In response to former Chelsea player John Obi Mikel’s recent criticism, Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson has issued a sharp rebuttal, firmly defending his performance and addressing the broader context of their team dynamics.
The Senegal international was among the scorers in Chelsea's emphatic 6-2 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux Stadium on Sunday.
Since his move from Villarreal a year ago, Jackson has been somewhat of a divisive figure, with his inconsistent finishing often overshadowing his more evident strengths and contributions.
What Mikel said to incite Jackson’s wrath
The former Nigeria international, Mikel, didn’t hold back in his criticism of Jackson following Chelsea’s 1-2 home defeat to Manchester City in their season opener.
Reflecting on the team’s inability to convert chances, Mikel highlighted Jackson’s struggles in front of goal.
“We've played OK, we haven't played perfect, but we've played OK,” Mikel told beIN Sports as relayed by Talk Sports.
“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 dribble [past[ one or two or three players and the way he shot the ball!”
“You need to have a striker who knows how to hit a ball in the back of the net and that's what we don't have.”
“I know I talk so much about him and sometimes I sound like I disrespect him, but I don't disrespect him.”
“A bit like [Haaland], 91 goals [for City] that's absolutely unbelievable,” he added, expressing his frustration with the young striker’s performance.
Enzo Maresca's side struggled to capitalise on the numerous opportunities they created, with Jackson’s costly misses proving particularly frustrating. Jackson was eventually substituted in the 67th minute, making way for 18-year-old Marc Guiu.
Jackson’s sharp retort to Mikel
Following Chelsea's decisive victory over Wolves, Jackson took to Instagram to respond sharply to Mikel's recent criticism.
In a pointed message, Jackson wrote: “@Mikel_John_Obi, shut your mouth, don’t talk s***. We are killing ourselves for Africa.”
Jackson joined Chelsea from Villarreal last summer in a £32 million transfer and netted 14 goals in his debut Premier League season.
However, his goal tally might have been considerably higher, as he missed 24 key opportunities last season, the third-highest in the league.
On the other hand, Mikel represented Chelsea from 2006 to 2017, making 249 appearances during his tenure.
He amassed a notable collection of silverware, including two Premier League titles, one UEFA Champions League title, and one Europa League title.
