Frustrating. He occasionally shows glimpses, holding up the ball, getting in behind, but can't head the pill for nuts. Sheesh.

31 minutes ago, dermott said:

Frustrating. He occasionally shows glimpses, holding up the ball, getting in behind, but can't head the pill for nuts. Sheesh.

Honestly I thought Delap was fine. That performance is kinda what I expect from him.

A front 3 of Delap, Garnacho and Lomba should be illegal

If we are going to play Delap, at least have a couple of good crossers could hit aerial ball. The style we are playing make him looks lost most of the time. It's another example of other clubs wanted him, so has to be a good choice.

He's trash, but also no-one in our team ever plays a through ball in behind the defence. We insist on playing in front of the opponent instead of behind them.

27 minutes ago, icecoolguy22 said:

If we are going to play Delap, at least have a couple of good crossers could hit aerial ball. The style we are playing make him looks lost most of the time. It's another example of other clubs wanted him, so has to be a good choice.

Except heading the ball is a concept unknown to him.

On 19/04/2026 at 09:14, Bob stark said:

Honestly I thought Delap was fine. That performance is kinda what I expect from him.

What bang average

He's had a seriously deissapointing season. Was expecting a bit more tbh... But we sign players and dont play to their stregnths, Disasi and Chalobah sort of being case in point. The Palace chalobah looks better then the Chelsea one. The West Ham Disasi might just help relegate Spurs, and for that, he deserves a cult status.

Delap at Ipswitch was a handful for teams at times, we've not seen that with us, firstly with Marescas dire football and now LR. SSDD.

As strikers go, I expected a lot lot more, he gets more yellow cards then goals, tells me strong powerful like fairy liquid, when did we get strikers from Ipswich and Brighton, oh yes our MODEL! 5 kin years makes my blood boil, back in the day we bought a striker called ROBERT FLECK from NORWICH, for £2 million a lot of wonga back in the day, he got 1 or 2 could even be 3 in his time at the blues, these nightmares keep coming back!

3 hours ago, bluelightening said:

He's had a seriously deissapointing season. Was expecting a bit more tbh... But we sign players and dont play to their stregnths, Disasi and Chalobah sort of being case in point. The Palace chalobah looks better then the Chelsea one. The West Ham Disasi might just help relegate Spurs, and for that, he deserves a cult status.

Delap at Ipswitch was a handful for teams at times, we've not seen that with us, firstly with Marescas dire football and now LR. SSDD.

He has turned out as I expected to be honest. I saw nothing to get excited about last season and thought he was crap for Ipswich. He deserved to be relegated with them and lived off a few good early games of the season.

3 hours ago, bluelightening said:

He's had a seriously deissapointing season. Was expecting a bit more tbh... But we sign players and dont play to their stregnths, Disasi and Chalobah sort of being case in point. The Palace chalobah looks better then the Chelsea one. The West Ham Disasi might just help relegate Spurs, and for that, he deserves a cult status.

Delap at Ipswitch was a handful for teams at times, we've not seen that with us, firstly with Marescas dire football and now LR. SSDD.

I agree we dont as a general rule play to players strengths in fact we rarely get the best out of any player in the squad.

However when it comes to Delap, what are these strengths? Has he actually got any? He either acts like a bull in a china shop until he picks up a booking, he couldnt trap a bag of cement, his ball control /first touch would not be a selling point at almost any level. He is rarely in the right place at the right time when the ball comes into the penalty area. He is to striking what Rosenior is to management. If Delap just needs more time, then how much more time 25 years?

He was described as good value / a no brainer at 30 million. Really? thats just pissing a smaller fee away rather than buying a proper striker. If we get 20- 25 Million for him it will be a masterstroke from Blue Co.

Edited April 21Apr 21 by OTL

On 21/04/2026 at 12:32, bluelightening said:

He's had a seriously deissapointing season. Was expecting a bit more tbh... But we sign players and dont play to their stregnths, Disasi and Chalobah sort of being case in point. The Palace chalobah looks better then the Chelsea one. The West Ham Disasi might just help relegate Spurs, and for that, he deserves a cult status.

Delap at Ipswitch was a handful for teams at times, we've not seen that with us, firstly with Marescas dire football and now LR. SSDD.

Chalobah who’s been our best defender this season?

1 hour ago, GarnachoCheese said:

Chalobah who’s been our best defender this season?

Dont think we play to Chalobah's strengths, looked a better defender with less mistakes at Palace under Glasner. I like chalobah... Dont get me wrong. but the fall off in form since Decmber is really staggering imo.

Worst striker we’ve had since Di Santo

On 21/04/2026 at 19:32, bluelightening said:

He's had a seriously deissapointing season. Was expecting a bit more tbh... But we sign players and dont play to their stregnths, Disasi and Chalobah sort of being case in point. The Palace chalobah looks better then the Chelsea one. The West Ham Disasi might just help relegate Spurs, and for that, he deserves a cult status.

Delap at Ipswitch was a handful for teams at times, we've not seen that with us, firstly with Marescas dire football and now LR. SSDD.

You need to be at Hazard/Messi category if you want to talk about having a team like Chelsea to play to your strength.

Edited April 23Apr 23 by Bob stark

Just remind me what are his strengths?

Liked him at Ipswich, but has been total under-whelming this season.

Our situation dictates a lot of players will need to be sold off this summer. Would sell him and Jacko if there are any takers.

I would actually keep Guiu. I think there is a player in there, and physically he is bulking out very nicely.

He's an utterly appalling footballer and should never wear a Chelsea shirt ever again.

Worth debating if he’s actually the worst player we’ve ever had.

Our Sds can now demonstrate how we can buy young talent, develop them and move into player trading mode bringing in handsome profit.

Off you go Winstanley & Stewart do your stuff.

Lets not forget this was a "no brainer" and very good value for a striker at 30-35million.

Edited May 17May 17 by OTL
couldnt trap a bag of cement

The words I have used most when talking about Delap is "he's sh*t" or some sort of variant of that.

I genuinely don't know what people saw in this guy, because even at Ipswich, he was awful. All he had was shot power. Look at all of his goals, he's just blasting the ball. It's what the brainless kids at school would do, just smack the ball as hard as possible at the target. No finesse to his shooting, no passing ability, awful touch, just smashes into players instead of getting in between them to try and hold up the ball, poor heading ability, can't link up with players. There is nothing he is good at. It may sound harsh, but it's true. The fact that our defenders made fools of themselves against him last season says more about their ability than his. It's incredible that he's made it to this level at all. I can only think it's because of his dad (who was also pretty sh*t) and the academy he came from, because he didn't reach this level with talent.

I heard his Maths is good though, maybe Countdown is a better fit for him.

4 hours ago, OTL said:

Our Sds can now demonstrate how we can buy young talent, develop them and move into player trading mode bringing in handsome profit.

Off you go Winstanley & Stewart do your stuff.

Lets not forget this was a "no brainer" and very good value for a striker at 30-35million.

Technically, if you listened to him speaking, it is a "no brainer"

10 hours ago, Scott Harris said:

The words I have used most when talking about Delap is "he's sh*t" or some sort of variant of that.

I genuinely don't know what people saw in this guy, because even at Ipswich, he was awful. All he had was shot power. Look at all of his goals, he's just blasting the ball. It's what the brainless kids at school would do, just smack the ball as hard as possible at the target. No finesse to his shooting, no passing ability, awful touch, just smashes into players instead of getting in between them to try and hold up the ball, poor heading ability, can't link up with players. There is nothing he is good at. It may sound harsh, but it's true. The fact that our defenders made fools of themselves against him last season says more about their ability than his. It's incredible that he's made it to this level at all. I can only think it's because of his dad (who was also pretty sh*t) and the academy he came from, because he didn't reach this level with talent.

I heard his Maths is good though, maybe Countdown is a better fit for him.

Shame we couldnt adapt to his smash and grab style then. Scored more for ispwitch in a relegation threatened side so not sure why he's not scored more for us. except for Ipswitch actually had wingers who would attack the byline, one of them was a former player of ours... Can easily see him staying or being moved on but think he may well stick about given Alonso's leverkusen side relying on a target man in Boniface. Wont be sad to see him stay or go though. Still think this transfer could work out.

Dont forget, Maresca hates attacking football and strikers and that still needs unwinding by the new manager. I suspect cole Palmer might come a cropper under an all running/ pressing style of football with Alonso. One to watch develop or not next season. And tbs, Im already looking forwardt to it, Alonso appointment has lifted the gloom a little. Hope it works out.

On 29/05/2025 at 15:01, Nibs said:

I agree.

Don't want to get carried away, but just imagine if in a couple of seasons, he's being labelled the new Alan Shearer!

Just want to make it clear, in case folk misinterpreted my comment back in May last year, when I likened Delap to Shearer, I meant Shearer NOW, at 55 years of age.

Delap was signed because he was 22 and had 20/30m release clause which was a bargain for st. It is that simple.

Edited May 18May 18 by Bob stark