I thought he grew into the game, at times you could tell he isn't completely fit yet, but his positioning was top class and showed how good of a defender he is. When he's fully fit and back to showing what he can do in an attacking sense as well as defensively people will remember why Trent can't lace the guy's boots. He's the best all round RB in the world at full fitness, let's just hope he can stay injury free.

Reece did well, though clearly needing to gain match fitness & confidence. I want to see him shooting/crossing a bit more, the boy has it in his locker.

10 minutes ago, Malcolm9 said:

Reece did well, though clearly needing to gain match fitness & confidence. I want to see him shooting/crossing a bit more, the boy has it in his locker.

It would be nice but is it really worth risk aggravating his injury issues?

Im perfectly happy with him as an inverted fullback, he can still offer us long balls. Personally I feel we’re still a long way from James being the explosive wing back 

9 hours ago, timetowaste said:

I thought he grew into the game, at times you could tell he isn't completely fit yet, but his positioning was top class and showed how good of a defender he is. When he's fully fit and back to showing what he can do in an attacking sense as well as defensively people will remember why Trent can't lace the guy's boots. He's the best all round RB in the world at full fitness, let's just hope he can stay injury free.

There was a moment, about 1 minute into the game where Reece had the ball in a central area and if he had looked up, he could have put Jackson straight through on goal. It's actually crazy how much space Jackson had there. Reece passed it to Madueke and it still resulted in a chance, but that sort of match awareness/sharpness worried me early on. Then he goes on to lock down first the left, then the right side of the pitch and puts in a dominant defensive display which won us the 3 points.

Was a bit caught out for their goal but overall was brilliant yesterday.

You actually forget just how good he is because he’s injured so much.

Elite footballer.

90 minutes.

2 clearances. 

2 blocked shots.

2 interceptions. 

1 clearance off the line.

3 ground duels (won 2).

3 aerial duels (won 3).

5 crosses.

8 long balls. 

86% pass accuracy. 

So, I love that Reece is back .. but this isn’t how I imagined it. Cucurella is one of the most in form players in the league. He is specifically good at what Gusto seems near unaccustomed to.

I pictured Reece building up his match fitness, starting 45, 60 minutes . Then playing maybe one game a week, the league, if his form calls for it.

Having Reece go 90 his second game back… we needed his heroics, but that seems off to me, and I would prefer to see him partnered with Cucu.

33 minutes ago, Bluelion7 said:

So, I love that Reece is back .. but this isn’t how I imagined it. Cucurella is one of the most in form players in the league. He is specifically good at what Gusto seems near unaccustomed to.

I pictured Reece building up his match fitness, starting 45, 60 minutes . Then playing maybe one game a week, the league, if his form calls for it.

Having Reece go 90 his second game back… we needed his heroics, but that seems off to me, and I would prefer to see him partnered with Cucu.

From what i could see during the game was Gusto seemed to be pushing up next to Palmer when we attacked. 

Personally i wouldn't want to see Cucurella that high and if James is sitting in then Cucurella doesn't offer anything different. 

If its a choice between a fit Reece James OR Cucurella, no matter how good his form is Reece wins that battle every single time. 

34 minutes ago, Bluelion7 said:

So, I love that Reece is back .. but this isn’t how I imagined it. Cucurella is one of the most in form players in the league. He is specifically good at what Gusto seems near unaccustomed to.

I pictured Reece building up his match fitness, starting 45, 60 minutes . Then playing maybe one game a week, the league, if his form calls for it.

Having Reece go 90 his second game back… we needed his heroics, but that seems off to me, and I would prefer to see him partnered with Cucu.

With Cucurellas recent suspension and overall number of games for the club, I’m wondering if Maresca is simply playing his best match day hand. He seems very pragmatic with selection, so have to believe he’s working his way back to Cucu and James in the league, Viega and Gusto in cups. 

2 hours ago, Ukraine Bolt said:

From what i could see during the game was Gusto seemed to be pushing up next to Palmer when we attacked. 

Personally i wouldn't want to see Cucurella that high and if James is sitting in then Cucurella doesn't offer anything different. 

If its a choice between a fit Reece James OR Cucurella, no matter how good his form is Reece wins that battle every single time. 

See, Cucurella has played get role where he inverts up to the 10. That’s where his heat map was predominantly against the Greece side. Difference being he’s the only one that seems comfortable doing it. His awareness in terms of knowing where to be, when to be there, especially coming back on defense and not being caught out, is simply better than Gusto’s.

Heck, even offensively, Cucu was running pivot in the left channel between Mischa and Joao really well. Tight spaces  and playing in midfield is far more in Cucu’s wheelhouse than Gusto. Now if we overlapped? Gusto all day. 

Maybe he is working his way back to a Cucu James partnership as others have said. The other thing that worries me, other than wearing Reece out, is a Gusto partnership also seems to mean more Desasi at RB…

👑

11 hours ago, Malcolm9 said:

Reece did well, though clearly needing to gain match fitness & confidence. I want to see him shooting/crossing a bit more, the boy has it in his locker.

I think his position will evolve if he can stay fit. I’m more than happy for him to play in a defensive role until the club are sure he’s over the injuries. 
 

This is why he’s the best right back/wingback is England if he can stay fit. If TAA had the same run of injuries as James has he wouldn’t get a game as an inverted  or holding right back because he’s not in the same universe as James when it comes to defending.

When fully fit I believe James to be as effective as TAA as an attacking wing back albeit he doesn’t have the passing range of Trent. Prior to the injuries James was well on his way to being as good as Roberto Carlos in my opinion. I hope he gets back that trajectory but if he can only manage to be a defender then he looks tailor made to either invert or double up as the RCB in a back 3.

Just got to stay fit for an extended period. Fingers crossed.

9 hours ago, 19seventyone said:

I think his position will evolve if he can stay fit. I’m more than happy for him to play in a defensive role until the club are sure he’s over the injuries. 
 

This is why he’s the best right back/wingback is England if he can stay fit. If TAA had the same run of injuries as James has he wouldn’t get a game as an inverted  or holding right back because he’s not in the same universe as James when it comes to defending.

When fully fit I believe James to be as effective as TAA as an attacking wing back albeit he doesn’t have the passing range of Trent. Prior to the injuries James was well on his way to being as good as Roberto Carlos in my opinion. I hope he gets back that trajectory but if he can only manage to be a defender then he looks tailor made to either invert or double up as the RCB in a back 3.

Just got to stay fit for an extended period. Fingers crossed.

He may be working on his passing range... When he inverted in the last game he got one or two wrong (short/too long) but he did some nice diagonal passes to noni. Maybe he has it in the locker but it's rusty or unused apart from crossing the ball once he's bombed down the line. If he can work on his range ability then trent ain't got sh*t on him. Oh and obviously stay fit.

Edited October 29, 20241 yr by Simplymo

I don't know what the context was that led to Maresca's comments about James, but when I read about it, it seemed to me to be an unessessary thing to make public and not helpful, Carragher was on it straight away after the Newcastle goal, pointing out that Maresca was correct, that James wasnt vocal enough etc etc bo**ocks etc. .Keep it in house FFS , James had a very good game after all.

I don't want to criticise Maresca really, I'm really happy with the way we are going, and it might be a coincidence, but it's yet another Academy product that he is publicly criticising. And for not being vocal in the changing room ? Do me a favour.We are becoming a very good team, this kind of nonsense just doesn't sit well with me.

Come on you BLUES !

 

 

2 hours ago, The Rising Sun said:

I don't know what the context was that led to Maresca's comments about James, but when I read about it, it seemed to me to be an unessessary thing to make public and not helpful, Carragher was on it straight away after the Newcastle goal, pointing out that Maresca was correct, that James wasnt vocal enough etc etc bo**ocks etc. .Keep it in house FFS , James had a very good game after all.

I don't want to criticise Maresca really, I'm really happy with the way we are going, and it might be a coincidence, but it's yet another Academy product that he is publicly criticising. And for not being vocal in the changing room ? Do me a favour.We are becoming a very good team, this kind of nonsense just doesn't sit well with me.

Come on you BLUES !

The vice captain is no threat to Reece. Not only is his leadership worse, but he's not even good enough to make the team, let alone be captain.

10 hours ago, The Rising Sun said:

I don't know what the context was that led to Maresca's comments about James, but when I read about it, it seemed to me to be an unessessary thing to make public and not helpful, Carragher was on it straight away after the Newcastle goal, pointing out that Maresca was correct, that James wasnt vocal enough etc etc bo**ocks etc. .Keep it in house FFS , James had a very good game after all.

I don't want to criticise Maresca really, I'm really happy with the way we are going, and it might be a coincidence, but it's yet another Academy product that he is publicly criticising. And for not being vocal in the changing room ? Do me a favour.We are becoming a very good team, this kind of nonsense just doesn't sit well with me.

Come on you BLUES !

 

 

I think it may have brought out a reaction from reece. I imagined he gave him a chat at half time too. He was considerably better in the second half. Literally saved 3 goals, not just 2 as some are pointing out. The header over the bar was a save too, I can see it going in off one of their players if reece didn't intercept it.

Well done reece, he worked and silenced the criticism against him. I really like that.

I also think it was clever not to criticise his playing ability but just that he wasn't vocal enough.

Edited October 31, 20241 yr by Simplymo

On 31/10/2024 at 05:49, Simplymo said:

I think it may have brought out a reaction from reece. I imagined he gave him a chat at half time too. He was considerably better in the second half. Literally saved 3 goals, not just 2 as some are pointing out. The header over the bar was a save too, I can see it going in off one of their players if reece didn't intercept it.

Well done reece, he worked and silenced the criticism against him. I really like that.

I also think it was clever not to criticise his playing ability but just that he wasn't vocal enough.

Maybe. Of course he expects the captain to be vocal, to show by how he plays what he expects of others, and  to lead by example etc etc..

But I didn't hear him criticise Fernandez when he was captain a for his lack of fecking everything ! Anyway, as long as Reece is fit and happy.

Very happy he's managed to be back for three games without getting injured. And i'm sure he'll improve from here (if he stays fit) but I think his performances have been food for thought for those of the opinion "he always returns at the same level".

At least this time he's nowhere near the player he once was so far.

Seems to be handcuffed to the defensive role as of now, perhaps we don't want to risk him running up and down the pitch so soon after coming back.

He is either scared to stretch his legs ( understandable) or his legs have gone 

2 minutes ago, Andy2461 said:

He is either scared to stretch his legs ( understandable) or his legs have gone 

He was getting caught out and out-paced so often, sad to see. Garnacho had a field day.

8 minutes ago, Term_X said:

He was getting caught out and out-paced so often, sad to see. Garnacho had a field day.

Not till the last 5 -10 mins where we started taking more risks.. else Garnacho was in his pocket.

Glad the boy completed another match .. on to the next one.

49 minutes ago, OriginalS said:

Very happy he's managed to be back for three games without getting injured. And i'm sure he'll improve from here (if he stays fit) but I think his performances have been food for thought for those of the opinion "he always returns at the same level".

At least this time he's nowhere near the player he once was so far.

We had the best attacking wing back in world football with the best delivery into the box sat playing left centre back. Square pegs, round holes. 

2 hours ago, Ukraine Bolt said:

We had the best attacking wing back in world football with the best delivery into the box sat playing left centre back. Square pegs, round holes. 

I wonder if they are protecting Reece a little by not letting him making runs further up the pitch. He’s certainly playing within himself and/or being asked to play a certain role. 
 

Good to see him back though