This underscores how little the Chelsea captain contributed in his first year wearing the armband, with only 10 league appearances and five starts. He has already surpassed that mark with 12 matches remaining this season.
James has managed to stay fit throughout 2025, marking a personal milestone as he aims for greater availability. While the team’s positive results haven’t aligned with his return, James is at least completing matches again. . Continue Reading
There is a tendency to add ‘for now’ here, given James’ history of untimely injuries. Nevertheless, he has made undeniable progress, however small.
James is on track to surpass his 2022/23 appearance record, needing just six more appearances and seven more starts.
Doubling his playing time will also be necessary, but if he maintains his physical health, it is entirely achievable. This remains a significant ‘if,’ but currently, James is enjoying his longest consecutive run of selection for Premier League matchday squads (eight) since the overlap between the 2021/22 and 2022/23 seasons.
This has allowed for greater focus on other aspects of his game. Under Enzo Maresca, James is more frequently utilized as a midfielder.
His recent performances have primarily been in the center of the pitch, unlike before when he might have shifted there due to tactical adjustments or substitutions.
James is still regaining his form and needs to shake off some rust before reaching his peak.
However, with time, he will get there, and on Saturday, he completed his first full match since rejoining the team in December.
Maresca has been cautious with his use of James, often limiting his playtime to 60-75 minutes. He spent the entire match patrolling the midfield at Villa Park, which is another positive step. James has only played two other full matches this season and is being closely monitored.
Chelsea have not utilized him in the Conference League and only gave him a low-profile half of FA Cup third round action against League Two strugglers Morecambe last month. It would be surprising to see him participate in any European football given Chelsea’s smooth progression through the competition and his own challenges with managing two games in a week.
In this regard, James is still on a lengthy journey back to the top. Nonetheless, Chelsea are stronger with James than without him in more ways than one.
Malo Gusto’s struggles at right-back and the midfield’s thin ranks have posed challenges for Maresca, but James has shown he can fill in adeptly across the pitch. The key issue is to ensure that he gets ample playing time.
James has cautiously made his way back into the team without much fuss. Despite this, he continues to be highly respected among Chelsea fans and has been working on his leadership skills.
In a match against Aston Villa, he was especially vocal, directing the defense and coordinating with his teammates.
At one point, following a dispute in the Chelsea box, James stepped in to calm Moises Caicedo and prevent him from escalating an argument with Michael Oliver, who had just been cautioned by the referee.
Such moments highlight his growing presence both on and off the pitch, demonstrating the importance of having the club captain available to handle these situations.
Maresca has encouraged him to take on more of a leadership role, and James, although naturally quiet and reserved, is gradually embracing the responsibility, trying to fill Cesar Azpilicueta’s shoes as captain in 2023.
Maintaining fitness has been challenging due to frequent injuries. However, James now appears to be in better physical condition and is focused on being consistently available for upcoming matches.
Even if the team’s performance isn’t up to par, James’ goal of increasing his playing time is significant, and he seems to be making progress.
There’s always a concern with James that this optimism might be short-lived and another injury could be around the corner.
It will take a more extended period of consistent performance to fully alleviate these concerns, both for him and the fans. Currently, James is back in action for Chelsea and has seamlessly reintegrated, which is a positive sign.
He shows a natural ease in distributing passes across the field, effectively creating chances and exploiting openings against Villa.
This wasn’t James at his peak. There were two instances where he lost possession in dangerous areas. Villa failed to capitalize on these mistakes, and James’ impact on the game waned as fatigue set in for him and his teammates.
The fact that he managed to complete the match rather than being substituted early was one of the few positives from the game.
