This Maresca decision shows exactly what he thinks of Reece James now | OneFootball

Chelsea are stretched pretty thin at the moment in midfield with Romeo Lavia out (again), and the last thing they need is another injury.

So there was panic around Stamford Bridge when Moises Caicedo went down early in this game holding his hamstring. In the stadium, Nizaar Kinsella was reporting on what happened when the Ecuador star went down.

“Chelsea captain Reece James was a surprise omission from Enzo Maresca’s starting line up but is being prepped in case Moises Caicedo can’t continue,” Kinsella wrote on the BBC’s live text page.

“Caicedo has been down having treatment on his hamstring but has continued and James is getting ready just in case he is needed in his new midfield role.”

James was left out of the starting team tonight, presumably as he continues to have his minutes managed by Enzo Maresca. But the fact that he was went to warm up is another sign that the coach continues to see him really as a central midfield option, at least while so many players are out.

It will be interesting to see what happens next season when a fresh wave of midfielders come in. Does he go back to being a right back exclusively?

Decision to rest James in big derby game mystifies some Chelsea fans

Reece James fires one in from range. (Photo by Patrik Lundin/Getty Images)

We are slightly mystified by the decision to rest James in this game rather than against Brentford this weekend. It may just be that Maresca and the medical team think that the game for England last week was too recent – but that seems a stretch.

This is a big derby game and James is a homegrown captain – surely he should be playing? It will be interesting to hear the manager’s logic in the post game presser.