Nicolas Jackson can be pretty pleased with how his first season at Chelsea went, with the striker finishing as the team’s second-highest goalscorer.
Nicolas Jackson joined Chelsea from Villarreal last summer and in 44 appearances for the Blues, he managed to net 17 times.
Only Cole Palmer, who was on penalty duty, was able to score more goals than Jackson after registering on 25 occasions.
Still, there is much room for improvement, with one statistic really showing how far the Senegal international is from being the complete striker. Even so, Chelsea view Jackson as integral.
Where Nicolas Jackson struggled last season
While Jackson was not far off 20 goals in all competitions, his finishing was still far from convincing.
His xG in the Premier League, for example, was 18.66, but the forward only scored 14 goals (WhoScored). So he actually could have done even better in the English top flight.
It is not the only area where Jackson needs to improve going forward, though. Last term, the 23-year-old also struggled to get the ball to stick at times.
As shared by beIN SPORTS, Jackson was dispossessed on 66 occasions, 22 more times then the next two Chelsea players, Palmer and Raheem Sterling (both 44).
Simon Jordan thinks Jackson is one reason why Chelsea struggled last season, but it is a bit harsh to go as far as that.
Again, as a young forward playing in England for the first time, his goal return certainly was not bad, though it could have been even better.
Nicolas Jackson will get chance to improve
Heading into the new season, things are looking good for Jackson. Everyone thought a No.9 would be the first signing Chelsea make as soon as the transfer window opened.
However, the club’s owners are yet to bring one through the door and with August almost here, there is no guarantee that they will.
As things stand, you would expect Jackson to start the season as Chelsea’s first-choice striker, meaning he should get the opportunity to play and better his game under Enzo Maresca.
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