Nicolas Jackson as soon as once more proved that he can lead the road for as he helped the Blues beat 2-1 on Saturday afternoon.
Jackson has acquired a whole lot of criticism since becoming a member of Chelsea final season. The Senegalese striker hasn’t at all times been essentially the most prolific of goalscorers, with the Blues continuously linked with signing a extra recognised title.
However Jackson continues to show his doubters mistaken. It’s straightforward to neglect that Jackson joined Chelsea as a 22-year-old with simply 65 senior appearances in his membership profession.
The sport in opposition to Leicester was Jackson’s fiftieth begin for Chelsea throughout all competitions, and his 57th look general. He’s now scored 24 objectives and offered 9 assists.
Of these 24 objectives, 21 have come within the . Because the begin of final season, solely Erling Haaland (31) and Ollie Watkins (24) have scored extra non-penalty goes within the Premier League than Jackson’s 21.
Objective quantity 21 was a product of what Jackson brings most to Chelsea workforce. He continuously fought the Leicester defence, not giving up in pressuring Wout Faes, who didn’t look snug attempting to take management of the ball.
Solely Erling Haaland (31) and Ollie Watkins (24) have scored extra non-penalty objectives within the Premier League for the reason that begin of final season than Nicolas Jackson (21).
Whereas no participant has scored extra objectives (5) or been concerned in additional objectives (7) in away PL video games this season. 💪
After a move from Enzo Fernandez, Jackson took the ball into area with the deftest of touches — pretty management to beat the defender — earlier than ending with the skin of his boot. It was a purpose Chelsea deserved for his or her early strain, and one Jackson deserved to get.
The Senegalese striker has been a terror on the highway this season. He’s been straight concerned in seven away objectives within the Premier League this season, with no participant concerned extra.
“He’s come on a bundle this season, Nicolas Jackson. That’s a participant taking part in on the top of his confidence,” Joe Cole instructed TNT Sports activities at half-time.
Peter Crouch added after the sport: “Credit score to him, he’s labored on his sport, he will need to have completed. And credit score to the membership actually, as a result of final yr he was getting a lot stick from all quarters. ‘Is he going to be a centre-forward of a calibre that Chelsea want?’
“However he’s confirmed it this season, with the variety of objectives and his all-round play as effectively. He’s a handful on a regular basis. He was actually spectacular in the present day.”
Towards Leicester, Jackson hit the goal with all three of his pictures with an xG of 0.45. Jackson has been an excellent finisher this season too, with 6.65 complete xG and seven.48 xG on Goal. So he will increase his probabilities of scoring together with his shot placement.
Jackson has additionally overtaken Hernan Crespo and Fernando Torres’ Premier League purpose tallies. However there’s one other former Chelsea striker that folks will clearly draw comparisons too.
When Jackson first arrived at Chelsea, some followers can have been taking part in shut consideration to the shirt quantity he picked. As a striker, the No.9 is a dream. At Chelsea, although, it’s a nightmare.
Chelsea haven’t had a lot luck with regards to No.9s since Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink left. Crespo and Torres each donned the quantity at Stamford Bridge and whereas they’d their moments, there have been issues. Different No.9s for Chelsea embody Mateja Kezman, Franco Di Santo, Steve Sidwell, Alvaro Morata and, after all, Khalid Boulahrouz.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was the final to put on the No.9 for Chelsea, with not one of the arrivals up to now two summers needed to take it. As a substitute, Jackson took the No.15. And people well-versed in Chelsea historical past will know that the No.15 as soon as belonged to Didier Drogba.
Drogba had No.15 when he first arrived at Chelsea, with Damien Duff holding the No.11. The Ivorian took the vacant No.11 forward of his third season, and didn’t actually pull up any bushes in his first two campaigns.
In 41 video games in his first season for Chelsea, Drogba scored 16 objectives and offered seven assists throughout all competitions. Jackson scored 17 objectives and offered six assists in 44 video games final season.
Drogba then scored 16 objectives and offered 13 assists in 41 video games in his second season for Chelsea. After 13 video games up to now this season, Jackson has seven objectives and three assists. It’s probably he’ll as soon as once more higher Drogba’s scoring report, although the assists might take some beating.
Now, nobody is evaluating Jackson to Drogba — who led Chelsea to Champions League glory in 2011-12. However Jackson has been a dependable striker for Chelsea.
Enzo Fernandez makes his assertion
This was additionally a giant match for Enzo Fernandez. The Argentine had misplaced his place in Chelsea’s beginning XI to Romeo Lavia earlier than the worldwide break. This was made clear by the truth that Fernandez had been beginning in Chelsea’s Europa Convention League workforce.
Fernandez has been overshadowed in Chelsea’s midfield by Moises Caicedo, who has had a wonderful 2024. Fernandez had had a bridge begin to life at Chelsea, however tailed off.
The Argentine has been performed in a handful of various roles this season, which hasn’t helped. He had been tried within the No.10 in opposition to , after which deeper as a part of the double pivot.
Enzo Fernández’s sport by numbers vs. Leicester:
7/9 duels received 5 tackles 5 touches in opp. box5x possession received 3 possibilities created 3 pictures 2 fouls received 1 purpose 1 help
Excellent. 👏
After the October worldwide break, with Chelsea needing to be safer, Lavia partnered Caicedo. Within the last sport earlier than the November worldwide break, Fernandez got here off the bench to arrange Pedro Neto’s equaliser within the 1-1 draw with . That got here simply days after Fernandez had offered a hat-trick of assists in opposition to Noah within the Europa Convention League.
Establishing Jackson’s opener, Fernandez offered assists in back-to-back Premier League video games for the primary ever time. Throughout all competitions, it’s three matches in a row. He’s additionally scored and assisted in the identical Premier League sport for the primary time.
And Fernandez proved to be the match winner, heading dwelling late on to make it 2-0 — earlier than Leicester pulled a purpose again with an injury-time penalty. It was a stunning ghosted run into the field, placing him in the proper place after Jackson’s preliminary header had been saved.
“I feel we now have appeared extra balanced with Lavia and Caicedo in,” Cole stated.
“Enzo was the participant to fall foul of that, he misplaced his place. However what he brings is a top quality, a category. He’s extra probing together with his passing than the opposite two.
“He does all the things effectively, which is what you’d anticipate from a World Cup winner. He wanted this sport for himself and his confidence.
“Like Caicedo, he performed six months in Europe and somebody purchased him for £100 million within the Premier League. That’s a giant burden on younger shoulders. And then you definately win the World Cup and that provides to the burden.
“You come to a unique nation and a unique supervisor in a membership which was in turmoil, let’s be trustworthy, there was a whole lot of change at Chelsea. He’s are available and he wanted time to mattress in and regulate.”