2 months ago
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There might have been a few raised eyebrows when Nicolas Jackson was handed a two-year contract extension until 2033 by Chelsea eight days ago.
His returns in his debut season at Stamford Bridge after his £32m move from Villarreal in June 2023 were solid rather than stellar as he netted 14 goals in 35 Premier League games.
The manner of the 23-year-old striker's performance as Chelsea emphatically brushed aside West Ham at the London Stadium, however, shows the club's faith in him does not look misplaced.
A nine-year contract perhaps underlines a belief at Stamford Bridge that he could lead the line for years to come.
Certainly something seems to have stirred in Jackson at the start of the 2024-25 campaign.
Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca immediately homed in on a salient point when asked by BBC Match of the Day about Jackson's display against the Hammers.
"We are completely 100% happy with Nicolas," he said.
"He is working hard since I arrived, he's very good on the ball in terms of numbers. We are very happy."
The numbers Maresca refers to certainly compare favourably to last season for the Senegal international - albeit with the caveat that this campaign is still in its infancy.
Jackson is averaging 0.98 goals per game this season compared to 0.45 in 2023-24, while his average xG (expected goals) so far is 0.81 versus 0.60.
He is also having more shots - 2.0 v 1.3 - five games into the 2024-25 season than in his previous campaign for the Blues.
In terms of big chances scored (1.0 v 0.4) and missed (0.5 v 0.8) Jackson's numbers appear to show a more clinical edge to his game.
Football analyst Statman Dave said: "Nicolas Jackson underperformed his xG by around six goals last season.
"This year, he's already overperforming and could be on for a really good year."
Jackson has had a hand in 23 goals across his last 29 Premier League starts for Chelsea (16 goals, seven assists), including 11 goal involvements in his last 10 starts (eight goals, three assists).
After the win he said his confidence was "growing higher" with his team-mates and "they have confidence" in him.
Since the start of 2023-24, Jackson and Chelsea team-mate Cole Palmer have combined for 10 Premier League goals - at least two more than any other duo in the English top flight.
"Everybody knows he (Jackson) is a top player. The Chelsea fans and players rate him highly - we know what he is capable of," Palmer told TNT Sports.
Equally optimistically for Chelsea fans was the early signs of a rapport on the pitch between Jackson and new signing Jadon Sancho, who combined well for the first goal against the Hammers.
It was his second goal, though, that caught the eye of former Chelsea striker Demba Ba who said on X that Jackson gave a "masterclass on creating space".
"How he gets the defender out of position and gets in there is top level," added compatriot Ba. "Even better than the finishing itself."
Former Chelsea and West Ham midfielder Joe Cole said Jackson was still "learning his trade" as a "younger man and a young player" after he compared his start at Stamford Bridge to one of the club's legendary Premier League players.
"People talked about Didier Drogba's first two seasons when he wasn't as prolific as he later became. Nevertheless, he [Jackson] has scored the goals and he will get better," Cole told TNT Sports.
"He needs to just keep improving, be a bit more composed and [gain] more confidence. He will bounce into the next game now."
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