Chelsea vs Bournemouth: 3 things to look out for on the south coast

3. Nicolas Jackson’s breakthrough

Life in London has not been the most pleasant to the club’s newest forward, Nicolas Jackson. It seemed as if the transition was going to be a whole lot smoother than normal due to the kind of pre-season he had. That has not been the case. Jackson did not kick on from his goal against Luton, struggling to find that final touch to beat the goalkeeper consistently.

On and off the ball going forward, the 22-year-old has looked impressive. He sits at the top of the Premiership in runs challenging defensive lines, showing his talent to cause stress for any defense that he has faced so far. His unselfishness has allowed Raheem Sterling to excel on the wing for the first time since leaving Manchester City.

Against a lower half of the table opponent, Jackson has the potential to thrive. He is not bagging goals at the clip this club would like, but he is 22. That warrants a bit of patience. His raw talent in addition to the positives he has shown means a breakout in front of goal is imminent. This Sunday could be the day.

The west Londoners’ return fixture from the international break against the Cherries can be seen on Sky Sports in the UK, and USA Network in the United States.