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Reece James

I went back in this thread as you can tell by the quotes. We all seem to let our expectations for James fluctuate with his injury status. From cheering about his contract extension and some good matches it's now back to the "he's finished, can't count on him for the entire season, we shouldn't have extended, needs to go" phase again after playing an underwhelming WC for England. England! Since when has that been a yardstick!

Viewing our present squad and its lack of leaders, he's probably still one of the best even if it is for half a season. The captaincy should go to someone like Colwill, but that won't make Reece less of an elder statesman so to speak behind the scenes.
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My thoughts on him have never changed, we would be nuts to sell him, hes one of the few world class players we now have. Many top clubs have managed there best players through injuries, I dont see why we should be any different.

 
I went back in this thread as you can tell by the quotes. We all seem to let our expectations for James fluctuate with his injury status. From cheering about his contract extension and some good matches it's now back to the "he's finished, can't count on him for the entire season, we shouldn't have extended, needs to go" phase again after playing an underwhelming WC for England. England! Since when has that been a yardstick!

Viewing our present squad and its lack of leaders, he's probably still one of the best even if it is for half a season. The captaincy should go to someone like Colwill, but that won't make Reece less of an elder statesman so to speak behind the scenes.
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He was doing great until around December, I even had him as our player of the season up until that point. Soon after, he started to slow down though, then he got injured again and never got back up to his levels. Now he seems stuck in between being mediocre and getting injured again. He can only get the same injury so many time before it catches up with him and I think we are at that point now. I can't see him going a single month of intense football without breaking down.

 
My thoughts on him have never changed, we would be nuts to sell him, hes one of the few world class players we now have. Many top clubs have managed there best players through injuries, I dont see why we should be any different.
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I haven't seen James put in a performance that reaches close to world class level since the end of last year. He's been between mediocre and bad since then. I don't think James is a world class footballer anymore. I don't see how he can be rated that way when we see so little of it.

 
I haven't seen James put in a performance that reaches close to world class level since the end of last year. He's been between mediocre and bad since then. I don't think James is a world class footballer anymore. I don't see how he can be rated that way when we see so little of it.
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Football fans are emotional. You let them tell it, and England had 11 world class players v Argentina.

 
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Football fans are emotional. You let them tell it, and England had 11 world class players v Argentina.
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Go find me one person that said that. Just one.

 
There were several moments yesterday when Reece intentionally motivated subs to get up to game speed. I’m still not sure I like him in midfield, but he’s so damn versatile and important to the team. Can see his leadership growing this year under Alonso.

 
He's looking 100% fit for the first time in a long time. This could be a big year for him.

Reece_James_Chelsea_supporters_Fulham.jpg


 
I actually really like him in midfield, the fact he can drop into the back line when needed is huge and his deliveries from the edge of the box are still some of the best i've seen

 
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I actually really like him in midfield, the fact he can drop into the back line when needed is huge and his deliveries from the edge of the box are still some of the best i've seen
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I thought him and Lavia were terrible in midfield in all honesty, not so much on the ball, but off the ball, I thought there was no structure at all.

 
I thought him and Lavia were terrible in midfield in all honesty, not so much on the ball, but off the ball, I thought there was no structure at all.
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I would agree. It was also due to them being outnumbered by Fulham in midfield, but I think you drop Caicedo instead of one of them and its a lot more secure. He doesn't yet have the positional awareness to play that role perfectly. On the ball, however, he's still fantastic.

 
Alonso, asked whether James could become one of the world’s best midfielders, said: ‘“I would say so. He’s very comfortable, very confident playing in that position. He has the intelligence to play there. He has the intelligence to connect with teammates around him in the middle to know what’s the best thing before and after you get the ball. And he has this awareness. I remember seeing him play very well in the middle. So yes, we are using him. He will have a lot of minutes in there as a first midfielder.”

He believes James’s leadership traits are most effective in a more advanced position: “He has the capacity to help the teammates around him, so that is very important as well, because he has this presence, this respect from the teammates. When he tells them something, they listen and they follow him. His impact in terms of emotionally, in terms of captain, leadership in the middle, he’s closer to everything and he can play an important role there.”
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Im not sure about Reece in this midfield role. Alonso has confirmed what we all thought, but against the stronger teams it might not be enough.

 
Im not sure about Reece in this midfield role. Alonso has confirmed what we all thought, but against the stronger teams it might not be enough.
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This is it for me, it's OK when you're at home to the likes of Hull City.

But you literally can't go toe to toe against top teams when they are playing proper midfielders and we are playing defenders in midfield.

You can't afford to play against the likes of Arsenal with makeshift midfielders.

 
He just let Odegaard walk past him he didn’t even try it was poor from him as captain.
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Yup. Am not sure who I fault more, him or Lavia.

Lavia is an actual midfield player so should know to watch runners, but Reece is a defender so again that should be his instinct.

As I said in the match thread is Enzo had just allowed odegaard to do that...

 
Im not sure about Reece in this midfield role. Alonso has confirmed what we all thought, but against the stronger teams it might not be enough.
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Trouble is Reece is a RB who can't play RB.

If everyone's fit, does he even have a spot on the team?

 
Trouble is Reece is a RB who can't play RB.

If everyone's fit, does he even have a spot on the team?
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Nope but it’s that ridiculous contract that is a noose around our neck. If Reece James can't play RCB, RB or RWB , then he is holding the team to Ransom.

We need to start having the uncomfortable conversations, but there isn’t a market.

 
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