Enzo Maresca says striker Nicolas Jackson “must learn” from the red card which has left Chelsea’s Champions League hopes hanging by a thread.
Jackson saw red for a forearm into Newcastle United defender Sven Botman’s face in the 35th minute of the Blues’s 2-0 defeat at St James’ Park, which leaves them without a striker for their final two games of the season.
Maresca, who praised his team’s efforts with 10 men, said he would be speaking to Jackson on Monday and had no complaints about the sending off.
CHELSEA DOWN TO 10 MEN
Nicolas Jackson is shown a red card for his foul on Sven Botman
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But he warned the forward he must improve his discipline.
“For sure the red card affected the game,” Maresca said.
“Against this team, in this stadium it’s already complicated and if you give them one extra player it’s difficult but overall I think, especially in the second half, we created big chances even with ten players when it’s not easy.
“If the referee decides a red card it’s a red card but in some different decisions in this stadium sometimes it’s the noise decides if it’s a foul or not.
“I didn’t speak to Nico, it’s not the moment. In the next day we’ll speak with Nico.
“The season for him is finished, he’s our nine, he’s our striker. No doubt, 100 per cent he has to learn, especially at this stage of this season where we have two more games.
“What we have to avoid is these kind of things because you need all of your squad available for the next game. It happened, he will be out for the season and he needs to learn for the future.”
Jackson’s elbow caught Botman in the face (Reuters)
Chelsea are going to end up regretting this season.
This remains a campaign still freighted with opportunity for Maresca’s side – a trophy and that top five prize remain well within their grasp – but here was 90 minutes that sums up the problems at Stamford Bridge succinctly.
Even in adversity they got it about 85 per cent right against Newcastle but still ended up losing.
It doesn’t take a forensic search to see what they are missing.
The fact they carried so much more threat and purpose after Jackson’s red card is indicative of a team in desperate need of a striker.
Jackson has more cards than goal involvements in this calendar year and was hardly missed as Chelsea dominated after Maresca’s tactical reshuffle.
Given the amount invested in him – and this squad – it felt faintly ridiculous that when they needed a goal they ended up relying on midfielders playing out of position to press their case.
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It goes without saying they need a forward in the summer.
But if they miss out on the Champions League, given their struggles with the profitability and sustainability regulations (PSR), it is going to be difficult to find one, especially as they are joining a queue that includes Liverpool, Arsenal and Newcastle.
Who would trust the recruitment geniuses that have left them with that gaping hole anyway?
Had they managed to capitalise on Newcastle’s nerves and their own superiority in the second half, this would have been some result and a massive fillip in the race for the Champion League.
But, just like the season as a whole, it ends up going down as a huge missed opportunity.
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