Arsenal legend Ian Wright does not think Nicolas Jackson is at the required level to play for Chelsea.
Nicolas Jackson was benched for Chelsea‘s 2-0 defeat to Everton over the weekend and has not scored a goal since the 4-4 draw with Manchester City before the last international break.
Ian Wright, speaking on his podcast Wrighty’s House, has now admitted that he has little confidence in both the striker and his team-mate Mykhailo Mudryk.
The Ukrainian has also struggled for goals this season, scoring just twice in the Premier League.
TalkSPORT’s Jeff Stelling recently questioned why Mauricio Pochettino is still playing him in a damning assessment.
Ian Wright not convinced with Nicolas Jackson
Wright has not held back when discussing both Jackson and Mudryk on Wrighty’s House.
On the Chelsea duo, he said: “If Mudryk goes through, Jackson goes through, no matter how well they’ve got the ball through to them, I do not think they’re going to score. I’m watching from the outside watching that.
“If you’re a player and you’re playing in that team and you’re getting the pressure that Chelsea are getting on them, then you’re creating chances, and we’re talking good chances, and missing them, you’re demoralised.”
The former Arsenal striker also went on to say later in the podcast: “I feel sorry for Nicolas Jackson. He is nowhere near the level to the point where you can see it, you can see it. He’s nervous, he’s scared, he’s worried because he’s not near it. Mudryk, he’s still playing exactly how I saw a couple of videos of him, Ukraine, when he’s doing his stuff, running 100 miles an hour, not slowing down.”
Is Nicolas Jackson good enough to play for Chelsea?
Yes. It is quite harsh to suggest otherwise. He is a young striker still adapting to the Premier League and has had some bright moments since arriving at Stamford Bridge.
The Senegal international, who Chelsea signed from Villarreal for £32m (The Guardian), scored a hat-trick against Tottenham Hotspur and a big goal versus Manchester City.
At this moment in time, though, Jackson is probably not ready to start week in, week out for Mauricio Pochettino‘s side, and that is where the club have gone wrong. In a year or two, who knows? It could be a much different story.
He has potential, but perhaps not enough ability as of now to be the Blues’ main man.
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