Villarreal CF has gone two games without a win in a row against Sevilla and Real Betis. To these results, the draw against Getafe could be added and the feeling is that the Submarine may lack some punch. The yellows chained more than thirty shots in those two games to only score one goal. In addition, the club let the summer market go by without reinforcing the attack and releasing one of its strikers, such as Alcácer or Boulaye Dia.
And it is that the club and Emery have decided to bet on bringing into the team a young value from the quarry such as the Senegalese Nico Jackson, a player with a great future and enormous potential. The problem is that Jackson is in the growth phase, being the definition its main duty today.
His numbers are good, being one of those who generates the most and has the most chances, but he only scores one goal. The striker has nine shots in six games, which are divided into a shot from outside the area, three from inside the small area and five shots from the penalty area, of which only one has been a goal.
Jackson is the fourth player on the squad who shoots the most, with an average of 1.5 shots, only surpassed by Gerard (2.8 shots), Pedraza (1.8 shots), or Lo Celso with (1.6 shots). While he is together with Pedraza, Coquelin and Chukwueze, the only ones who have provided a goal assist.
That is why coach Unai Emery wanted to emphasize the bet on Jackson. “There is a player who is in the process of growing and You have to see your toll. There are times when some players have to go somewhere else to grow, but we are betting on him because his contribution is very high. Close to goal must have experience and this is learning. Maybe goals will fall by the wayside, but we need to establish young players and we want to bet on them. Two years ago the same thing happened to Baena as to Jackson”, Emery commented after the draw against Sevilla.