Chelsea striker Liam Delap is facing mounting pressure after a difficult start to his career at Stamford Bridge, with his performance in the recent win over Burnley drawing sharp criticism from former England star Michael Owen.
The Unwanted 007 Moniker
The former Ipswich Town talisman, who joined Chelsea in a £30 million summer transfer, has yet to score or provide an assist in seven appearances this season. This barren run has seen social media users dub him with the unfortunate '007' nickname - zero goals and zero assists in seven outings.
While Delap did find the net in the Club World Cup against Esperance, he has failed to score since the start of the 2025/26 season. His campaign has been further hampered by a hamstring injury that sidelined him for a significant period.
Owen's Blunt Assessment
Following Chelsea's 2-0 victory over Burnley on Saturday, Michael Owen delivered a frank analysis of the 22-year-old's performance. While expressing fondness for the player, Owen didn't hold back in his criticism of specific moments during the match.
The former Liverpool striker highlighted one particular incident where Delap chose to shoot from distance rather than pass to teammate Pedro Neto. "I do think in this situation he needs to be a little bit more unselfish," Owen told Premier League Productions. "If he plays this ball in and makes a run to take the defender away, he will leave Neto with a one-on-one... He takes a pot-shot from 25 yards and it's not great."
Manager's Support Amidst Criticism
In stark contrast to Owen's blunt assessment, Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has publicly backed his struggling striker. Speaking after the Burnley game, Maresca urged patience and highlighted Delap's off-ball contributions.
"Be patient, no doubt that the goal will arrive and the way he worked today was very important," Maresca stated. "Liam is also that kind of striker that you as a defender are always worried when he's around you, so that's also good for the team."
Owen did concur with this particular positive, praising Delap's movement and the problems he causes defenders. "This is what I see he's great at, all this space in behind, he loves to make a run in behind," Owen noted, adding that "with a little bit of coaching, this fella could be a very good player."
The scrutiny comes at a crucial time for Chelsea, who face important clashes against Barcelona and Arsenal this week. It remains to be seen how many minutes Delap will be afforded as he looks to silence his critics and shed his unwanted nickname.
