Joao Pedro shining for Chelsea – but will Delap get many more chances?
Joao Pedro has rediscovered his sparkle under Liam Rosenior, and his cool finish against Port Vale after a neat turn in the box was his 12th goal in 18 games under Enzo Maresca’s replacement as head coach.
But the 24-year-old Brazilian’s all-round contribution has perhaps been even more impressive.
Joao Pedro had previously looked lost, flitting between roles as a centre-forward and a number 10.
Playing more regularly as the main man up front has seen an obvious uplift in confidence and a return to the form he showed when he made such a sensational impact as Chelsea won the Club World Cup last summer.
Seemingly, a combination of more certainty in his role and the added responsibility of being the main man has made all the difference, transforming him from the lost, jaded figure we saw in the past few weeks of Maresca’s reign.
His work rate has stepped up a level, his hold-up play has been sharper and more precise, and he has been more selective in when to drop deep and when to remain in advanced positions.
Lavia teases, Estavao excels
The sight of Romeo Lavia in a Chelsea shirt tends to bring excitement and fear in equal measure.
The Belgian midfielder’s quality on the ball, passing range and ability to link play, sitting in one of the holding midfield spots, has never been in doubt. But neither has his ability to pick up injuries.
The former Manchester City youngster joined in August 2023 but has only started 13 Premier League games. And, given his lamentable fitness record, question marks remain about his resilience and robustness.
Estavao’s return following injury was an equally encouraging sight. The teenager, while clearly – and understandably – not as his sharpest, was a menace throughout.
It’s easy to forget how young he is, but the boost he gives the team and supporters is huge, and he handles the pressure and weight of expectation superbly.
Playing a key role in a 7-0 destruction of a below-average team was nothing more than an exercise in getting him ready for huge tests to come. Cole Palmer saying he feels almost back to his best means Chelsea’s match-winning potential is huge for the run-in and FA Cup semi-final at Wembley.
Enzo on the naughty step, Cucurella concern
While the general consensus has been that the club’s decision to impose a two-game ban on Enzo Fernandez for ill-advised comments suggesting he would be happy to join Real Madrid in the summer, it was still a brave call to put the £100m Argentine on the naughty step.
But, despite some grumblings from his agent, a smiling Fernandez was at the Bridge on Saturday to cheer his team-mates as they routed Vale.
Rosenior’s insistence that his relationship with Fernandez remains strong and positive gives some reason for optimism, but maybe it’s a ploy to push up his price should Chelsea fall short of Champions League qualification and need the cash.
Marc Cucurella has also tested the patience of the club’s hierarchy, oversharing his love of Barcelona when asked if a move to the Catalans appealed. It will be interesting to see if there is any more fallout on that front
Delap yet to deliver
Liam Delap’s Blues future is far from certain. Another forgettable appearance racked up and another game that has done very little to convince that he has the extra quality to be a viable option in a title-challenging team.
Circumstances have clearly not been kind to the striker, with a bright start ruined by the hamstring injury. But he has looked cumbersome for the most part, lacking the touch and quality needed to hold up play with any consistency.
At the moment, aside from the obvious nuisance factor he offers off the bench given his physical approach, it feels like a case of putting him in the shop window with as many minutes on the pitch as can be justified.
He may be given pre-season to prove his worth – and he probably deserves that because of his decent start and some flashes of what made him such a handful at Ipswich – but the rumours are gaining momentum that he will be off in the summer.
