Some Chelsea supporters have begun questioning the silence of former midfielder John Obi Mikel regarding the performances of striker Liam Delap during the 2025/26 season.
Last season, Mikel was widely known for his strong criticism of Nicolas Jackson, frequently pointing out the striker’s missed chances in front of goal. At the time, some fans felt the former Chelsea midfielder had developed an agenda against Jackson due to the regularity of his criticism.
However, fans are now asking why the same level of scrutiny has not been directed at Delap, whose performances this season have been described by some observers as inconsistent both on and off the ball.
Football lovers, fans, analysts believe the discussion has intensified because Delap’s goal contributions have not matched expectations for a starting striker at the club.
Supporters have also argued that Jackson offered qualities beyond goals, including movement, pressing, and chance creation.
Softfootball notes that if Jackson were part of the current squad alongside João Pedro, Chelsea could potentially deploy a more dynamic attacking setup. In such a system, Jackson could operate from the left wing, João Pedro as the central striker, Estevão Willian on the right wing, and Cole Palmer playing as the attacking midfielder.
Analysts believe that even when Jackson was not scoring consistently, his ability to stretch defenses and create chances added a different dimension to Chelsea’s attack.
Supporters have recalled moments such as Chelsea’s 2–2 draw with Bournemouth on January 14, 2025, when Jackson dribbled past multiple defenders before assisting Palmer for a goal.
Some fans argue that similar attacking creativity has not been seen often from Delap this season. Is time football pundits and content creators should maintain balanced criticism when evaluating players. If Jackson faced heavy scrutiny for his performances last season, many fans believe Delap’s struggles should also be openly discussed.
They also point out that when Jackson first arrived from Villarreal, he was originally a left winger rather than a traditional striker and had to adapt to playing centrally for Chelsea.
For some observers, this context makes the criticism he received last season appear even harsher when compared with the current scrutiny surrounding Delap.
