Jason Cundy says what Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson really needs to improve – and it’s not finishing

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Jason Cundy has weighed in with some advice for Chelsea frontman Nicolas Jackson, who’s currently having a tough time leading the line.

Nicolas Jackson is the clear first-choice striker in the Chelsea squad right now, and his performances in the opening months of the season justified that. However, the 23-year-old’s form has dropped off significantly more recently.

The biggest criticism aimed at Jackson is his inconsistency in front of goal. In his last eight Premier League appearances, he’s failed to score in any of them.

Marc Cucurella recently backed Chelsea teammate Jackson by claiming this his all-round play is still impressive during this goalless run, but he won’t silence his critics until he finds the back of the net again on a regular basis.

• READ MORE: Chelsea fans are all in agreement about Nicolas Jackson after Joao Felix’s debut goal for AC Milan, ‘everyone knows’…

Jason Cundy says where Chelsea forward Nicolas Jackson must improve

Jason Cundy, the talkSPORT pundit and Chelsea fan, claims that Jackson can improve as a player if he works on his physicality. He made the interesting claim that Blues legend Didier Drogba evolved into a powerful striker despite lacking in that department when he first came to English football.

“I think Jackson has got to start to learn to use his body a bit more,” Cundy told talkSPORT.

“I remember when Didier [Drogba] first came to Chelsea, and it took a while for him to realise what he had under the bonnet. That physicality, then you think about the talent and quality he had; he then built on that.

“I feel like Jackson has got to be a bit more of a presence.”

While we agree that Jackson can be a bit more streetwise with the use of his body, his general play when he’s linking attacks up is actually quite impressive. It’s becoming a clinical finisher in the penalty box where he needs to improve the most.

John Obi Mikel wants Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca to drop Jackson because of his current form, but the truth is there’s not too many alternatives to replace him.

Has Nicolas Jackson improved this season?

The way that Jackson started this current campaign, it looked like he was about to answer Chelsea’s long-term striker problem. However, the same conversations are still ongoing between supporters.

Here is a look at how the forward’s form compares from last season to this year:

We’re still confident that Jackson can push towards a 15-goal league season, which is a decent return. Unfortunately, it might not be enough for the star centre-forward in Chelsea colours.

Craig Burley doubts Chelsea’s Jackson will escape the inconsistency, so let’s see if the club moves to add a world-class striker later in 2025.