Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink has claimed that it is ‘not fair’ to compare Didier Drogba’s style of play with that of Nicolas Jackson.
Mauricio Pochettino‘s side confirmed the signing of the 22-year-old forward earlier this summer, with Jackson arriving from Villarreal for £32million.
He’s slotted straight into the first team, with the Argentine opting to play him in both of Chelsea‘s opening Premier League matches against Liverpool and West Ham, but he is yet to find the back of the net.
Chelsea will be hoping he can bring more goals to their side this season after the Blues were one of the lowest scoring teams in the Premier League last season.
And when speaking on his potential, Hasselbaink said he believes Jackson has a ‘lot of potential’ but added that we shouldn’t compare him to club legend, Drogba.
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink has claimed that it is unfair to compare new Chelsea signing Nicolas Jackson (pictured) to club legend Didier Drogba
Drogba (pictured) was one of Chlesea’s most successful strikers, scoring 164 goals in 381 appearances across all competitions
But Hasselbaink (pictured) agreed that Jackson was ‘not the finished article but definitely has big potential’
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‘They’re totally different. If you talk about Didier Drogba that’s not fair on the boy. But we all know that his runs his work rate is absolutely magnificent,’ the former Chelsea striker said to Sky Sports during Friday Night Football.
‘I actually think he’s doing too much. I want to see him around the box a little bit more, but I want his team-mates to find him a little bit more around the box.
‘These are the kind of things he can do and that Didier Drogba wouldn’t do. You know dribble the ball through the middle of the pitch for a long time and then passing it to his team-mate.
‘He’s got so much potential. The only thing I’m a little disappointed about is against west ham they had a penalty, and [he should have] taken the ball as a striker and got your first goal.’
Drogba arrived at Stamford Bridge in 2004 and went on to score 164 goals in 381 appearances across all competitions for the Blues, winning four Premier League trophies and a Champions League title too.
Jackson (right) has appeared in both of Chelsea’s opening two Premier League matches
Jackson meanwhile is only beginning his career at the London club, but former striker Hasselbaink was not worried and asserted that the goals will come.
When asked whether strikers go through goal droughts, the Dutchman said: ‘Yeah, that happens and I do think it’s a matter of time. Every striker goes through those kind of moments.
‘He’s there to get the chances but if he wasn’t getting the chances that would be more worrying for me. The ones against Liverpool that was a very good chance.
‘If he’s in form he puts that away or at least the goalkeeper makes a save the other players around him need to find him, he can’t do everything by himself. Definitely not the finished article by far. But he’s got big potential.
