John Obi Mikel has responded again to Nicolas Jackson after the Chelsea striker told him to “shut up” and “don’t talk nonsense.”
Jackson, who transferred from Villarreal last year, had an impressive first season at Stamford Bridge, scoring 17 goals. He also managed to score twice in his first five games of the new season under manager Enzo Maresca.
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However, his inconsistent finishing has continued to draw criticism, with former Chelsea midfielder Mikel being one of the voices questioning his goal-scoring abilities.
After scoring against Wolves in August, Jackson hit back at the former Nigeria international in an Instagram post which read: ‘Shut your mouth don’t talk s***, we are killing ourselves for Africa.’
But Mikel stands by his criticism of the Chelsea player, insisting his comments ‘come from a good place’.
‘I’ve always said what I’ve said about Nicolas Jackson. He is a good player, there is not once I have ever said he is a bad player,’ Mikel told beIN Sports.
‘The only criticism is his finishing needs to be much better. In terms of giving us what we want, being in the right place at the right time, he does for the team.’
Asked by fellow pundit Ruud Gullit if Jackson agrees with that assessment, Mikel added: ‘I don’t think he agrees to that but I think everyone will understand what I am saying. It’s not coming from a bad place, it’s a really constructive criticism.’
Gullit said: ‘As long as he knows that himself.’ Mikel added: ‘But he doesn’t. That’s why when he scored he told me to shut up!’
Jackson remains Chelsea’s first choice striker this campaign after the club’s failure to sign Victor Osimhen in the final weeks of the summer transfer window.
‘We want players, but we wanted a player that we decide,’ Maresca said of that failed move.
‘It has to be on our conditions. If a player is not here, then it was not. We will see in January.’
‘I had faith, and the club also, even before [in Jackson],’ Maresca added. ‘We trust Nicolas. When the transfer window was open, I said he was doing fantastic with us.
‘The only thing I know is he’s signing a new contract – I don’t know how many years.
‘I’m very happy. Nicolas is doing a fantastic job with us. He scored again. He had more chances but we’re happy with him.’
