9 hours ago, axman2526 said:

Given he is on 250k a week BlueCo may well be happy enough for him not to play, and see if they can make some pure profit on him whole easing up the wage bill. Got to make Room for Sterling, Felix, Kepa and Co returning.

arguably, those 3 improve the starting 11 at the moment..... Scary thought!

10 hours ago, axman2526 said:

Given he is on 250k a week BlueCo may well be happy enough for him not to play, and see if they can make some pure profit on him whole easing up the wage bill. Got to make Room for Sterling, Felix, Kepa and Co returning.

Have a sneaky feeling the thinking is keep him fit till summer and try to flog him. Sounds crazy but Maresca starting him midweek when he didn’t have to supports that narrative. Didn’t feature v Ipswich, and will certainly be on the bench v Fulham.

6 hours ago, nonotnowjim said:

arguably, those 3 improve the starting 11 at the moment..... Scary thought!

Is not arguably as far as Sterling and Kepa are concerned. Kept is miles ahead of Jorgensen and Sanchez, Sterling, much as I don't want him here, will produce more than any of our wingers currently here. No debate.

RJ is a crap CM and a world class RB so of course The Bald One in his infinite knowledge has tagged him as a CM.

Should be the first name on the team sheet at RB but that toothless little weasel at the helm is too stuck in his (sh*t) ways. Fitness can't be an excuse when he's starting Lavia every week as soon as he's back fit.

9 minutes ago, Ukraine Bolt said:

Should be the first name on the team sheet at RB but that toothless little weasel at the helm is too stuck in his (sh*t) ways. Fitness can't be an excuse when he's starting Lavia every week as soon as he's back fit.

I wouldn't be surprised if it were instructions from the w**kers above him to preserve his fitness ready for the 100% profit market in the Summer! They did it with Frank Pt.2 and Mason!

1 minute ago, Mod said:

I wouldn't be surprised if it were instructions from the w**kers above him to preserve his fitness ready for the 100% profit market in the Summer! They did it with Frank Pt.2 and Mason!

yep 100% agree, they'll just see his 250k a week wages and the chance at pure profit.

7 hours ago, Ukraine Bolt said:

Should be the first name on the team sheet at RB but that toothless little weasel at the helm is too stuck in his (sh*t) ways. Fitness can't be an excuse when he's starting Lavia every week as soon as he's back fit.

I agree. I do wonder if the legs can handle it though.....

I don't want James as a CM, but I also do fear for him as a RB.

Look at him closely, does that look like the same Reece James you remember? He still has the quality on the ball, you don't lose that, but he can barely run. He jogs around the pitch, he rarely sprints, either because he is too afraid or simply can't do it anymore. As much as I want things to work out with James, I still think some tough questions need to be asked. It's really good that he has managed to remain injury free, but we also can't rely on him in his current condition. He needs to be able to run and sprint more, and if he can't do it, then I don't see how there is a future here for him.

He isnt sprinting much at all - hence my question if the legs have gone.

If they have, then I would prefer him at RCB in a back 5, with Gusto steaming forward.

Has he ever relied on sprints? Not as far as i can remember. Never been known as particularly quick for sure. Trent's played at walking speed and made a career from it because of his quality on the ball and RJ dwarfs him off the ball.

He's not a CM, he gets bypassed too easily and his passing is nothing special to make up for it. If he can no longer play RB then, sadly, there's little point in having him around.

He’s been fit for what, 2-3 months now. Still building. He’ll get sharper and a little quicker. Maybe he doesn’t sprint quite as much, but still think he offers a significant amount at RB. Good observation though and will watch more closely against United’s wingers.

18 hours ago, Ukraine Bolt said:

Has he ever relied on sprints? Not as far as i can remember. Never been known as particularly quick for sure. Trent's played at walking speed and made a career from it because of his quality on the ball and RJ dwarfs him off the ball.

It isn’t the sprints that is the issue; he looks leggier, and once an opponent goes pass him he struggles to recover. You can always almost see him instinctively trying to tug that the player’s shirt to slow them down, but he decides against it. Obviously this can be compensated for by telling your CM/DM to cover for him.

He'll be fine if he can make it through a pre-season (ideally with a competent manager). Class is permanent, etc.

He's missing from training today apparently.

27 minutes ago, Scott Harris said:

He's missing from training today apparently.

Without trying to be too over paranoid or controversial, I honestly don't trust this board and reckon he could be getting lined up for the market! As I mentioned elsewhere in a thread, they did exactly the same with Mason by protecting his fitness! It was obvious when Frank (of all people) didn't play Mason that he was under instruction from the Clowns! It seems a similar thing is happening with Reece and I don't trust that mob at all!

There is a pattern emerging of selling a high-profile club home-grown player every Summer and they give no f**ks!

"What's that Mauricio, You want to keep Conor and Big Trev in the squad next season? How dare you suggest taking money from our pockets? Close the door on your way out"

50 minutes ago, Mod said:

Without trying to be too over paranoid or controversial, I honestly don't trust this board and reckon he could be getting lined up for the market! As I mentioned elsewhere in a thread, they did exactly the same with Mason by protecting his fitness! It was obvious when Frank (of all people) didn't play Mason that he was under instruction from the Clowns! It seems a similar thing is happening with Reece and I don't trust that mob at all!

There is a pattern emerging of selling a high-profile club home-grown player every Summer and they give no f**ks!

"What's that Mauricio, You want to keep Conor and Big Trev in the squad next season? How dare you suggest taking money from our pockets? Close the door on your way out"

"We need to do Jorge a favour though or he says he'll release those pictures of us on the island (not his one). You're a fan of João Félix, right?"

1 hour ago, PloKoon13 said:

"We need to do Jorge a favour though or he says he'll release those pictures of us on the island (not his one). You're a fan of João Félix, right?"

Bring Felix Home! A Rolls Royce of a player.... lovely boy. The New Turbo Timo.

My heart sank when I heard about James missing training, especially after a good few months of being available.

It’s so sad we’re never going to see the best of James again.

Having said all of that, I still don’t want him to be sold. He knows what the standards should be.

On 13/05/2025 at 09:17, ducavis said:

It isn’t the sprints that is the issue; he looks leggier, and once an opponent goes pass him he struggles to recover. You can always almost see him instinctively trying to tug that the player’s shirt to slow them down, but he decides against it. Obviously this can be compensated for by telling your CM/DM to cover for him.

Read the game well enough and you don't need recovery pace, Ivanovic was the best RB in the league for years and was far leggier than Reece.

Like you say, a good CB will cover and issues like VVD/Konate do for Trent.

Almost certainly going to be on the move in the summer. We will struggle to get rid of the deadwood at the prices Clearlake want, and he is easily our most saleable asset.

53 minutes ago, SydneyChelsea said:

Almost certainly going to be on the move in the summer. We will struggle to get rid of the deadwood at the prices Clearlake want, and he is easily our most saleable asset.

Him and Colwill the easiest to move out of the pure profit gang, agreed.

5 hours ago, SydneyChelsea said:

Almost certainly going to be on the move in the summer. We will struggle to get rid of the deadwood at the prices Clearlake want, and he is easily our most saleable asset.

Those wages? He is the 6th highest paid defender in world football. Is there even a market for him?

I hear Liverpool have a vacancy for a right-back with good ball delivery...