Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino is contending with Nicolas Jackson’s disciplinary issue ahead of today’s visit of Aston Villa (2pm) – and the striker is about to come under extra pressure in the Argentine’s team. The Blues have started the season disappointingly and are looking for a morale-boosting win over a dangerous Villa side.
Going into the sixth round of matches in this new Premier League season, Chelsea have won just one of five games while scoring a mere five goals. Their attack has stuttered in the absence of exciting summer signing Christopher Nkunku who is out injured.
While centre-forward Jackson scored against Luton, he has been wasteful in his other appearances. The Senegal international desperately needs goals to improve his confidence. Pochettino will also be eager for the 22-year-old to keep his composure off of the ball too.
He has amassed four yellow cards so far this season – all for dissent. Only Newcastle’s Anthony Gordon has picked up as many. That, coupled with Jackson’s profligacy in the final third, has caused frustration at Stamford Bridge. It means their No 15 must survive another 14 Premier League games without a yellow to avoid a ban.
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Pochettino explained: “We were in a meeting with him and Enzo [Fernandez]. I told him for a striker to get four yellow cards only for protesting or talking to the referee, it’s so easy, so cheap. If it keeps happening and he gets suspended, he is going to put the team in a very difficult situation.
“He needs to be clever and not to protest to the referees in this way. But he understood. Jackson is 21 also and he’s young. He needs to learn, needs to improve, needs to settle himself. I think he’s going to be a fantastic player but he needs time.”
With Armando Broja about to return from injury, though, Jackson is under pressure and faces added competition. The 22-year-old Albanian has superior Premier League experience, with 45 appearances so far, and though Pochettino insists Chelsea must be “careful” with the towering striker, he says the club “really believe” in him.
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If Jackson continues to miss goalscoring opportunities at such a volume, Broja’s chance will come soon. Even more so if the summer signing cannot sort out his disciplinary problems – starting against Villa.
The Senegalese still has time yet. Pochettino added: “Broja will maybe be involved [vs Villa]. But it’s after nine months that he’s not competing. We cannot expect Broja to arrive to score every single touch, he needs time to feel the competition and start to perform in the way we expect he can.”
But clearly, Broja’s return is a threat. With just one match a week, he has time to work his way back to 100 per cent sharpness. Until then, Jackson must take more of his opportunities – and stop complaining to the referees.
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