We missed this last week, but Reece James did a really nice extended interview with Sky Sports ahead of the games against Tottenham and Brentford.
The club captain is a quiet bloke, as we all know, and you rarely get this much out of him. But it was great to see him speaking so positively after his best run of games in years in terms of fitness, and after an England callup where he scored a memorable free kick which almost seemed to symbolise his return to the big time.
The chat covered all manner of topics, including the usual boring waffle about the team’s goals and aims for the season. The good stuff came when things got more personal.
You can see his interview in the clips embedded here:
James on Maresca and position change
Hearing James speak about his new manager was interesting:
“They’ve been great, from the moment the staff and the manager came in. Last season we missed out on Champions League football… year on year the league is getting tougher. There’s no easy game in the Premier League,”
As was hearing him speak about playing in midfield, as he has done recently:
“It’s ok, it’s something I played a lot as a kid and a little bit on loan, so it’s not really new to me, it’s just reminding myself how to play there again. But I’m enjoying playing again and helping the team.”
To us, it doesn’t sound like he loves it, frankly. He’s doing it because he’s asked to, to help the team, but he’d rather be marauding down the right flank like we’re used to seeing. Still, as Maresca says, this more reserved role should help his fitness issues, and anything that does that is OK by us.
I think Reece is onf of the best I can’t say the same for Maresca this man has not once played a side that won one week and the same next week he is forever changing the team that’s why they find it difficult to understand each others play stick to your winning team then see the difference