Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson ruled out till April | OneFootball

Chelsea have been dealt a massive blow in their bid to secure a place in the UEFA Champions League next season.

Chelsea knew they needed a striker in the January transfer window but failed to get a deal over the line, leaving the Stamford Bridge outfit under-staffed up top.

Chelsea back-up striker Marc Guiu is also injured, picking up a problem during the 2-1 win over West Ham United.

Manager Enzo Maresca opted for Christopher Nkunku as a false nine in the FA Cup loss to Brighton & Hove Albion, but that switch ended up blunting Chelsea in attack.

Nkunku is not a number nine, and he gave Chelsea no presence up top. Maresca might have to devise another plan for the coming games with his first-choice striker now facing a spell on the sidelines.

For all the criticism Jackson has received in a Chelsea shirt, he is a handful for defenders and keeps them honest. He stretches backlines and causes them problems. The Senegalese striker (with 14 caps) will be a massive miss for the West Londoners.

Chelsea sporting directors should be sacked now

Chelsea knew they were thin in attack heading into the January transfer window, and not only did the sporting directors fail to add another centre-forward, they also let Joao Felix go.

The lack of foresight from the club’s directors has left the squad dangerously unbalanced, and the consequences are beginning to show.

If Chelsea fail to secure a Champions League spot, the blame must fall on those responsible for squad planning. The Blues have spent heavily in recent windows, yet glaring holes remain in key areas. A club of Chelsea’s stature should never be in a crisis due to poor recruitment.

Maresca faces an uphill battle to keep Chelsea competitive in the race for a top-four finish. With crucial fixtures on the horizon, he must find a way to get goals from an attack that looks worryingly short on firepower.

If the Blues don’t turn things around soon, they could be staring at another season outside Europe’s elite competition. For a club with their ambitions, that would be unacceptable.