Chelsea boss, Enzo Maresca, has confirmed that Reece James will carry on as one of the captains in the dressing room. But there is still a mystery regarding who will be the main captain. The Italian abruptly halted in his press conference before he could reveal that crucial piece of information.
The Chelsea academy product became the new captain of Chelsea under previous manager, Mauricio Pochettino, but started just 5 league games last season due to injury woes. His prolonged injury problems raise question among many whether he is fit to lead the squad. Maresca, however, had only positive things to say about the right back. He is firm on his decision to have James assume many of the squad’s leadership roles.
Who Is The Next Chelsea Captain?
The issue regarding the main skipper still remains to be resolved. There quite a few candidates who seem apt for the job. Last season saw Conor Gallagher take the armband in the absence of fellow academy graduate, Reece James and his roots to the Blues would be a plus in preserving the dressing room culture. On the other hand, some of the other players like Raheem Sterling and Ben Chilwell would naturally come to mind considering their seniority. Ironically, Chilwell has been strongly linked with an exit this summer. The left-back is another player who missed most of the season after he was sidelined with an injury. This also led to his exclusion from the Euro 2024 squad. Moreover, his position in the club is also endangered after Marc Cucurella’s fantastic display at the Euros. It is likely that he won’t be a Chelsea player next season.
Maresca’s subtle message at his press conference further insinuated Chilwell’s not so good future at the club. He mentioned his prime candidates for the inverted full-back role which include Cucurella, Veiga, James and Malo Gusto. For the time being, his situation is comparatively better than Trevoh Chalobah since he has been listed in the US pre-season squad.
Reece James Recovery
One of the most important job at Maresca’s hand right now is to help Reece James get back to his best. The former Leicester manager is currently content with the resources available and the club’s handling of player’s arrivals and exit. But ensuring good relations along with their harsh exclusions will always be a difficult task for a manager. James, at his best, can dominate the entire right flank. It will be a tricky job but Maresca will have to figure out how to keep the right-back at his disposal at all times.
Manchester right-back, Kyle Walker, referred to James as the perfect right-back. The 24-year-old’s versatility can allow Maresca to use his trademark formation using inverted full-backs. His speed and physicality often facilitate him to run forward while also shrugging off incoming challenges through sheer force. After being out for a long time, this pre-season tour will hopefully get him ready for the season.
Another player who can benefit from this playstyle is Enzo Fernandez. The Argentine has not quite lived up to his £106.8million price tag after he moved to the Stamford Bridge from Benfica. However, we can see him take on a new role of operating further upfield in the new formation. James, on the other, will act as an extra midfielder by running through the middle of the pitch. Chelsea’s success and glory since the past decade had raised the bar for the club’s future performances. Getting the team back into the top four is always a must for the fans and the management but will also be tough to achieve.
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