Chelsea versus Arsenal was billed as a conflict of midfield goliaths Moises Caicedo and Declan Rice, but it surely was Reece James who stole the present within the centre of the pitch.
Usually a right-back, the Chelsea captain has been pushed into midfield by Romeo Lavia’s persistent harm issues. James lined up alongside Caicedo, with Enzo Fernandez additional ahead in .
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Chelsea dominated the primary half, however their momentum stalled when Caicedo noticed pink for a late lunge on Mikel Merino within the thirty eighth minute.
Maresca reshuffled at half-time, bringing on Alejandro Garnacho, with Fernandez dropping deeper alongside James.
Moments after the restart, James crossed for Joao Pedro to go on the right track from shut vary. He then delivered once more for Trevoh Chalobah, who looped a header from a nook over David Raya to open the scoring.
Merino levelled with a far-post header 11 minutes later however, with James utilizing his physicality in midfield, Chelsea stayed within the recreation and matched the Premier League leaders regardless of being a person down.
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“Reece was been improbable, [he was] prime, superb,” mentioned Maresca, including he must take into account how one can use the 25-year-old, with a historical past of harm points, towards Leeds in midweek.
“Now, we’ve got a recreation on Wednesday. We have to handle him, we have to management him, we have to management a little bit bit his scenario. However he was superb tonight.”
It was a powerful effort from Chelsea, however Arsenal have been additionally content material at preserving unbeaten run. now at 17 factors, and with a five-point lead on the prime of the Premier League desk.
James harm free as a result of he’s being managed
[BBC Sport]
Chelsea imagine James has lastly overcome the persistent hamstring accidents that blighted his profession in current seasons – and the turnaround isn’t any accident.
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The important thing has been a revamp of the membership’s medical division, led by efficiency director Bryce Cavanagh and medical director Craig Roberts, alongside Maresca’s disciplined strategy to crew choice.
Collectively, they’ve launched stricter load administration and nearer monitoring of gamers to maintain them match for the long run.
Requested by BBC Sport final month how he managed to go harm free for greater than 12 months, James mentioned: “Many individuals behind the scenes are serving to me – they know who they’re. I’ve somebody on the membership I work intently with. He is been a giant a part of protecting me on the pitch.”
Chelsea’s evaluation crew additionally performs an important function, monitoring participant information to permit high-intensity soccer whereas decreasing harm danger. Final season was seen as successful at Stamford Bridge after the membership went from one of many worst harm information within the Premier League to the most effective.
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James was restricted to at least one match every week final season, like Wesley Fofana and Romeo Lavia. This 12 months, each James and Fofana have been harm free and cleared to play two or three matches every week, with none want to cut back their bodily output on the pitch.
Nevertheless, Maresca mentioned beginning a fourth match in a row at Leeds would seemingly be a step too far for James.
He has already featured closely this week: the total 90 minutes towards Arsenal, 82 minutes within the 3-0 midweek win over Barcelona, and the primary half of the 2-0 victory at Burnley final weekend.
The Chelsea captain additionally hit a private milestone final month, making his 2 hundredth look towards Nottingham Forest – the primary time he had began 4 consecutive matches, albeit with a global break in between, in additional than two years.
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Reflecting on the landmark, James mentioned: “200 instances – it is a dream. I in all probability would have appreciated it to come back round a bit faster!”
A frontrunner for Chelsea and England?
[BBC Sport]
After Chelsea’s 1-1 draw with Arsenal, James was requested by Sky Sports activities whether or not his facet had made a press release. His response was understated: “I feel everybody can see the place we’re and what we’re combating for. I feel immediately was a giant assertion. Regardless that we needed to win, there are many positives to take.”
That calm authority displays James’ evolution as Chelsea captain. Following Cesar Azpilicueta’s departure in 2023, James was handed the armband by Mauricio Pochettino. However early in Enzo Maresca’s reign, the Italian mentioned he “anticipated extra” and even instructed James so in a one-to-one assembly.
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Since then, Maresca – publicly and privately – has been impressed with the response.
James is a quiet introvert away from the pitch and isn’t a person of many phrases. As an alternative, he leads with thoughtfulness.
He pulls gamers apart for quiet phrases, arranges crew meals throughout tough spells, and sometimes leads by instance, leaning on vice-captain Fernandez to be what one supply describes because the “aggressive chief”.
Nevertheless, this season, James has additionally been seen urging extra aggression from teenage winger Estevao Willian in September towards Brighton, who credit him with serving to him adapt to English soccer.
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He has additionally launched a half-time ritual the place your entire squad gathers within the centre circle earlier than leaving the pitch collectively – a small gesture that reinforces unity that was missing throughout Chelsea’s rebuild.
The Chelsea captain appears to be like past soccer for inspiration. He has constructed friendships with South Africa rugby union skipper Siya Kolisi and System One star Lewis Hamilton.
That non-public development bodes effectively for England in a World Cup 12 months. It was Thomas Tuchel – now England supervisor – who first elevated James to a brand new stage at Stamford Bridge and the pair achieved Champions League glory in 2021.
Regardless of not taking part in for England since 2022, James was recalled by Tuchel in March. It marked a major second after the frustration of lacking the 2022 World Cup by way of harm and Euro 2024 by way of non-selection.
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Tuchel described James as on the “highest stage” in March and he’s proving to be in each midfield and in his favoured right-back place this season.
