-chelsea-struggles\/"},"author":{"name":"Ben McAleer","@id":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/d83177c024444113f28c89f65fde90b4"},"headline":"Liam Delap analysis: Why the Chelsea striker\u2019s style is clashing with Maresca\u2019s system","datePublished":"2025-12-04T10:40:56+00:00","dateModified":"2025-12-04T10:40:57+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/features\/tactical-analysis-liam-delap-chelsea-struggles\/"},"wordCount":836,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/features\/tactical-analysis-liam-delap-chelsea-struggles\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2025\/12\/04101754\/LiamDelap04122025_3D7GFMY.jpg","inLanguage":"en-GB","accessibilityFeature":["tableOfContents"]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/features\/tactical-analysis-liam-delap-chelsea-struggles\/","url":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/features\/tactical-analysis-liam-delap-chelsea-struggles\/","name":"Liam Delap analysis: Why the Chelsea striker\u2019s style is clashing with Maresca\u2019s system | Squawka | EN","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/features\/tactical-analysis-liam-delap-chelsea-struggles\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/features\/tactical-analysis-liam-delap-chelsea-struggles\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2025\/12\/04101754\/LiamDelap04122025_3D7GFMY.jpg","datePublished":"2025-12-04T10:40:56+00:00","dateModified":"2025-12-04T10:40:57+00:00","description":"Liam Delap\u2019s struggles at Chelsea explained. Why his style doesn\u2019t fit Maresca\u2019s system and how Palmer\u2019s return may further limit his game time.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/features\/tactical-analysis-liam-delap-chelsea-struggles\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-GB","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/features\/tactical-analysis-liam-delap-chelsea-struggles\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/features\/tactical-analysis-liam-delap-chelsea-struggles\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2025\/12\/04101754\/LiamDelap04122025_3D7GFMY.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2025\/12\/04101754\/LiamDelap04122025_3D7GFMY.jpg","width":2541,"height":1815,"caption":"3D7GFMY London, UK. 25th Nov, 2025. Liam Delap of Chelsea celebrates at the final whistle during the Chelsea vs FC Barcelona UEFA Champions League match at Stamford Bridge, London. Picture credit should read: Paul Terry\/Sportimage Credit: Sportimage Ltd\/Alamy Live News"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/features\/tactical-analysis-liam-delap-chelsea-struggles\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Squawka","item":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Features","item":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/features\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Liam Delap analysis: Why the Chelsea striker\u2019s style is clashing with Maresca\u2019s system"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/","name":"Squawka | EN","description":"Football News, Stats, and More...","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-GB"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/d83177c024444113f28c89f65fde90b4","name":"Ben McAleer","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/ecc09a71c5a7a0a154f65a823b2d57f865ae282917ddd2eadc3272ff5a55348f?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/ecc09a71c5a7a0a154f65a823b2d57f865ae282917ddd2eadc3272ff5a55348f?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/ecc09a71c5a7a0a154f65a823b2d57f865ae282917ddd2eadc3272ff5a55348f?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Ben McAleer"},"description":"Ben has over 15 years\u2019 worth of experience in the world of football writing and has previously featured on The Guardian, The Independent, Sky Sports, The Irish Examiner, talksport, and more. Ben is, for his sins, a Tottenham fan with a soft spot for Barnet.","sameAs":["https:\/\/x.com\/benmcaleer1"],"url":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/author\/benmcaleer\/"}]}},"yoast_title":"","yoast_description":"Liam Delap\u2019s struggles at Chelsea explained. Why his style doesn\u2019t fit Maresca\u2019s system and how Palmer\u2019s return may further limit his game time.","yoast_keyword":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/features\/1416955","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/features"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/features"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3564"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/features\/1416955\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1416959"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1416955"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1416955"},{"taxonomy":"features-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/features-category?post=1416955"},{"taxonomy":"squawka-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/squawka-category?post=1416955"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}