Chelsea forward Nicolas Jackson has suggested that he has enjoyed being the target for criticism since his arrival at Stamford Bridge.
Eyebrows were raised when the Blues hierarchy committed to pay £32m for the Senegal international in June 2023 on the back of a brief spell of good form for previous club Villarreal.
The 23-year-old has since struggled to convince many followers of English football, particularly through the amount of big chances that he squandered during 2023-24.
However, Jackson is now regarded as one of the best strikers in the Premier League, the versatile attacker indicating that 'bad words' said about him have only enhanced his development with the West Londoners.
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I love this, you know"
Speaking to the Premier League's Big Interview, Jackson has insisted that embracing some of the negatively surrounding his performances will only help him become a better player.
He said: "I want to hear people say bad things about me! Criticise me on the pitch, it's nice...it helps you, I love this, you know.
"I've not made it here yet, I'm just improving, making it is scoring every week, 20 to 30 goals or winning trophies"
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The best behind Haaland?
With 76 goals and 13 assists from just 81 appearances in the Premier League, it is difficult to dispute that Erling Haaland is the best forward currently plying his trade in English football.
Nevertheless, there is an argument that Jackson is now the best of the rest, chipping in with 22 goals and eight assists from his 49 outings in the competition.
What is most notable about Jackson's goal tally is that no strikes have come from the penalty spot, unlike Haaland who has netted 15 penalties during his time in the Premier League.
Jackson has not netted a hat-trick for more than a year. In fact, he has contributed just two doubles since then, both of which came against West Ham United.
On the flip side, though, Jackson has still chipped in with at least a goal or assist in 14 of his last 27 Premier League appearances.
Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins is rivalling Jackson for the position behind Haaland in the pecking order, yet the England international has contributed just seven goals from his most recent 20 top-flight games, albeit with six assists also coming during that period.
Darren Plant
