During the course of this season,
almost every Chelsea youngster has had a coming-of-age performance in
a Blues shirt. Sports enthusiasts from around the world can purchase Premier League Tickets online to enjoy its
stunning performances.
Mason Mount was against Leicester
City. Tammy Abraham came at Wolverhampton Wanderers. Fikayo
Tomori starred up against Mo Salah when Liverpool visited Stamford Bridge.
And Christian Pulisic although not an academy graduate shone at
Burnley.
At the weekend it was the turn
of Reece James. The 19-year-old full-back was handed his first Premier League start against Crystal
Palace just days after he came on and scored in the dramatic 4-4 draw
against Ajax.
Up against Wilfried
Zaha, one of the top-flight’s trickiest wingers, James, who has been
nicknamed The Beast by team-mate Mount, wasn’t handed an easy first assignment
by Frank Lampard. Yet he passed it with flying colors.
The Ivorian’s threat wasn’t entirely
nullified he completed the most dribbles of any player but what James did was
manage these dribbles and ensure they didn’t hurt Chelsea.
The Chelsea defender confined Zaha to
the left flank; he was unable to break into the Blues’ penalty area with the
ball. The Palace star has averaged 6.47 touches in the opposition box per
90 this term but at Stamford Bridge that was reduced to just three.
Zaha also didn’t register a single
shot, didn’t create a chance for a team-mate, completed just six passes in the
final third, and saw his touches per 90 drops from his season average of 57.64
to 43.
Of course, not all that is down to
James. Chelsea dominated much of the contest and Zaha was starved of
service. But when he did receive the ball, the Blues No.24 was always in close
proximity ready to make a challenge or halt a run forward.
Yet it wasn’t only defensively that
James stood out, he also made an impact in the final third. And it’s this
aspect of his game which is why many Chelsea fans feel he may soon oust club
captain César Azpilicueta from the starting XI.
The defender is a Blues icon. He has
won Premier League titles, an FA Cup, and the Europa League. He is also one of
the most durable players to have ever played for the club. Week in, week
out, Azpilicueta is fit, available and reliable.
Yet it’s always been the case that
the now 30-year-old is more comfortable in his own half than in the opposition.
In the modern game that can be a problem, especially against opponents who sit
deep, soak up pressure, and play on the counter.
Full-backs have become a vital
component in breaking these sides down think Liverpool Trent Alexander-Arnold or
Andrew Robertson and Azpilicueta can cross a ball well from deep areas of the
pitch. But he doesn’t have the dynamism to break into the final third and
impact the game on a consistent basis.
James has that ability and he will
only refine it the more game time he is given. Against Palace, he completed all
three dribbles he attempted, his strength on the ball enabling him to brush off
opponents with ease. He also completed eight final third passes from twelve
attempted and it was his cross that led to Chelsea’s best chance of the first
half.
It’s a testament to James' character,
mentality, and self-belief that he was able to slot into the Chelsea side so
seamlessly against Palace. Yet those who know the full-back, and those who
worked with him at Wigan Athletic last season, would not have been surprised.
You see a lot of young kids going on
loan now and sometimes, it’s a shock to them what men’s football is really
like, Wigan’s Nathan Byrne told The Athletic in September.
They have a struggle adapting but
Reece just stepped in and started doing his thing. He didn’t take any time to
settle. He just got on with his work and was impressive all season.
No time needed to
settle. Straight into the team and impressive. And if James continues in
the same vein, it won’t be long until he becomes a regular fixture in the Blues
team alongside Tomori, Mount, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Abraham.
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