Former Chelsea striker Daniel Sturridge believes Nicolas Jackson is pivotal to Enzo Maresca’s system and feels the media have been too critical of the striker.
Chelsea fell to their second defeat of the season after losing 2-1 to Liverpool at Anfield, but gave a good account of themselves, which bodes well for the future.
Maresca made a couple of bold team selections with Reece James going straight back into the starting line-up. whilst Romeo Lavia was preferred to Enzo Fernandez.
Sturridge feels Jackson is pivotal to Chelsea’s system
The Blues controlled the opening half an hour but went in a goal down after Levi Colwill fouled Curtis Jones in the box with Mohamed Salah converting the resulting penalty.
Chelsea came out on the front foot in the second half and Jackson equalised with a well taken finish past Caoimhin Kelleher, but that joy was short lived as Jones put Liverpool ahead again after poor defending from the Blues left the midfielder unmarked in the box.
The Blues pushed to the end but struggled to fashion any clearcut chances with Renato Veiga’s header the closest they went to equalising.
For Jackson is was a fifth goal in eight games and continues his good start to the season and former Blue Sturridge feels the media have been too critical on the 23-year-old.
“Nicolas Jackson is pivotal to the system, he’s good at going into the false nine position,” Sturridge told Sky Sports as cited on X.com.
“It was a fantastic finish, calm in front of goal. I am analysing him on open play. I’m not analysing him on statistics, I don’t think he’s devastating in front of goal, but I think he has what it takes to get there.
“When you’re playing in the spotlight at any top club you are judged because of the likes of Drogba, Anelka and Crespo, you’re judging him compared to those world-class strikers. I think we have been a bit too critical.”
Jackson’s start to the season has shown perhaps it wasn’t a complete disaster Chelsea failed to sign a striker in the summer and he will have a chance to add his goal tally on Thursday night against Panathinaikos in the Conference League, a game he will likely start on the bench.
