The Chelsea legend John Terry does not agree to the current head coach Enzo Maresca’s best position of Reece James.
James has spent most of his career playing with right-back or right Wing-Back, and occasionally filled out as a third-angle return.
His achievements in this role meant that James was seen as one of the best in the world, but a flood of serious injuries derailed the 25-year-old’s career. Now fit again, he was moved into the central midfield by Maresca – a role that the Chelsea boss is best suited for playing.
The former captain Terry, who had spent 19 years at Chelsea, played in 717 games in all competitions and won several leading leagues, FA Cups and the Champions League and the Europa League, does not see things like the former head of Leicester City-Stattdessen with the current English boss Thomas Tuchel’s belief, he is a full fighter.
“I agree with that [Tuchel’s assessment]. I see him as a defender ” BBC Sport. “I don’t like to be honest, people who drift into it [to midfielder] I think it’s more confusing.
“Midfielder are very comfortable with their backs to the goal. If the defenders enter these roles, it is probably the opposite, we are probably not so pleasant to get the ball with our back to the goal.
“A completely different role and primarily when we spoke about the 2005/06 season, we gave 15 goals, and top teams are based on good basics, and I think you need that.
“To do this, you need a back or a firm back of three in place.”
Tuchel had spoken of James’ best position after he had given him a call to the English squad for the first time since March 2023-a indicator of how serious his injury problems were.
“I still have the feeling that he is a player for the outside and wing back positions. I think we have enough players in the central midfield who are more specialists there,” Tuchel told the media.
He added when he was asked whether James was still physically able to play with a full -back: “We have to see if he can. He has to prove the point to be honest, he has to prove that he can do it.”