Reece James has been speaking to the media following Chelsea’s 3-0 win over Club America.
It was a big relief to have a morale boosting results, and all the players have been much more loose after a good win. Reece James was happy to give some insight to a journalist from TalkSport into what he was going to be asked to do this season by his new manager Enzo Maresca.
“When I played right back before I kind of just got up and down. Now it’s a bit different. Sometimes I am kind of in the middle and I’m not forward as much. It’s a different role, but it’s a good role. I feel like the role can change quite a bit. I don’t think it’s going to be one set role which I think is good as well. It will change depending on opponents and stuff.”
Team to player or player to team?
There are plenty of people who aren’t certain about this new role – they’ve seen the full back use his physique and crossing ability to great effect down the right over the years, and don’t see why that should change.
There’s a strong school of thought that playing to the strengths of your best players is how any strategy should be built for a team. But James’ skills are versatile, and he has plenty that will benefit him in midfield too. He hasn’t stayed fit regularly enough to have any team built around him – and wherever you use him, he’ll find a way to do damage.
The idea of him coming inside in some games is fine by us, if that’s what works best for the team. What’s unfortunate is that he has a ban for the opening 3 weeks, meaning the team will have to do without him, whatever role he was assigned.