Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca has openly acknowledged the club’s attacking struggles, pointing to a concerning lack of efficiency from forwards Nicolas Jackson and Cole Palmer as a serious threat to their end-of-season ambitions.
Following Chelsea’s progression to the UEFA Conference League semi-finals, Maresca didn’t shy away from addressing what he sees as a pressing issue in his squad.
Despite advancing past Legia Warsaw on aggregate, the Blues suffered a 2-1 defeat at home in the second leg—a result that highlighted their offensive frailties more than their overall success.
Senegalese international Nicolas Jackson and England’s Cole Palmer both featured in the starting lineup at Stamford Bridge but were unable to find the back of the net.
Jackson, who has contributed nine goals and five assists in the Premier League this season, was making his return to European competition for the first time since Chelsea’s play-off clash with Servette. Palmer, meanwhile, extended his worrying goal drought to 15 matches.
The defeat, while not catastrophic in terms of Chelsea’s European campaign, served as another reminder of their attacking woes.
Maresca was candid in his assessment when asked whether Chelsea could realistically meet their objectives if Jackson and Palmer failed to rediscover their scoring touch.
“As simple as that? Yes,” Maresca replied bluntly at his post-match press conference. “We won’t get to where we want to be unless our attacking players start delivering again.”
Jackson’s form has dipped notably since his return from a muscle tear that sidelined him for two months. Once a consistent contributor, the former Casa Sports striker has now gone twelve matches without a goal. Though he appears to have regained fitness, his sharpness in front of goal has yet to return.
Palmer, who began the season brightly, has also seen his influence wane. Despite a strong start in the Premier League with 14 goals in 20 appearances, his dry spell has raised eyebrows.
“There’s confidence because they’ve scored,” Maresca explained. “They’ve shown what they can do earlier in the season. Nico was scoring before his injury. Cole too.
But they’re both in a tough spell. Nico’s had a long time out and is still finding his rhythm. It’s the same for Cole—he’s played a lot, and maybe fatigue is a factor. But we need them back at their best.”
With the final stretch of the season looming, Chelsea are under pressure to secure European qualification and restore some pride following an inconsistent campaign.
Maresca is clearly relying on his attacking players to rediscover form, particularly as the club juggles domestic responsibilities with their continued European involvement.
Whether Jackson and Palmer can rise to the challenge remains to be seen. But one thing is certain—Chelsea’s hopes for a strong finish hinge heavily on their return to scoring ways.
