Troy Deeney has laid out a surprising blueprint for Liam Delap’s Chelsea survival, urging the striker to study the relentless physicality of Zian Flemming to finally unlock his potential under Liam Rosenior.
Liam Delap was supposed to be Chelsea‘s main number nine after joining for £30 million during the summer transfer window.
However, he’s managed just two goals in all competitions and just one in the Premier League.
Liam Rosenior has promised fans that Liam Delap will come good in his second season at Chelsea, but given their current options, they may not be able to wait that long.
Instead, Troy Deeney has suggested an immediate plan to try and get the best out of Delap.
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Liam Delap told to watch videos of Burnley striker Zian Flemming
Chelsea was a topic of conversation on The Football Exchange, with Troy Deeney focusing on Liam Delap’s situation at Chelsea in particular.
“You’re not going to like this bit, but I would really, if I were Liam Rosenior, do you know what I would do or coach? I’d pull Delap into a room the next day, and I’d have all the clips of Flemming.
“Every clip that Flemming did, I’d go, “Do you remember when you used to play like this? Do you remember that?” Like when you used to be physical, you used to be that. Not showing off for the crowd, not now trying to barge people into the stadium, like actually be physical, but to a point where it helps the team.
“And I’ll just go, can we get you back to that because you’re not going to be a better footballer in this short amountof time. That’ll come in preseason. We’ll get you to that part.
“But for right now, what Chelsea needs is a battering ram, and obviously, when Joao comes off, I understand the Joao change because he is the only one who’s scoring consistently. So you can’t really run the risk of him running, you know, chasing the lost cause in the 85th minute, and he pulls his hamstring.”
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Liam Delap’s struggles explained
Liam Delap’s struggles at Chelsea are primarily a result of culture shock and persistent fitness issues.
Having arrived following a prolific 12-goal season at Ipswich, Delap has struggled to transition from a counter-attacking system to Chelsea’s high-possession approach. At Ipswich, he thrived on using his pace in wide-open spaces, but under Rosenior, he is often tasked with breaking down compact, low blocks.
His rhythm has been further disrupted by a severe hamstring injury in August and subsequent shoulder issues, which limited him to just one Premier League goal in his first 17 appearances.
As Troy Deeney noted, Delap often appears isolated and unhappy, particularly when played out of position on the wing. Without the physical nuisance factor that Deeney believes he needs, Delap will struggle to become a regular starter.
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