Enzo Maresca Always Saw Reece James as a Midfielder at Chelsea
Click to start listening
Synopsis
Enzo Maresca recognized Reece James' potential as a midfielder immediately upon joining Chelsea. Highlighting James' past success at Wigan, Maresca emphasizes his versatility and leadership as essential to the team's success moving forward.
Key Takeaways
- Reece James has been viewed as a midfielder by Enzo Maresca since day one.
- James won multiple awards during his loan at Wigan Athletic.
- Maresca sent James a video about playing in midfield just after joining Chelsea.
- James' adaptability has seen him play multiple positions this season.
- His leadership qualities are becoming increasingly important for the team.
London, March 7 (NationPress) The versatility of Reece James has always been a remarkable asset, and Enzo Maresca revealed that he discussed the potential for the Chelsea captain to take on a midfield role just a day after accepting the position. During the final stages of his loan at Wigan Athletic in the 2018/19 season, James excelled in a central midfield position, culminating in him receiving the club's Player of the Year, Player's Player of the Year, and Goal of the Season accolades by the season’s end.
Even though the 25-year-old has not frequently played in midfield or central defense for Chelsea or England, Maresca confirmed that the concept of James in a central role was always on the table.
"You can ask Reece, the day after I signed with Chelsea, I sent him a video about seeing him as a midfielder. I see Reece as a midfielder, not just now but since day one. Before I met him for the first time, when he was on holiday, I sent him a clip of how he could play as a midfielder.
"So I imagined him playing as a midfielder a long time ago. He is playing [there] now, but the good thing is this season he has played as a full-back, a central defender, many positions, but the main target for us is to help him stay fit all season," said Maresca to Chelsea's media team.
James' initial 10 appearances this season were primarily at right-back or left-back, but as his fitness has continued to improve following injury, he has recently played in the midfield during the last two matches against Aston Villa and Copenhagen.
In the Thursday night 2-1 victory over FC Copenhagen, James led the charge once again, netting the opening goal with a precise low shot from outside the area.
"When you watch a player, you have to use your imagination and envision a player doing something. So, I always imagined him behaving as a midfielder. I then watched some of his games when he was on loan at Wigan, and I still remember him scoring a fantastic goal from 30 meters as a midfielder. So I recalled the video I sent him.
"Especially, the best thing in this moment is he is helping us in leadership [too]. He is growing a lot, and this is important," he added.
