England manager Thomas Tuchel has become the latest figure to question Enzo Maresca’s decision to deploy Reece James in midfield.
James, who thrived as a right-back under Tuchel at Chelsea, scored a stunning free kick to help secure a 3-0 victory over Latvia on Monday, impressing in a hybrid role that allowed him to move across the pitch. However, playing in his preferred right-back position has been a rarity for James recently, as Maresca has publicly stated that he views the Chelsea captain more as a midfielder than a right-back. This assessment has been challenged by Chelsea legend John Terry.
After the Latvia game, Tuchel acknowledged James’ technical brilliance but, like Terry, insisted that his best position remains right-back.
When asked if he ever considered using James in midfield at Chelsea, Tuchel replied: “Very, very rarely with Chelsea. If you’re playing a dominant match like today, he could play as a hybrid midfielder in the last 20 minutes, coming from the left or right full-back position and helping in midfield to create overloads. He has the quality on the ball to accelerate with his passes, play chip balls, and switch sides.
“He’s very confident. But if it’s an open game with many transitions through midfield, I’m not sure it would suit him perfectly.”
Tuchel emphasized that there is no doubt about James’ quality, calling it the “highest level.” He added that they had been in close contact over the past few weeks, ensuring James was in good shape despite being sidelined for a long period.
James, who has missed 50 games over the last 18 months due to injury, insisted he has no strong preference for his position. “Football is football to me,” he said. “I’ve been sidelined for so long. Whether I play in midfield or right-back, I have a job to do to help the team and perform to the best of my ability.”
