No excuses. He's just weak , both physically and mentally. One of the more experienced players in the squad and yet he's the first one to give up when things aren't going well.

After seeing him yesterday, the only place this guy needs to occupy on a pitch is six foot under it.

Cant and wont defend what I saw yesterday. That was disgraceful. Palmer called him out twice on the pitch yesterday.

Edited February 23, 20251 yr by bluetrooper

I think both him and Maresca have let the club and fans down. Maresca has failed to generate any competition between Jackson and Nkunku and Nkunku has failed to put in any serious effort when called upon.

I think Nkunku can be quality, but for the same reasons our team are now sh*t, so is Christo! I think the best thing to do for both him and Chelsea is just to let him sit it out for a while until the Conference! Yes, Jackson is out for a while, but whatever answer we need for up top, it really isn't Nkunku! He has been a passenger since he started recently and even a hindrance!

14 hours ago, Andy North said:

I think both him and Maresca have let the club and fans down. Maresca has failed to generate any competition between Jackson and Nkunku and Nkunku has failed to put in any serious effort when called upon.

There is no competition between Nkunku n Jackson. Two very different players who play different position

8 hours ago, Bob stark said:

There is no competition between Nkunku n Jackson. Two very different players who play different position

That doesn't mean they couldn't have competed for the main attacking role. There're really not that different anyway as they have both attacked down the left.

Maresca has clearly prioritised loyalty to Jackson over generating a competitive edge in both players. By doing this he has also managed to demotivate Nkunku.

Nowhere near the player he was prior to his injury on that ridiculous American cow paddock. He was mobile, quick, inventive, linking up especially with the likes of Jackson. Stupid American pre-season cow paddocks.

He played like a player who wants to leave and on that performance we are all happy to let him leave. Still only 27 - which is not too old in the football world, although ancient in Chelsea terms.

37 minutes ago, TheCeleryKing said:

He played like a player who wants to leave and on that performance we are all happy to let him leave. Still only 27 - which is not too old in the football world, although ancient in Chelsea terms.

Exactly. He might as well have worn a Villa shirt. I'll back any player, even on the worst of days, but his attitude is rotten. He's given me Bogarde vibes!

14 hours ago, Mod said:

I think Nkunku can be quality, but for the same reasons our team are now sh*t, so is Christo! I think the best thing to do for both him and Chelsea is just to let him sit it out for a while until the Conference! Yes, Jackson is out for a while, but whatever answer we need for up top, it really isn't Nkunku! He has been a passenger since he started recently and even a hindrance!

Personally, I don't wholeheartedly buy into the excuse that he isnt a striker - but if that is what most people are saying, then surely it is the managers job to bring the best out of our players, and find a system that suits.

How about playing a 9 up front, even one of our highly rated academy grads, and play Nkunku off of him. Then play Palmer on the right, Neto or Sancho on the left - and stop with the slow and stagnant tippy tappy crap. I will never believe that this team below isnt good enough to score some goals and give a game to those we have been losing to recently.

Don’t think he will be blowing his balloon up in celebration any time soon!

So what's his ideal role anyway, a false 9, real 10, 8, or number 1? 😃 He scored some goals against poor teams , just not up to it when the going is tough. Of course, Maresca's selections didn't help at all. Right now, he's just not bothered, which could mean we did have a reasonable offer in the window, and turned it down due to greed.

15 hours ago, Andy North said:

That doesn't mean they couldn't have competed for the main attacking role. There're really not that different anyway as they have both attacked down the left.

Maresca has clearly prioritised loyalty to Jackson over generating a competitive edge in both players. By doing this he has also managed to demotivate Nkunku.

They can't. I will pick Jackson over Nkunku 90% of the time as st because they are very different. Nkunku game is about dropping deep connecting play and then get to the box. Jackson game is about back to goal, ball carrying and run behind.

Edited February 25, 20251 yr by Bob stark

14 hours ago, dermott said:

Nowhere near the player he was prior to his injury on that ridiculous American cow paddock. He was mobile, quick, inventive, linking up especially with the likes of Jackson. Stupid American pre-season cow paddocks.

That pre season ruin everything. I was super excited after that. Mutliple build up idea, Nkunku as ss or coming from the left.

We got slight glimpse in jan/dec. Injured again and he was used as part player after that.

Edited February 25, 20251 yr by Bob stark

11 hours ago, nonotnowjim said:

Personally, I don't wholeheartedly buy into the excuse that he isnt a striker - but if that is what most people are saying, then surely it is the managers job to bring the best out of our players, and find a system that suits.

How about playing a 9 up front, even one of our highly rated academy grads, and play Nkunku off of him. Then play Palmer on the right, Neto or Sancho on the left - and stop with the slow and stagnant tippy tappy crap. I will never believe that this team below isnt good enough to score some goals and give a game to those we have been losing to recently.

We are better off sticking with the 4-3-3 till the summer when we can partner Santos/Lavia with Caicedo. We can’t control games with Caicedo & Enzo, and very susceptible to the counter.

Further upfield it will be Mhueka, Palmer and Neto for me, or Neto in the False 9 partnered with Palmer and George. Any other combination and the opposition will sit in deep knowing we have no one running behind, and hit us on the counter.

2 hours ago, ducavis said:

We are better off sticking with the 4-3-3 till the summer when we can partner Santos/Lavia with Caicedo. We can’t control games with Caicedo & Enzo, and very susceptible to the counter.

Further upfield it will be Mhueka, Palmer and Neto for me, or Neto in the False 9 partnered with Palmer and George. Any other combination and the opposition will sit in deep knowing we have no one running behind, and hit us on the counter.

The question with 433 is how do you plan to press and what is your attacking plan?

If your plan is to have the three midfielder sit deep all the time, the two fb has to be good attacker more like wb than fb

Edited February 25, 20251 yr by Bob stark

Nkunku is a far better player than Jackson, why he has not come to light could be several reasons. But his not the only one that has disappointed. Jackson missed plenty of easy opportunities and so has Pslmer recently . Those chances could have made the end results very different.

1 hour ago, Bob stark said:

The question with 433 is how do you plan to press and what is your attacking plan?

If your plan is to have the three midfielder sit deep all the time, the two fb has to be good attacker more like wb than fb

In a perfect world you have Enzo deepest with James next to him with the fullbacks allowed to bomb forward, and Caicedo playing a B2B role. Won’t happen under Maresca, so it’s James deepest with Enzo & Caicedo playing as a Double 8.

Nkunku is pony and I don’t want to see him in a starting XI for the rest of the season.

Not seen an attitude that stinkingly bad in years.

Much better game from him, he was well pissed off with Palmer, i think his goal showed that, he didn't care if Ramsdale had to go in the goal with it, but that ball was going in anyway possible.

On 24/02/2025 at 18:22, Richard P said:

Don’t think he will be blowing his balloon up in celebration any time soon!

Oh well got that wrong! Let’s hope he can do it more often now

I really hope Maresca manage to find the best position for him in the team before the season ends.

His goal last night showed his poacher ability and we badly need that.

58 minutes ago, Richard P said:

Oh well got that wrong! Let’s hope he can do it more often now

Let's f**king hope not! So cringeworthy.

4 minutes ago, Nibs said:

Let's f**king hope not! So cringeworthy.

It's something he does for his son to be fair. It's not an ego thing or anything.

32 minutes ago, dansubrosa said:

I really hope Maresca manage to find the best position for him in the team before the season ends.

His goal last night showed his poacher ability and we badly need that.

This needs to happen. But Maresca still seems so unsure about where to play him. Nkunku doesn't really fit the 4-2-3-1 and Maresca is not changing.