Chelsea were able to book their place in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals last night with a 2-0 win against Blackburn Rovers, but Mauricio Pochettino will still have some concerns going into his side’s next game.
Chelsea take on Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League next Monday, a difficult fixture to say the least, and it will now be interesting to see who starts up front for the Blues in the London derby.
Nicolas Jackson led the line in the victory over Jon Dahl Tomasson’s men yesterday but struggled once again, leaving Mauricio Pochettino with a big decision to make ahead of the Tottenham game.
Mauricio Pochettino should drop Nicolas Jackson
At this point now, the wise thing to do would be to leave Jackson on the bench, taking him out of the firing line.
It is not just about the fact that the Senegal international is not scoring goals at the minute. It is also all the criticism and pressure he is having to deal with.
Jackson is only 22 years of age and is playing in England for the first time following his £32m move from Villarreal in the summer (The Guardian). It is not fair that he is having to cope with all of the above.
Pochettino starting Jackson against Tottenham leaves him open for more of the same after the game if things do not go well. Ultimately, the Argentine is not helping his striker by sending him out there every week while he is struggling.
Who should Mauricio Pochettino start against Tottenham?
One reason why Pochettino is choosing to persist with Jackson is because he does not have too many other options right now.
Christopher Nkunku, who can play up front, is currently out injured, while Armando Broja has been sidelined as well.
However, if the latter is fit for Monday’s London derby, giving him the nod to start could be a good idea.
Broja is, of course, the same age as Jackson. But he is obviously more familiar with the Premier League and understands the pressure of leading the line for a top-flight side in England much better after his successful loan spell at Southampton back in the 2021/22 season.
Is Broja the long-term solution to Chelsea’s problems? Perhaps not, but maybe everyone can benefit in the present if he gets a run in the team.
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