Why Enzo Maresca 'expected more' from Reece James as Chelsea criticised for lack of 'proper leader' | OneFootball

Enzo Maresca has laid out his demands to Reece James after criticising his leadership following the defender’s return from injury.

The 24-year-old made his comeback last Sunday in the 2-1 defeat to Liverpool in the Premier League from a hamstring problem, which saw the Chelsea skipper make his first start for the club since December 2023.

James was handed the club captaincy by Mauricio Pochettino following Cesar Azpilicueta’s departure from the club last summer, however his injury issues have seen him sidelined for a lengthy period of his captaincy.

Maresca is managing the right-back’s fitness and confirmed the plan will be for the England international to play just one game a week for the foreseeable future until his body can physically manage an increase in workload.

"First of all, he agrees,” the Chelsea head coach said of James' reaction to the decision. “He knows himself and he agrees that probably in this moment the solution is to play once a week. For sure, as I said before, hopefully in the future he can play more games."

Reece James (right) and Cole Palmer (left) during Chelsea's Premier League fixture against Liverpool. / IMAGO / Colorsport

In James’ absence, the captain’s armband has been shared across the team, with Maresca highlighting a leadership group at the beginning of the season. However, Maresca has revealed he has told James he ‘expected more from him in terms of leadership’ and has called for the defender to step up his involvement with the group.

“I spoke with him and I expected more from him in terms of leadership, inside the changing room and for different kind of things. So he's on the way, he's doing well, he’s progressing but from Reece I expected more also in terms of leadership."

Maresca added: "Most of the time when they are captain, they think that because they are captain they have more: 'because I am the captain, I expect that you give me more'. For me, because you are the captain you have to give more. You have to give more than the rest.

"And sometimes: 'okay, I am the captain I can give less', no. He's one of the captains and I expected from him, and his team-mates expected from him, to give always more in terms of leadership in general."

Maresca has made it clear how much he values honest communication with his players and staff. / IMAGO / Colorsport

To James’ credit, Maresca confirmed he took the honest feedback well and believes the Chelsea academy graduate is progressing to show more personality and offer more leadership.

Maresca continued: “He understands that we expected more from him. He's one of our guys from the academy but this is one of the reasons why he has to show more in terms of personality.

"He's a reserved guy, but not only him. But when you don't have a proper leader, you need to build that. I think we don't have a proper leader. We need to build them. So Reece is there, he's on the way but he’s not there. So he needs to make an effort in that one. The one that is doing fantastic in this kind of thing is Levi (Colwill).”