Former England striker Michael Owen has delivered a frank assessment of Chelsea's young forward Liam Delap, labelling elements of his performance in the 2-0 win over Burnley as 'selfish'.
A Game of Two Halves for Delap
Enzo Maresca's Chelsea side secured a comfortable 2-0 victory at Turf Moor in Saturday's early kick-off, with goals from Pedro Neto and Enzo Fernandez sealing the three points. Leading the line for the Blues was 22-year-old Liam Delap, a £30 million summer signing from Ipswich Town, who is still searching for his first goal for the club this season.
While the team celebrated the win, Owen provided a nuanced critique of Delap's contribution during his 67 minutes on the pitch. 'A mixed bag, I feel,' Owen told Premier League Productions when analysing the striker's first-half display. 'I quite like this lad, I do feel he’s got quite a lot to offer, I do think he is quite raw and he can get better.'
The 'Selfish' Moment That Drew Criticism
Owen pinpointed a specific incident where he believed Delap's decision-making let him down. Instead of playing in a teammate during a promising Chelsea attack, Delap opted to take a long-range shot himself. 'I do think in this situation he needs to be a little bit more unselfish, he probably could have passed it a couple of times,' Owen stated.
He elaborated on the better option available to the young striker: 'If he plays this ball in [to Pedro Neto] and makes a run to take the defender away, he will leave Neto with a one-on-one in this area. I think he’s got to do that instead of being a bit selfish and thinking he’s going to score a goal on his own. He takes a pot-shot from 25 yards and it’s not great.'
Praise and Potential for Improvement
It wasn't all criticism from the former Liverpool and Real Madrid star. Owen was quick to highlight Delap's positive movement and off-the-ball work, even if his teammates failed to find him with passes. 'He needs to be aware all of this space [in Chelsea’s half] is his, he needs to be there before the defender, he can’t wait, he can’t be on the back foot. His size and power, he should be getting hold of that,' Owen advised.
He also praised Delap's ability to run in behind defences, suggesting that with better service, he could be a major threat. 'Now this is what he loves, this is what I see he’s great at, all this space in behind, he loves to make a run in behind, he’s in there if there was somebody on the ball who is a little bit more aware of his runs. I do like that from him, he’s very good at that.'
Owen concluded with an optimistic outlook for the player's future, stating, 'I think with a little bit of coaching, this fella could be a very good player.'
In contrast, Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca offered public support for his striker after the match. He praised Delap's 'industrious performance' against Burnley and urged for patience, confidently asserting that 'the goal will arrive'. Maresca also highlighted the intangible benefits Delap brings, noting that his presence and work rate are a constant worry for opposition defenders, which in turn benefits the entire team.
