John Obi Mikel didn’t hold back in his criticism of Nicolas Jackson following the Chelsea striker’s reckless red card during their Club World Cup loss to Flamengo, suggesting that if Jackson can’t cope with internal competition, he should consider moving on.
Chelsea fell 3-1 in Philadelphia on Friday night, despite taking an early lead through Pedro Neto.
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Flamengo turned the tide in the second half, netting twice in quick succession to seize control. ..Continue Reading
Liam Delap, making his first start since his £30 million move from Ipswich, was subbed off after 64 minutes—just before Flamengo’s second goal.
Jackson replaced him, but within four minutes of entering the pitch, he was sent off for a dangerous challenge on Ayrton Lucas.
The moment echoed a similar incident from May, when Jackson received a straight red card just over half an hour into a crucial Premier League clash against Newcastle, resulting in a suspension that now extends into the new campaign.
Mikel, who has previously questioned Jackson’s reliability in attack, told DAZN: ‘Unbelievable, a stupid, stupid stupid, mistake you can make. I don’t know what is going through his head.
‘You come into the game with your side 2-1 down. Your team needs you and he does that. He did that in the league game against Newcastle, a very important game which we needed to get into the Champions League and he got a red card. Now he is has done it again. You can’t keep making these mistakes.’
Asked if Jackson’s decision stemmed from frustration with not starting the match, Mikel said: ‘I don’t care what his frustration is, it is a massive football club. It is about competition.
‘If you’re angry, if you’re pissed off that Delap has come onto the club and he’s going to be the competition with you, you have to embrace it if you are a big player. Because the only way we win trophies is if the competition is there.’
Jackson has been Chelsea’s first choice striker for the last two years but Delap’s arrival could change that. Mikel warned if the former Villarreal player cannot handle the pressure that comes with added competition, then he should leave.
‘Nicolas Jackson needs to have a word with himself on where he sees his Chelsea career going on from here,’ Mikel continued.
‘The manager has brought in a striker in Delap. If the manager starts to doubt you, thinking “do I still trust this guy” and he keeps making mistakes and letting the club down, he will think do I stick with the player I brought into the football club in Delap. So the manager has a decision to make because you can’t keep putting him in and letting the team down. If he doesn’t trust him then it is time for Delap to start the games.
‘He [Jackson] wants to be the only guy, playing every game. No, we need healthy competition to win trophies moving forward, challenging for titles. And if he is not ready for it then he should not be at Chelsea football club.’
