Photograph by David Rogers/Getty Photographs.
Enzo Maresca has not held again in his evaluation of Reece James following the defender’s latest return from damage.
The 24-year-old made his long-awaited return in opposition to Liverpool final weekend after being dominated out for almost all of final season.
Thrown straight into the deep finish and requested to start out in opposition to Arne Slot’s Reds six days in the past, James was clearly off the tempo and appeared a shadow of the participant as soon as tipped to grow to be England’s first-choice right-back.
Enzo Maresca slams Reece James for ‘lack of management’
And talking forward of Sunday’s thrilling matchup in opposition to Newcastle United, Maresca didn’t mince his phrases when discussing James’ first efficiency again.
“I anticipated from him extra when it comes to management, contained in the altering room,” the Italian advised reporters.
“He’s on the best way, he’s doing properly, he’s progressing however from Reece I anticipated extra additionally when it comes to management.
“For me, as a result of you’re the captain, you need to give greater than the remainder. Typically, ‘OK, I’m the captain, I may give much less’. No. He’s one of many captains and I anticipated from him, and his team-mates anticipated from him, to present at all times extra when it comes to management.”
Step up or danger shedding captain’s armband
Occurring to match James’ psychological attributes to the remainder of the Chelsea squad, Maresca feels the Blues lack a ‘correct chief’ — probably unhealthy information for James, who was named membership captain by Mauricio Pochettino earlier than the beginning of final season.
“He understands we anticipated extra from him,” the supervisor added.
“He’s one among our guys from the academy however this is among the explanation why he has to indicate extra when it comes to persona.
“Once you don’t have a correct chief, you want to construct that. I feel we don’t have a correct chief. In all probability Tosin [Adarabioyo] is among the guys that’s. The remaining, we have to construct them.
“Reece is there, he’s on the best way however he’s not there. He must make an effort in that one. Levi [Colwill] in all probability in the beginning of the season was not a frontrunner however now you’ll be able to see that he is among the guys that’s at all times talking. We have to construct that.”
Maresca’s latest feedback are unlikely to go down properly with the Chelsea defender and can gas hypothesis over his future on the membership.
Barcelona and Benfica have already been linked with shock approaches with the previous particuarly gentle in James’ place with Jules Kounde the aspect’s solely senior recognised right-back.
