Chelsea legend John Obi Mikel has given a scathing assessment of striker Nicolas Jackson’s performance in Sunday’s 2-0 defeat to Manchester City at Stamford Bridge.
The Blues went 1-0 down to an 18th-minute Erling Haaland strike in Enzo Maresca’s first competitive game in charge after taking over from Mauricio Pochettino.
Chelsea thought they’d drawn level before half-time as Jackson found the net, only to see his effort ruled out by the offside flag.
Jackson later fluffed a big chance when he lingered on the ball too long instead of getting a shot away at goal.
The Senegal international was spared his blushes by another offside flag, but not before drawing audible frustration from sections of the home support.
Mikel shared those same frustrations and, speaking as a pundit for beIN Sport at half-time, didn’t hold back in his criticism of Jackson.
“We’ve played OK, we haven’t played perfect, but we’ve played OK,” Mikel — who played 372 times for Chelsea between 2006 and 2017 — said of the 23-year-old striker (via talkSPORT).
“We created chances, we haven’t taken them. And just an example of how Jackson finishes.
“You can see there, even though he was offside, he dribbled [past[ one or two or three players and the way he shot the ball!”
Mikel then went on to state that Chelsea are still lacking a top-class striker and that the club are in need of their own Erling Haaland figure.
“You need a striker who knows how to hit a ball back in the back of the net and that’s what we don’t have,” he continued.
“I know I talk so much about him and sometimes I sound like I disrespect him. I don’t disrespect him.
“I think at Chelsea Football Club we need a top striker who can get us a goal. A bit like [Haaland], 91 goals [for City] that’s absolutely unbelievable.”
Next up for Chelsea is a clash with Swiss side Servette at Stamford Bridge in the UEFA Conference League playoff round on Thursday.
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