24 minutes ago, WhiteWall said:

In truth the bad luck he has had has largely been self induced.

I am wondering if this overstated bravado is all of a bit of a smokescreen and he is trying to put himself about to cover up that on a footballing level he knows he's out of his depth.

Drogba used to bully defenders with his skills and physical presence.

Delap's bullying is just barging into defenders and injuring himself

5 hours ago, WhiteWall said:

In truth the bad luck he has had has largely been self induced.

I am wondering if this overstated bravado is all of a bit of a smokescreen and he is trying to put himself about to cover up that on a footballing level he knows he's out of his depth.

Dont think he is out of his depth league wise, he was strong for Ipswich despite relegation, was happy with the club signing him. He just hasnt settled on the pitch with us yet because he's either been injured or suspended. He's probably trying to hard imo and not sure he's on the team's wavelength yet. Troubling for him is the season looks like passing him by and the club will make a decision next summer on his services as they line up the next coming of Messi.

3 hours ago, bluelightening said:

Dont think he is out of his depth league wise, he was strong for Ipswich despite relegation, was happy with the club signing him. He just hasnt settled on the pitch with us yet because he's either been injured or suspended. He's probably trying to hard imo and not sure he's on the team's wavelength yet. Troubling for him is the season looks like passing him by and the club will make a decision next summer on his services as they line up the next coming of Messi.

I do think the qualification of scoring in a relegated side can be a bit misleading. Zian Flemming at Burnley is currently at just under a goal every two games played. The fact that there is more space and less close marking in a heavy counter attack based side because they are under the cosh in most games (except against us!) gives more opportunity for an attacker. There is also the first season, new face, unknown commodity element.

If anything perhaps, when looking at Delap at Ipswich last year, it's McKenna we should have tried harder with.

I'm hoping I'm wrong but in a league crying out for traditional strikers, to have a £30m release clause and a competitive buy back clause from his original club and we're the only ones that went for him, speaks volumes, I think.

11 hours ago, WhiteWall said:

I do think the qualification of scoring in a relegated side can be a bit misleading. Zian Flemming at Burnley is currently at just under a goal every two games played. The fact that there is more space and less close marking in a heavy counter attack based side because they are under the cosh in most games (except against us!) gives more opportunity for an attacker. There is also the first season, new face, unknown commodity element.

If anything perhaps, when looking at Delap at Ipswich last year, it's McKenna we should have tried harder with.

I'm hoping I'm wrong but in a league crying out for traditional strikers, to have a £30m release clause and a competitive buy back clause from his original club and we're the only ones that went for him, speaks volumes, I think.

Yeah all true and valid... I think it is very difficult for a striker or attacker to play in a Maresca system, so yeah McKenna might have been a good shout. But we've decided to give Maresca the time and space to build something.

from my perspective, he just looks like a slow burn /developing type player. The longer and more settled he is with us the better and more in tune he will become to the side. I'll be happy if he is still here next season.

Regardless of the style of football we play, there is always a need for classic center forward play with a strong guy up top. Look around the league and he's probably still the top prospect. The striker who has picked up my attention this season is Igor Jesus at Forrest who has been very unlucky in front of goal, he just has something about him around the box I like and might be a good team mate for our stevo. Could see a swap between the clubs given Dych likes a big man and Woods is done.

15 hours ago, WhiteWall said:

I do think the qualification of scoring in a relegated side can be a bit misleading. Zian Flemming at Burnley is currently at just under a goal every two games played. The fact that there is more space and less close marking in a heavy counter attack based side because they are under the cosh in most games (except against us!) gives more opportunity for an attacker. There is also the first season, new face, unknown commodity element.

If anything perhaps, when looking at Delap at Ipswich last year, it's McKenna we should have tried harder with.

I'm hoping I'm wrong but in a league crying out for traditional strikers, to have a £30m release clause and a competitive buy back clause from his original club and we're the only ones that went for him, speaks volumes, I think.

United and Newcastle were both in for him. Delap had talks with all three clubs and then indicated his preference, which was to join us.

https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/13367261/man-utd-believed-to-be-in-pole-position-to-sign-liam-delap-in-summer-transfer-from-ipswich

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cx2qe069zl1o

He had several clubs interested. It was seen as good business. Defo was not a one-team race.

15 hours ago, WhiteWall said:

If anything perhaps, when looking at Delap at Ipswich last year, it's McKenna we should have tried harder with.

Man United were favourites for Delap for a long time and were probably going to sign him if they had European football.

McKenna was almost certainly the board's first choice over Maresca. Maresca wasn't even linked until much later.

7 hours ago, SydneyChelsea said:

Man United were favourites for Delap for a long time and were probably going to sign him if they had European football.

McKenna was almost certainly the board's first choice over Maresca. Maresca wasn't even linked until much later.

Maybe. I read the article too. We'll never truly know cos it all looks like media speculation with no firm bids. But I'm happy to concede the point. I still see little to suggest that he will fulfil all of our expectations. Once again I think it could be a situation where the club are focusing on Delap and Guiu and overlooking the fact that we may have someone better than both, in Mhueka, already developed within our system.

Available Sunday

On 07/12/2025 at 21:42, The Rising Sun said:

Drogba used to bully defenders with his skills and physical presence.

Delap's bullying is just barging into defenders and injuring himself

Or picking up yellow or red cards.

We know Delap can bully and destroy teams .

As long as he's playing against Chelsea!!

Our way of playing doesn't really help him tbh , he's always ready for an early ball that arrives eventually 20 mins late ! Still, let's hope the lad can rediscover the form he showed in one particular game last season!

,"Delap's barnstorming display lit up Portman Road like a New Year's Eve fireworks display. He was simply unplayable.

A one-man wrecking ball, crashing his way through the Chelsea defence, winning his own penalty that he of course dispatched before setting up Omari Hutchinson to really add extra sting to the result for the Chelsea fans. He is one of their own who they let go in the summer.

When Ipswich were out on their feet defending their box under huge pressure from Chelsea, Delap's ability to charge with the ball up the pitch was priceless. Kieran McKenna afforded him the standing ovation his performance deserved by taking him off in stoppage time. A legend is truly born. And Ipswich now have real survival hopes with a player of this potential in their ranks.'

16 hours ago, The Rising Sun said:

We know Delap can bully and destroy teams .

As long as he's playing against Chelsea!!

Our way of playing doesn't really help him tbh , he's always ready for an early ball that arrives eventually 20 mins late ! Still, let's hope the lad can rediscover the form he showed in one particular game last season!

,"Delap's barnstorming display lit up Portman Road like a New Year's Eve fireworks display. He was simply unplayable.

A one-man wrecking ball, crashing his way through the Chelsea defence, winning his own penalty that he of course dispatched before setting up Omari Hutchinson to really add extra sting to the result for the Chelsea fans. He is one of their own who they let go in the summer.

When Ipswich were out on their feet defending their box under huge pressure from Chelsea, Delap's ability to charge with the ball up the pitch was priceless. Kieran McKenna afforded him the standing ovation his performance deserved by taking him off in stoppage time. A legend is truly born. And Ipswich now have real survival hopes with a player of this potential in their ranks.'

You're right. Maresca's methods don't help him. They don't help anyone playing as striker. Beyond that, he needs to rethink and recalibrate. Less of the bully boy, more of what he has proved he's capable of.

On 25/12/2025 at 04:18, dermott said:

You're right. Maresca's methods don't help him. They don't help anyone playing as striker. Beyond that, he needs to rethink and recalibrate. Less of the bully boy, more of what he has proved he's capable of.

This. This. This.

Why is Maresca playing Delap as this Giroud esq forward? He's best playing as a forward who drops and helps build up play whilst the wingers make direct runs.

He’s the same profile as Jackson funny enough.

Good point.

More cards than goals... 12 games across his minutes, not scored for us in the league... Either weve signed a striker with less ability than Jackson or Maresca's tactics are stale; talented forwards perish in his system.

Edited December 27, 2025Dec 27 by bluelightening

3 minutes ago, bluelightening said:

More cards than goals... 12 games across his minutes, not scored for us in the league... Either weve signed a striker with less ability than Jackson or Maresca's tactics are stale; talented forwards perish in his system.

Maresca's system is definitely not suited to him. He may not be good enough or raw but in this system he actually does nothing. Can't get hold of the ball or control it. Not getting chances. Guaranteed he has better output for any other side aside from a Spurs or Utd.

On 26/12/2025 at 13:36, Sconnie Blue said:

This. This. This.

Why is Maresca playing Delap as this Giroud esq forward? He's best playing as a forward who drops and helps build up play whilst the wingers make direct runs.

He’s the same profile as Jackson funny enough.

I don't think he has the technical ability to help our wingers with build up play. He can never control or hold the ball.

2 minutes ago, KonaKai Blue said:

Maresca's system is definitely not suited to him. He may not be good enough or raw but in this system he actually does nothing. Can't get hold of the ball or control it. Not getting chances. Guaranteed he has better output for any other side aside from a Spurs or Utd.

Its not suited to the squad, or english football, nothing against the guy, and the next appointment could be 100 percent worse.. but all our attacking players look shot under his coaching.

Someone brought up the Hoddle stat and loses on the match thread, I'd have Hoddle's football back in a heartbeat compared to Maresca's, at least hoddle's sides could change formations and tactics during a game and he improved players

I'm quite shocked how poor he is ... and I can't see any reason to play him ahead of even Guiu or George at this point ...

Can’t lace Nicos boots !!!

Nah can’t judge the kid when he’s being asked to play a style he isn’t suited to.

Either the SD’s have appointed the wrong manager for their ‘vision’ or the manager has lied in how he’ll utilise players.

5 minutes ago, The Boehly Babes said:

Nah can’t judge the kid when he’s being asked to play a style he isn’t suited to.

Either the SD’s have appointed the wrong manager for their ‘vision’ or the manager has lied in how he’ll utilise players.

Or the third possibility that Delap is actually pretty crap ?

Even if all your points are valid, there still has to be something decent that Delap will do in any given game he's been picked for ... and there is basically nothing ... no highlights at all ... no moments ... just a sea of mediocrity ...

48 minutes ago, Sexyfootball said:

Or the third possibility that Delap is actually pretty crap ?

Even if all your points are valid, there still has to be something decent that Delap will do in any given game he's been picked for ... and there is basically nothing ... no highlights at all ... no moments ... just a sea of mediocrity ...

Spot on. The lad hasn’t even hinted at having the ability to be in a title challenging side (or even in our case, a top 5 challenging side) irrespective of tactics or coach. Palmer is suffering injuries and misuse, but he still manages to show how talented he is.

1 hour ago, bluelightening said:

More cards than goals... 12 games across his minutes, not scored for us in the league... Either weve signed a striker with less ability than Jackson or Maresca's tactics are stale; talented forwards perish in his system.

I think that both is true. Maybe he can improve under a better manager. No chance under this moron.

8 minutes ago, WhiteWall said:

I think that both is true. Maybe he can improve under a better manager. No chance under this moron.

We signed a striker in the summer. I'd just like to ask Maresca what's happened to him and the wingers since then.

I think he's a good player, will be a good striker, and despite more cards than goals, I still dont have a problem with him playing for us. his Milan goal was a touch of class and we really need to see more of it. That's all, just dont think it happens with Maresca in charge.

4 minutes ago, bluelightening said:

We signed a striker in the summer. I'd just like to ask Maresca what's happened to him and the wingers since then.

I think he's a good player, will be a good striker, and despite more cards than goals, I still dont have a problem with him playing for us. his Milan goal was a touch of class and we really need to see more of it. That's all, just dont think it happens with Maresca in charge.

Milan?