Rangers legend Ally McCoist has been very critical of one Chelsea star after watching him this season.
Some members of Enzo Maresca‘s squad have shown a lot of inconsistency, even Cole Palmer.
Palmer started the campaign excellently, but his form has dipped in the second half of it. He only ended his 18-game goal drought at the start of the month by scoring a penalty against Liverpool.
Nicolas Jackson has also blown hot and cold this term. Jackson was sent off against Newcastle United last Sunday and has only managed to net 10 times in the Premier League.
Ally McCoist ‘disappointed’ in Nicolas Jackson
Jackson’s finishing has now drawn criticism from McCoist, who had high hopes for the 23-year-old.
Speaking about Jackson on talkSPORT, the former striker said: “I looked at Jackson and [Rasmus] Hojlund about a season ago and I’m thinking to myself they’ve both got potential, they’re heading in the right direction.
“However, I’m a little bit disappointed in the two of them, haven’t progressed in terms of finishing as much as I would have hoped and wanted to see.”
Jackson was able to score 17 goals in 44 appearances last season, which is not bad for someone playing in England for the first time. Clearly, though, there is much room for improvement if the current campaign is anything to go by.
| Nicolas Jackson’s 2023/24 stats | Appearances | Goals | Assists |
| Premier League | 35 | 14 | 5 |
| FA Cup | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| Carabao Cup | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| Total | 44 | 17 | 6 |
Chelsea could try to upgrade on Jackson this summer, with the arrival of a new centre-forward likely.
Chelsea admire Liam Delap of Ipswich Town and several other strikers, The Chelsea Chronicle has been told. Delap is available for just £30m following Ipswich’s relegation to the Championship.
What Enzo Maresca has said about Nicolas Jackson
Maresca was frustrated with Jackson’s dismissal at St James’ Park, and the 45-year-old has not forgotten about it.
Maresca had to speak about the incident at his latest pre-match press conference, warning his striker not to do the same thing again.
“For me, it’s not about the age because no matter the age you are, if you make a mistake, then it’s okay. All of us make mistakes,” Maresca said.
“But if you make the same mistake again, probably it’s not the best thing. I think he’s the first red card this season for us. Unfortunately, it’s been for Nico.”
Jackson has left his team with a bit of a problem. He was the only recognised centre-forward Chelsea had available, meaning that Maresca is going to have to come up with something very clever on Friday.
The Blues host Manchester United in a game that could define Chelsea’s whole season. Win that, and it will take them a step closer to reaching the Champions League.
