“Wow, can’t believe it… oh my God!” – Ex-Arsenal icon reacts to Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson missing sitter against Nottingham Forest
In a showdown between Chelsea and Nottingham Forest, there was a moment that left everyone stunned as Blues forward Nicolas Jackson missed an absolute sitter.
The striker squandered a golden opportunity to level the scores in the dying minutes of the match, which saw former Arsenal player Paul Merson react in shock.
Anthony Elanga had put Forest ahead early in the second half, finishing with a precision shot after being set up by Taiwo Awoniyi. As the Blues scrambled to get their act together, pressing forward in an all-out attack, it looked like Nicolas Jackson might just save the day.
The striker had the ball inside the six-yard box, and without Forest's goalkeeper Matt Turner on hand to make the save.
Expectations were clear in Stamford Bridge as Nicolas Jackson squared up to take the shot. But then, the unbelievable happened as he sent the ball soaring over the crossbar, to the shock of the Blues faithful. The point-blank miss also had Paul Merson in disbelief, as the Arsenal legend struggled to articulate his thoughts (via Express):
"Wow, can't believe it... oh my God!"
This miss by Jackson will likely become a strong contender for the worst miss this season, particularly in the context of Chelsea's desperate scramble to equalize.
Nottingham Forest clung to their 1-0 lead, wrapping up the match with a win that kept Stamford Bridge rather quiet.
The failure to secure even a single point in this match has added more woe to the Blues' rocky start to the season, and Nicolas Jackson's poor performance did not help. Mauricio Pochettino's side have managed just a single victory in their first four games and already find themselves lagging behind in the race for the top four.
It's evident that Chelsea are in need of a quick turnaround, with fans hoping that their newest acquisitions will bring the spark that's currently missing.
Chelsea's Mauricio Pochettino reveals Cole Palmer signing was not his call
Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino has disclosed that the acquisition of Cole Palmer was orchestrated by the club's sporting directors, not him.
Palmer, who recently swapped the Etihad for Stamford Bridge in a deal that could escalate to £42.5 million, had found it difficult to cement a regular spot in Manchester.
When asked about the minds behind the deal, the Argentine manager seemed somewhat in the dark, stating (via Mirror):
"I think the sporting director and the owner, of course, but the sporting director, it was his idea to add him to the squad. I think he’s fit for the project. Talented player, of course."
Emerging from the youth setup at Manchester City, Palmer has already etched his name on the scoreboards in both this season's Community Shield and the UEFA Super Cup. Given the abundance of talent at Guardiola's disposal, consistent first-team opportunities were always going to be a tough ask for the youngster.