Reece James

Perhaps Reece should become "club" captain and we give the "on field" captaincy to someone else who is more reliable and actually has some demonstrable man management and leadership skills ? Don't know who that would be apart from Thiago Silva mind you 🙂  
I think that illustrates the issue right there. Beyond 39 year old Thiago Silva in the last year of his contract we really have no suitable candidate for an on-field captain.

 
I'd be questioning the medical team more than Reece's hamstrings, a lot are getting injured and seem to be out longer than ever! Bring back Eva!

 
There must be an option to have surgery and fix this. If not and this is how things are with Reece he needs to take a new deal on just a basic 40k a week and then pay as you play to top it up to more. 

That or sell him. Same with Chilwell.

We have to find players like Gallagher and Disasi in terms of how reliable they are to stay fit, and get shot of those who are being paid to barely ever play.

 
I'd be questioning the medical team more than Reece's hamstrings, a lot are getting injured and seem to be out longer than ever! Bring back Eva!
I think both can be true. I would certainly question the medical team, but Reece and Chilwell have consistently had these injury cycles now for several seasons. Their problems predate the current medical team. Unfortunately, with each recurrence it is less likely that this is something that could be resolved with a change of medical staff.

 
I think that illustrates the issue right there. Beyond 39 year old Thiago Silva in the last year of his contract we really have no suitable candidate for an on-field captain.
It's a shame Trev has been frozen out as I reckon he could have made a decent fist of it, and possibly in the DM role (and we could have sent Ugochukwu to Strasbourg, or not signed him at all)

 
  • Like
Reactions: Mod
It's a shame Trev has been frozen out as I reckon he could have made a decent fist of it, and possibly in the DM role (and we could have sent Ugochukwu to Strasbourg, or not signed him at all)
Isn't Chalobah still out injured?

 
Really hate saying this but I think we need to consider moving on.

Since returning from injury he hasn't been the same, which is most likely due to the fact that he was still getting back up to speed, but that seems to be the recurring cycle. Get injured, disappear for a while, come back a bit shaky, and get injured again before you get up to speed.

He has also picked up two suspensions already this season (one overlapping with him being injured), which honestly is not acceptable for a player who already misses most of the season. Could be frustration pilling up at his situation, and maybe a move would do him good before it does the club good.

As far as the club is concerned, that's the third season in a row where a manager plans a season thinking that he has one of the best right backs in the world at his disposal, only for those plans to get derailed by a long term injury and have the manager scrap for alternatives.

I really hope the latest injury isn't too serious, but if it is I think the club needs to have that conversation in the summer.

 
Isn't Chalobah still out injured?
I've always thought that he was "injured" as opposed to injured ... convenient face saver all round 🙂 

Just found it weird that the actual nature of the injury was very vague ... as are any updates ... he's been out such a long time for a supposedly minor injury !

 
If rumours become true, Gallagher, Chalabah are being sold next season, he basically lost all his academy mates from that era. Will money and love for the club alone be able to keep him? 🤔 8 years contract or not, if one really wants to force a move, it will happen. It will bring the biggest sale profit the ownership sees, and  they won't say yes?

 
Don’t give up on him yet. He’s quality, and they’ll be no one more frustrated than Reece. 

He has my full support and there are bigger issues at the club to address (although it certainly isn’t small when your captain continues to struggle). 

 
This is our captain, one of the best RB players in the world when at his best and he's not playing 50% of the time, but when he does play he's on the pitch for less than an hour on average, basically making one half of any given match he features in.

Missing half of the league's matches so far and being unable to finish a full 90 minute match this season is really alarming.

He featured in only 16 league matches last season already. Someone should wake up some people, are we still a PL club or are we amateurs? James is only 24 years old what are the people around him doing? What is our medical staff doing? Doctors? Whoever the club is paying to take care of our players should seriously do some kind of an analysis or something because this is just insane.

I'm actually mindblown after seeing just how much he missed now, I can't recall someone that important for a team being so neglected for a club. How are we unable to protect our own superstar here?

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Have to move him on. Otherwise its denial and neither management or the team can be planned properly. You can't plan your team and tactics around a guy who is there well less than 50% of the time.

I don't care if he's Pele and Beckenbauer rolled into one, if he's not available he's worse than useless because it distracts from the real team.

On the other hand maybe that is his value to be out there as a mascot while the actual team gets on with the job.

I know it's harsh but he gets paid bucketloads of money and when you get paid that much you take bad with the good. Life of the sports professional. Perform or go.

 
Don’t give up on him yet. He’s quality, and they’ll be no one more frustrated than Reece. 

He has my full support and there are bigger issues at the club to address (although it certainly isn’t small when your captain continues to struggle). 
But he is one of the few marketable assets that we have and his value plummets with every reoccurring injury 

 
But he is one of the few marketable assets that we have and his value plummets with every reoccurring injury 
Not even sure anyone will pay big money for him anymore, at this point and on those wages he is a big risk. I can remember reading an article last season that said last season was the one we could have maxed out on a price for him and pinned the number at £80m. The article also rightly suggested that with every injury that number drops.

 
Not even sure anyone will pay big money for him anymore, at this point and on those wages he is a big risk. I can remember reading an article last season that said last season was the one we could have maxed out on a price for him and pinned the number at £80m. The article also rightly suggested that with every injury that number drops.
Despite his injuries both Real and City enquired about him over the summer. Best believe if us and James decided to part ways he would still command a good fee, maybe not a great one, but easily 50 to 60mill minimum.

 
Despite his injuries both Real and City enquired about him over the summer. Best believe if us and James decided to part ways he would still command a good fee, maybe not a great one, but easily 50 to 60mill minimum.
Personally don’t think either of those clubs will touch him. Madrid have been burnt with Hazard, no way they would touch another player with a worse injury record from us. Pep is also not sanctioning a move for a player with around 30% availability record after the way this summer’s signings have been underwhelming.
 

Personally think we should move him into the middle of the park next season and see if he is a bit more durable without the wear & tear from running down the flanks. If the situation persists then sell him in 2025. Just remembered Chilwell is a similar situation.

 
Back
Top