Enzo Maresca's System to Enhance Reece James as an Inverted Fullback

James played in midfield during his early Cobham days and has not done so since, but it puts him in a better position to revisit a role that was once his.

Moreover, James' world-class technical ability, composure, and vision on the ball will likely allow for a seamless transition into a new position.

Optimizing Reece James' Offensive Prowess

James is known for his surging runs down Chelsea's right flank from where his piercing crosses have, more often than not, found his teammates and assisted in dissecting plenty of defenses. However, the Englishman is so well-rounded that there are arguably more unlocked traits that can benefit the team.

That is, by positioning James in more central areas to tap into his wide passing range and providing him the license to crash into the box to unleash his shooting potency.

Although not on the same level, Pereira's qualities are similar to James'. Therefore, investigating the Portuguese right-back's footage will allow us to forecast how Maresca will deploy the Chelsea captain next season from an attacking perspective.

The 30-year-old fullback created a bucketload of chances from the half-space and central zones by threading precise passes through defensive blocks or curling crosses into the penalty box.

His assist against Stoke City in the Championship is a suitable example, as he intelligently found Kelechi Iheanacho between the defenders with a lethal pass to open the scoring.

James can offer the same mastery on the ball, with his assist for Marco Alonso, coincidentally against Leicester, in his stellar 2021/22 campaign providing a glimpse of what he can deliver from the half-space.