1 minute ago, JM7 said:

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 

I imagine that’s probably the reason. 

You’d hope he’d be the full back inverting into the attacking channel once his fitness is sorted. 

7 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. 

Reece playing  as wide cb is fine but lcb is just a  waste 

Edited November 4, 20241 yr by Bob stark

9 hours ago, JM7 said:

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 

Feel's like we are missing about 50% of what makes him so speical. Gusto is very good but some of the positions he picked up yesterday, you'd love to have had James there 

 

Maybe he just can't do that any more 

I wonder what was going through Maresca's mind when he decided that Reece James as LB was the perfect plan for OT. 

3 minutes ago, RMH said:

I wonder what was going through Maresca's mind when he decided that Reece James as LB was the perfect plan for OT. 

And Gusto as CAM LOL

Best right back in world football deployed as a left back. No... Just no... if it happens again Maresca needs a slap... 

It is okay Reece playing left side as well. In Maresca's system they are defenders and midfielders. Reece is excellent at crossing but in Maresca's system the wingers mainly do that. Overlapping is not the main thing as it was with recent managers....even though Gusto did it against MU with bad results. 

I like the way we are managing Reece's and other injury prone players workload. Looks to be working this season and long may it continue.

Edited November 4, 20241 yr by evissy

1 minute ago, evissy said:

It is okay Reece playing left side as well. In Maresca's system they are defenders and midfielders. Reece is excellent at crossing but in Maresca's system the wingers mainly do that. Overlapping is not the main thing as it was with recent managers....even though Gusto did it against MU with bad results. 

I like the way we are managing Reece's and other injury prone players workload. Looks to be working this season and so on.

Its a huge no from me. Just because he can doesnt mean he should. It sort of makes a mockery of Cucrella's form. he tried something and it didnt work yesterday. It's not like we dont have an england left back who couldnt come in and have done the job James did there yesterday. But because the board want him out he isnt allowed to play. 

We know James can be a destroyer of teams on the right, he is one of our best, if not the best right back in the game and our squad... so why take all that away from the team and play him on the left. Its the sort of thing Pep does at city in the final of a champions league and backfires. 

10 minutes ago, bluetrooper said:

Its a huge no from me. Just because he can doesnt mean he should. It sort of makes a mockery of Cucrella's form. he tried something and it didnt work yesterday. It's not like we dont have an england left back who couldnt come in and have done the job James did there yesterday. But because the board want him out he isnt allowed to play. 

We know James can be a destroyer of teams on the right, he is one of our best, if not the best right back in the game and our squad... so why take all that away from the team and play him on the left. Its the sort of thing Pep does at city in the final of a champions league and backfires. 

Not sure why Cucu didn't start. There must be a reason behind it. Maybe it is tinkering. We don't know. No one really asked Enzo that. 

23 minutes ago, evissy said:

Not sure why Cucu didn't start. There must be a reason behind it. Maybe it is tinkering. We don't know. No one really asked Enzo that. 

I am guessing with Gusto inverting the left Backs role was going to be more of a LCB position and Enzo rates Reece higher from a defensive standpoint compared to Cucu and I kind of agree with that.

29 minutes ago, evissy said:

Not sure why Cucu didn't start. There must be a reason behind it. Maybe it is tinkering. We don't know. No one really asked Enzo that. 

Yeah, thought it was really odd. I can almost see the logic given how Dave became one of the best left backs in the game after starting at right back for us. Dont want to see this tinkering again though! 🙂 I thought we rescued a point and am quite happy with the draw despite Sanchez costing us. Every player looked off the pace yesterday and Enzo Jnr blasting over summed up his time with us tbh. A point at Old Trafford not to be sniffed at.. and even to this day I can't stand Ruud Van Nistlesh*te... Everything about him from his face to feet and dodgy knee wind me right up. 

18 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. 

That's the pattern when he comes back, then he puts the burners on and hey presto two matches later and he is normally back on the treatment table.

On 03/11/2024 at 22:09, Sconnie Blue said:

You’d hope he’d be the full back inverting into the attacking channel once his fitness is sorted. 

 

22 hours ago, theGreenBaron said:

Feel's like we are missing about 50% of what makes him so speical. Gusto is very good but some of the positions he picked up yesterday, you'd love to have had James there 

 

Maybe he just can't do that any more 

This and this...and that!

 

Reece and Cucurella make a better rb & lb respectively. I think once reece increases his fitness level then they would be the regulars for Team A. For now though, I doubt he can bomb up and down too much but we all know reece is a beast of a shot. Imagine him taking those shots at goal instead of gusto atm and we also looked much better second half against man utd.

The other thing is what i posted up in colwills thread...

If reece cant do it anymore and injuries have taken its toll then unfortunately we have to accept that his best position will be partnering collwill as a cb. Fofana has one too many brain farts at times and I don't think he's back to full fitness either.

 

*The reason reece plays LB instead of chilly is his range of passing. We saw many times how he did long diagonal passes to the wingers (he needs more practice) from that inverted midfield position.

UNBELIEVABLE HES INJURED AGAIN 

22 minutes ago, POCH OUT said:

UNBELIEVABLE HES INJURED AGAIN 

OH, I BELIEVE IT

Hahahaha!

There was a poll on the BBC which had "now James is fit which is the better right back, James or gusto..."

All I could think about is James isn't fully fit and pls ffs don't jinx it!

Then...the press conference!

Chelsea captain Reece James returned from injury to play in the Blues' last four league games.

But manager Enzo Maresca has confirmed that the England full-back is back on the sidelines.

Maresca said: "He felt something, he has to be out, for sure this week. After that, we have to see.

"Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca on injuries: "We have just one injured player, that is Reece [James]. He felt something small and we don't want to take any risk.

"He is the only one for sure who is injured. The rest, some are better, some are still a doubt. We have to see.

"It's hamstring, it's a muscle problem and we don't want to take any risk."

Maresca added that it is a short-term injury.

They it's a small or short term injury but last time we said that he was out for 3 months. I guess that is short term for James? I just hope he can play again this year at least. 

Should really start integrated Acheampong in the first team now. Similar to what we did with Gilchrist last season. 

Like clock work. I think the warmer temperatures would do him good in Spain to be honest.

 

I feel for Reece, poor lad can't get a break.

From a team perspective that should mean Gusto and Cucurella will respectively be nailed on as rb & lb.

Club have been extra cautious with bringing Reece back, managing his minutes, even limiting the amount of energy he needs the expend on the pitch by having Gusto as the runner fullback.

If Reece goes down with his hamstrings again then we need to bring in another right back to compete with Gusto, and expect Reece to only manage 10 to 15 games a season.

Same as it ever was...

 

 

1 hour ago, Sconnie Blue said:

Should really start integrated Acheampong in the first team now. Similar to what we did with Gilchrist last season. 

Aren't they still waiting for him to sign the contract. Maresca even said the last cup game was a perfect time for him but he hasn't dealt with the contract issues with owners yet.

39 minutes ago, axman2526 said:

Club have been extra cautious with bringing Reece back, managing his minutes, even limiting the amount of energy he needs the expend on the pitch by having Gusto as the runner fullback.

If Reece goes down with his hamstrings again then we need to bring in another right back to compete with Gusto, and expect Reece to only manage 10 to 15 games a season.

This is it though.

All that caution, all that easing in. Using gusto or cucu when he needs a fk load of running intead of James til fully fit...

...and he STILL gets injured!

I really feel sorry for him but I also think the warm weather will do him good. 

Edited November 21, 20241 yr by Simplymo