John Obi Mikel has criticized Nicolas Jackson and Robert Sanchez following Chelsea’s 3-1 loss to Manchester City, suggesting the two players are simply ‘not good enough’ to help the club return to its former glory.
Chelsea made a strong start at the Etihad when City debutant Abdukodir Khusanov inadvertently set up Noni Madueke for an early goal after just three minutes.
However, that was the high point for Chelsea, as Josko Gvardiol and Erling Haaland struck either side of halftime to put City firmly in control and secure the win.
Phil Foden raced through and beat Sanchez with a composed finish to increase the deficit in the 87th minute and the hosts held firm to maintain their grip on fourth spot in the Premier League.
Chelsea, meanwhile, sit sixth after an immensely disappointing run of results and now trail leaders Liverpool by 13 points in the table.
It could have been an entirely different outcome had the away team taken their chances in Manchester and questions have once again been raised over Jackson’s apparent wastefulness in front of goal.
After assisting Madueke for the opening goal, Jackson had a golden opportunity to double Chelsea’s lead but the Senegalese instead decided to pull the ball back for Jadon Sancho, whose shot was denied.
“Not the score line we all wanted, is it? I’m a bit gutted,” ex-Chelsea midfielder Obi Mikel said on The Obi One Podcast.
“We started well with the goal and then we thought, ‘Let’s kick on from here’. This has been what has happened for the last three or four games.
“We got 1-0 up or 2-0 up and then we don’t kill the game, we don’t finish the game and we end up paying for it.
“Again, we went 1-0 up and we had that chance to go 2-0 up with Nicolas Jackson.
“Some people are saying that the pass from Cole Palmer is a little bit… no, it’s not. You’re a striker, just put your foot through it.
“If you miss it, it’s fine. But attempt to score. What did he do? Just controlled the ball and then came back.
“Your job is to f***ing score the goals, that’s why you were brought to the football club. Put the ball in the back of the net and try to score. He didn’t do that.”
While Obi Mikel has been heavily critical on a number of occasions, he insists he has no agenda against the former Villarreal forward.
“I have nothing against Nicolas Jackson and every time I talk about him, it’s like I have something against him, it’s like I’m trying to get Victor [Osimhen] to come to the football club. No it’s not, I’ve said it,’ Obi Mikel added.
“If the people at the top of the club don’t get Victor… Viktor Gyokeres’ goal scoring stats are unreal. We need somebody who can score goals to get us there. We don’t have that.
“The reason why we succeeded in my time and, again, I’m not trying to compare him with Didier [Drogba], because we had somebody that when we called upon him he was there to put the ball in the back of the net. We don’t have that right now.
“Nicolas Jackson, he’s doing well with his combinations. But he’s not a goal scorer and that’s what we need.”
