How Chelsea finally solved the Reece James puzzle after 17 injuries and 90 missed games

Gentlesoccer October 19, 2023

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Prior to Saturday’s Premier League match against Arsenal, Reece James is back in full training with Chelsea, however it is unknown if he will be ready to start.

James was initially cleared to play against Burnley before the break despite suffering a hamstring injury on the first day of the season. But he had a setback and had to practice by himself for ten days.

He was viewed as a serious doubt for this weekend’s match against the Gunners until re-joining the team on Wednesday after making good progress in his rehabilitation.

James posted a picture of him smiling in training on Instagram with the caption “against all odds”.

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Eden Hazard, the last of the best amateurs, is the last player Chelsea will ever have.However, James has had 17 separate injuries in all since making his first-team debut four years ago.

The 24-year-old has missed 90 games over that span, or nearly 40% of the 228 that could have been played.

He was selected Chelsea’s captain over the summer, but he has only used the armband once in a competitive game—for 76 minutes against Liverpool. In the league since January 2022, he has only started 22 games.

James is still one of Chelsea’s finest players despite a £1 billion transfer budget over the last 16 months that allowed them to create one of the most expensive rosters ever.

With improved shape and a favorable wind at his back, he might even be the greatest.

One of the most complete English full-backs and a quick, fearless, yet flimsy one-man right flank, this is a sumptuously uncommon talent.

So how do you deal with a situation like Reece James’? Weaning Chelsea off of their reliance on James and Ben Chilwell, with the creative burden now more fairly and successfully shared, has been one of Mauricio Pochettino’s finest and least-celebrated successes.

Enzo Fernandez, Cole Palmer, and Raheem Sterling all place in the top 50 Premier League players for most critical passes made per 90 minutes so far this season, according to WhoScored. James was joined in the top 50 in 2022–23 by only Mason Mount (49th), and that was regarded as a season.

Fernandez also has the greatest percentage of long balls attempted and completed (74.9%) of any Premier League player with over 50 attempts.

This season, Palmer, Sterling, and Conor Gallagher have all had assists in the Premier League in addition to Levi Colwill, Malo Gusto, and Chilwell. Chelsea’s wide defenders continue to be crucial contributors to the attacking process, but the pressure is much lower now.

For the first time since Thomas Tuchel joined in January 2021, Chelsea can now generate legitimate goalscoring opportunities without deploying wing-backs. The health and fitness of the James-Chilwell combo, as well as N’Golo Kante, were key factors in how well Tuchel and Graham Potter’s periods performed.

However, Pochettino has ultimately ended Chelsea’s reliance on individuals whose fitness is unpredictable by constructing his own system around a four-man defense and giving the tactical function priority over the player who fills it.

The right-back position is now available for James anytime he chooses to occupy it, but its functionality is not wholly dependent on him. Gusto or even left-back Marc Cucurella might have filled in for him in his absence. He is no longer a requirement; he is an upgrade.

In light of all of this, his role as captain is more complicated, but there was simply no better option than an academy product who won the Champions League and is also one of the club’s top players. He tends to be a guy of few words and serves as an example, although it can be challenging.

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This contributes to a fundamental problem, which is how James’ history of injuries affects him both physically and psychologically. His obvious passion for football makes his absence all the more painful.

Half the battle here is keeping him from his desperate need to play, and the other half is keeping him from the ever-expanding schedule.

He might start to have a little bit less faith in his own body with each injury. Each time, finding the drive to heal gets more difficult. There is always a tipping point.

Of course, a football player’s main objective is to play the game. However, James doesn’t have to suit up for Chelsea in every game to prove his worth.

Is it really that unreasonable if he can be protected for the crucial games and start even half of the 50 or more games Chelsea must play each season (while in Europe)? Would everyone not be satisfied with the result if the pressure that comes with the expectation that he should play every minute were removed?

The Todd Boehly-Clearlake axis has shown they can afford luxury, but a club without sufficient financial resources would not be able to accommodate a player with James’ present injury record.

However unlikely it may seem right now, perhaps James will be able to eventually put his injury issues behind him.Chelsea’s only options are to enjoy life with him while preparing for life without him. When he plays, treat him like a solution.