Chelsea managed to win 4-2 against Wrexham to book their place in the next round of the FA Cup. The game was a lot closer than that scoreline suggests though. In fact, there are many who might argue that the Championship side deserved to go through based on the performances put in on the night.
Ultimately, Chelsea’s quality did end up making the difference. They rode their luck and had a couple of moments of individual brilliance. And that’s all they needed to get past Wrexham.
We have already seen a few cup upsets this season. Fortunately, Chelsea did not find themselves on the end of one. If the Blues fan to finish this campaign with any form of silverware, the FA Cup might be their best chance of doing so.
Anyways, there were a lot of players who could not make the most of the opportunity that was presented to them on the night. Liam Delap was one of them. The English striker has scored just three times since joining Chelsea in the summer. This was a chance to add to that tally. Instead, he endured a tough night against Championship defenders and was eventually subbed off for Joao Pedro, who further underlined the difference between the two with a goal off the bench.
Wayne Rooney gives advice to Liam Delap
There was one good moment from Delap on the night though. That came in the build-up to Chelsea’s first goal. The Englishman had struggled with the physical side of the game until that point. But he did show his strength on that occasion, playing an integral role that led to the Blues’ equaliser.
England and Manchester United icon, Wayne Rooney, appears to believe that Delap needs to show more of that strength. According to The Chelsea Chronicle, he said on BBC: “The Wrexham defenders have done really well against Liam Delap. He needs to be stronger, and this is the first time really he used his strength.
“I think Delap does really well here, we need to see more of this from Delap. Every time the ball’s come into him, he’s lost it too easily. You see the difference when he does keep hold of the ball, they score.”
Delap’s long-term future at Chelsea is up in the air
Chelsea spent £30 million to sign Delap from Ipswich Town in the summer. Back then, it was thought of as a bargain. But now, it feels like the Blues might have overpaid for someone who has looked like a very ordinary striker over the course of the season.
Chelsea fans had been hoping to see someone similar to Diego Costa. A strong, physical presence up top who would be a handful for the opposition defenders while also having the quality in front of goal.
We have seen very little of that from Delap. Neither has he scored consistently, nor has he been the target man that raises the games of those around him.
As a result, he is believed to be fighting for his long-term future at Chelsea already. And if things don’t improve soon, that is a fight he will lose.
