Liam Delap’s elbow sealed his £30m move to Everton as an inevitable Alonso sacrifice | OneFootball

Over-compensation is one of humanity’s most tried-and-tested mechanisms against the realisation of our own limitations.

Need proof? Just look at some of our world leaders; you can’t say that Trump, Putin or Xi are well-adjusted individuals and comfortable in their own skin.

At a micro-level, we’ve all indulged in this practise, from getting overly drunk in awkward social situations or buying a flashy car to distract from our bodily flaws.

It’s human nature to seek escape when the brain realises we’re out of place. Which is why we have every sympathy with Liam Delap.

Chelsea paid £30million for Delap last summer, snaring the striker from Ipswich primarily to stop their domestic rivals strengthening their own squad.

Scoring 12 goals in a relegated team was a solid return for a young striker. Some had started measuring his World Cup suit and sounding out his dietary requirements for the plane.

Alas, a year at Stamford Bridge has turned Delap into a punchline. Too often, he’s looked more akin to a greased piglet running amok in a gusty barn than a professional footballer.

Delap wouldn’t have risen to the Premier League without well co-ordinated feet and an eye for goal, but a year at Chelsea has zapped him of any confidence.

Given a rare (non-Rosenior) start against Tottenham, the son of Rory put in another ineffectual display.

With the game almost won, Delap went into challenge Spurs defender Djed Spence for a bouncing ball. His eyes remained transfixed on Spence, as if a supersized insect had landed on his opponent’s face, as the ball vanished into irrelevancy.

The challenge itself redefined the definition of agricultural. Delap led with his elbow, lashing out like a startled horse to leave Spence prone on the ground. Unaware of the pain he’d inflicted, the Chelsea striker bounded away in the ball’s general direction.

Remarkably, it was only deemed a yellow card offence and VAR didn’t get involved. You suspect replacing referees with a pitchside roulette wheel would produce more consistent decisions.

As Chelsea prepare to welcome Xabi Alonso to the club in July, the prospect of Delap remaining at Stamford Bridge this summer feels remote.

Everton are the club linked most strongly with his signature, while newly-promoted Ipswich would dearly love to re-sign their former striker.

Modern football being what it is, Chelsea will fully expect to get their £30million fee back and consider the whole escapade business well done.

Delap isn’t the first player to make an oversized jump to a Big Six club, before finding their own level further down the division. On paper, he’d do well as the focal point of a David Moyes-led team.

But the effects of a humbling year at Stamford Bridge, watching the likes of Cole Palmer do the crossbar challenge blindfolded while he struggles to complete 10 keepie-uppies, will only become apparent in the months ahead.

Can Delap find his level and shed the desperate need to overcompensate for his technical limitations? With England’s post-Kane striking cupboard looking bare, we should all probably hope that he does.