Chelsea star is a ‘bulldozer with a ballerina’s touch’ and most complete player in football right now

They say availability is the best ability.

Well, in the case of Reece James, the old adage has never been truer.

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The 26-year-old’s career to date has largely been beset by injury.

Just last season, James was sidelined for 21 matches at club level, most of which was due to a hamstring issue.

But the Chelsea skipper appears to have finally shaken off his fitness woes.

It’s no surprise James’ availability has coincided with the best form of his career, having chalked up eight goal contributions across all competitions for the Blues this term.

Four of those have come via assists in the Premier League, with Arsenal’s Jurrien Timber and West Ham left-back El Hadji Malick Diouf the only defenders who have registered more.

Here, there and everywhere

However, what has made James’ resurgence all the more impressive is his versatility.

A right-back by trade, James has been used as a defensive midfielder by former Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca and his replacement Liam Rosenior.

Even though defensive midfield his not his natural position, the fact James has seamlessly slotted into the role had the panel on talkSPORT’s Inside Chelsea purring.

“I think at this point of the season, the fact that Reece has stayed fit, I can’t look past him in terms of players in world football who can play multiple positions and can affect games and are now starting to be a leader for this team,” host Kweku Afari said.

“For my money, Reece James is right up there as one of the very best players in the world.”

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How many games has Reece James missed in the last five seasons?

Ex-Chelsea defender Jason Cundy even likened James to a ‘bulldozer with the touch of a ballet dancer’.

But Cundy reserved special praise for Maresca, who seemingly worked out the formula to preserve James.

How Maresca paved the way for successor to manage James

“We’re very lucky to have him,” Cundy said.

“Also the fact that it looks like he has got over those injury problems.

“I watched Reece come off the bench last season and he’d come on, he’d be on for 10 minutes, he’d go off again.

“There must have been a real worry for him on a personal level and they’ve managed his minutes.

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“I’ve got to give Maresca credit because he was very much part of that and the rest of the weekend… if you can’t rest Reece at Wrexham then when are you?

“He makes the hard things look so easy. When he played Arsenal he was easing players out, bringing the ball down under his spell and turning and playing passes.

“Technically, he’s such a gifted player. Physically, he knows how to use that frame. I described him on Chelsea TV as a bulldozer with the touch of a ballet dancer.

“He’s got that. Then he brings it down and makes everything look so effortless. He’s so good. He’s such a wonderful player.”

Anything Trent can do, Reece can do better?

James isn’t the first English right-back who has moonlighted as a defensive midfielder in recent years either, with Trent Alexander-Arnold playing the role during his time at Liverpool and for England.

However, as Chelsea broadcaster Toby Evenden pointed out, Alexander-Arnold struggled to make the hybrid role work.

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“The only thing you could throw at Reece was people would talk about injuries,” Evenden said.

“But he seemed a bit more timid when you think about a captain.

“It feels like he’s growing into that role a lot. I don’t think it’s unfair to say he’s the most complete player in football at the moment.

“I don’t think there’s a player that’s more like just good at everything. I really do think that with Reece James.

“Even in recent years, when people talk about right-backs, Trent [Alexander-Arnold] would be in conversations. People would say, he’s so good at passing, he could be a midfielder. Reece James actually can do that.

“They tried Trent to do that. He can’t do it. It doesn’t work. Reece can do everything. He’s an absolutely insane footballer. It’s so nice just watching him.

“We had years of those injuries and even overcoming that from a psychological point of view, it must have been so tough.”