‘Not working’ – Chelsea warned that £30m star looks ‘lost’ under Liam Rosenior

Gabby Agbonlahor believes Liam Delap’s move to Chelsea is ‘not working’ and suggested the striker looks ‘lost’ since the arrival of Liam Rosenior.

Delap turned down an approach from Manchester United to sign for Chelsea for £30million last summer, but has endured a difficult start to life at Stamford Bridge.

The English striker has scored two goals in 21 appearances in all competitions, with injuries and the form of Joao Pedro limiting his game time even further this season.

Rosenior’s arrival has not yet proved a turning point for Delap’s fortunes at Chelsea, and the 22-year-old had a particularly frustrating night on Tuesday as the Blues were knocked out of the Carabao Cup by Arsenal.

Delap often found himself taking up a position as a right makeshift winger in Rosenior’s three-at-the-back system, but found it hard work up against Piero Hincapie before being replaced on the hour mark.

Truth be told, it was a difficult night for all of Chelsea’s attackers, but former Aston Villa striker Agbonlahor believes that Delap’s display was of particular concern.

Analysing Delap’s performance on Tuesday, Agbonlahor told talkSPORT: ‘What I didn’t understand was Liam Delap on the right.

‘I could play on the wing because I was quick but if one sort of striker couldn’t play on the wing it’s Liam Delap.

‘He looked lost. He got the ball, he tried to take on Hincapie, and lost it every time.’

Delap made the move to Chelsea after just one season in the English top-flight with Ipswich Town, but Agbonlahor believes that might have proved a misstep.

‘No, this isn’t working,’ he added. ‘I said when he joined Chelsea that I thought he should hav gone to a team like Everton.

‘Develop there for a couple of years and then make the big move to top-six side. I think the jump from Ipswich to Chelsea was too much.

‘When I look at him as a striker, I like him – he can hold up the ball well, he’s a good finisher, but he just doesn’t look sharp enough for the top level of the Premier League.

‘Someone like [Victor] Osimhen was the striker they should have gone out and got.’

Meanwhile, former Chelsea manager Ruud Gullit suggested that Delap will not be ‘happy’ with Rosenior after being shunted out onto the right wing against Arsenal.

‘Liam Delap was not happy with starting on the right wing against Arsenal,’ he told Gambling Insider. ‘It’s clear that Liam Rosenior played him there so they could launch long balls to him, but he looked totally out of place.

‘If you get the ball into the box, then Delap will do his best to get on the end of it, but when you’re asking him to drop deeper into midfield or out wide, then it’s a different story.

‘It’s a pity that Delap didn’t play closer to Joao Pedro, because the Brazilian looked all on his own up front. I feel like that would have helped both players if they started in attack together.

‘I understand why Rosenior set up like that, but when it came to Chelsea going for it and trying to attack Arsenal, they couldn’t create anything and they lost the tie.’

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