Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino has cautioned Nicolas Jackson on his disciplinary record as he is on the verge of earning a suspension.
The Senegal international has been booked in all but one of the five Premier League matches played so far this season, meaning he is just one yellow card away from an automatic one-match suspension.
Pochettino stressed that it was inappropriate for a striker to have such amount of cards in the duration it has been accrued and has called on Jackson to not argue with referees which have been the bulk of his yellow card offences. This comes after the Premier League toughened rules on dissent by players and coaching staff dissent this season.
“I talked to him today. We had a meeting with him and also Enzo [Fernandez],” Pochettino said ahead of Chelsea’s league clash with Aston Villa on Sunday.
“For a striker to pick up four yellow cards from talking to the officials, it shouldn’t happen. It would be ok for different actions but not for that.
“He is young and he needs to improve, he will be a fantastic player but he needs time. He needs to be calm and relaxed in front of goal and it will arrive.
“He needs to be clever to not protest to the referees. Maybe it’s his normal behaviour on the pitch or maybe it’s because the rules changed this season. He has come from Spain and here it is more sensitive this season.
“Hopefully, he doesn’t get another one on Sunday because he will be suspended.”
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Chelsea have only recorded one win in the Premier League this season and sit in 14th spot on the table with five points. Pochettino stated that he is not frustrated by the poor results which is largely attributed to 10 first team players out with injury but wants the available players to keep pushing.
“No. If we talk about performances we have performed well,” the former Tottenham Hotspur manager continued.
“We are missing many key players as well. I’m not frustrated but I’m disappointed because many teams with less have scored more.
“We need to keep pushing and playing to find the right things. I’m happy in the way the players felt after Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest, they really cared about performing better to try and win games.”
Chelsea have scored only five goals in as many games, also conceding as many goals.
