2. Nicolas Jackson
Chelsea's recent awful run has coincided with the Senegalese striker being out injured. If he makes the squad against Tottenham, it will be his first appearance in two months. With Marc Guiu also getting injured in the same match against West Ham as Jackson, Chelsea has had a tough time on the field without a traditional striker.
However, a closer look at their results makes it clear that Chelsea’s struggles did not start with Jackson’s injury. They have been in poor form since mid-December, following their win over Brentford. During that time, they have won only four out of 13 matches, all four victories coming against teams in the bottom five of the league.
There were two months when Jackson was available, and in all those matches, he was guilty of missing numerous chances. It was particularly disappointing for the fans after the promising start he had. In 2023-24, despite scoring goals, he was wasteful in front of goal. So when he started this season well, fans hoped he had improved. However, his profligacy soon returned in a big way.
As the striker returns from injury, Chelsea will need him badly to rediscover his early-season form. At the very least, they will hope he can maintain his hold-up play and ability to link up with Palmer.