Liam Delap’s goalscoring woes continued as the Chelsea striker celebrated early against Hull City in the FA Cup – only to discover he hadn’t scored.
The 23-year-old thought he had struck gold as he intercepted goalkeeper Dillon Phillips’s outball and saw it crash off the bar and seemingly roll over the goal line.
Delap put his hand up to claim the goal – thinking he had put his team 1-0 up – but the ball ricocheted out and he ambled over to it.
With an empty net, the striker still protested at referee Farai Hallam. Delap only realised he’d have to shoot again when it was too late – Phillips was back in position.
Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior cut a frustrated figure on the touchline and BBC co-commentator Alan Shearer could scarcely believe what he had seen. Delap’s only saving grace was that the Blues went on to win 4-0, and he later provided an assist for Pedro Neto.
‘He does really, really well. Even from that angle I don’t think that’s in. But he just sort of walks to it and takes his time,’ said Shearer.
Liam Delap celebrated prematurely as he thought he had put Chelsea 1-0 up against Hull – but the ball hadn’t crossed the line
Liam Rosenior could scarcely believe what he had seen from his misfiring striker
‘He was even having a look around and I’m thinking: “go on, get on the end of it, show some urgency.”
‘Then he’s having a look around again to put his arms in the air.
‘I’m thinking, just put it in the net! Then there’s no argument! Goodness me, what are you waiting for?’
Delap was fortunate that his team-mates would be more clinical in front of goal, with Neto scoring a hat-trick and Estevao Willian getting in on the act. Delap did, at least, register three assists for his Portuguese team-mate.
The Englishman took full responsibility when quizzed about the bizarre moment after the final whistle.
‘I swear on my life I almost ran off [the pitch],’ he said.
‘I thought it went in and then I was waiting for the ref to blow his whistle. Obviously I should have waited for the ref to blow his whistle. It’s silly from me but yeah, crazy.’
Delap has only scored two goals in 24 games since signing from Ipswich for £30million over the summer.
Hampered by a few frustrating injury setbacks, the striker first struggled to break into Chelsea’s XI consistently under Enzo Maresca and has since seen little improvement with new coach Liam Rosenior at the helm.
Delivering his verdict on the transfer, Jamie Carragher recently told the Stick to Football podcast: ‘It was a bad move. Honestly, it was a bad move going to Chelsea.
‘I just think young players, when they’re on a journey and getting better, the jump from Ipswich and Chelsea was too big, he needed somewhere in the middle.
‘Somewhere like Everton. If you play centre forward for Everton and play every game and know even if you have a few bad games you’re still going to play.’
