Liam Delap expressed regret, saying, “I shouldn’t have waited,” after an unusual celebration following what he mistakenly believed was a goal during Chelsea’s 4-0 victory over Hull.
Alan Shearer was left perplexed as Delap celebrated when the ball hit the crossbar and bounced down onto the goal line, rather than scoring from the rebound.
In their FA Cup fourth round match, the Chelsea forward blocked a clearance from Hull’s goalkeeper Dillon Phillips. Instead of scoring the rebound while the ball lingered tantalizingly above the goal line, Delap first celebrated and then appealed to the officials, seemingly believing he had ample time to confirm the goal.
Eventually regaining his focus, Delap’s shot from the rebound was blocked by Phillips.
“Goodness me,” declared the legendary goalscorer Shearer during his BBC commentary. “What is Delap doing? It’s as if he thinks he has all the time in the world. He ambles toward it, taking his time. What is he waiting for?”
Shearer continued, “Liam Delap has had a rough few minutes. He has given the ball away twice and missed a clear opportunity. He hasn’t performed well, and given the chance tonight, he looks lethargic. His performance needs to improve.”
Delap later reflected to BBC, “I thought it went in, and I was waiting for the ref to blow his whistle. Obviously, I shouldn’t have waited. It was a silly thing to do, but it was crazy.”
Following Delap’s performance that included three assists in the victory, Shearer stated, “Delap turned things around after his rocky start and played a key role in the win. He deserves a lot of credit for that.”
Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior said, “Being a No. 9 in our system isn’t just about individual success. It’s about facilitating play for others and making runs that create space.”
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Since joining Chelsea from Ipswich Town last summer, Delap has scored just twice in 23 matches.
While João Pedro has been the preferred choice as Chelsea’s main striker, Delap was given a chance to shine in a rotated squad for the FA Cup match.
In the first half, despite the strange incident at the goal line, Delap took until the 40th minute to complete a pass into the opposition half, which ultimately became an assist for the first goal.
Alongside Pedro Neto’s hat trick and a goal from Estêvão, Chelsea secured their progression in the tournament.