Chelsea starlet Reece James had yet another standout game at Newcastle – it’s getting hard for Southgate to ignore him
SURELY England manager Gareth Southgate can only ignore Reece James for so long now. With right-backs such as Trent Alexander-Arnold, Aaron-Wan Bissaka and Kieran Trippier to choose from, it would be easy not to consider a 20-year-old with just seven Premier League starts to his name. But with another standout performance under his belt in […]
SURELY England manager Gareth Southgate can only ignore Reece James for so long now.
With right-backs such as Trent Alexander-Arnold, Aaron-Wan Bissaka and Kieran Trippier to choose from, it would be easy not to consider a 20-year-old with just seven Premier League starts to his name.
But with another standout performance under his belt in the 1-0 defeat at Newcastle, the clamour to take James to the Euros this summer could become deafening.
Having only made his league bow against Crystal Palace in early November, has any youngster ever taken to the Premier League as quickly?
Fresh from signing a new five-year deal at Stamford Bridge on Thursday, James was once against calm and composed in everything he did at the back.
It was in Newcastle’s half however where the academy graduate – who has been with the West Londoners since he was six – oozed quality.
And it was in the 35th minute against the Toon Army when he showed the 52,000 inside St. James’ Park what he is all about, with two wondrous balls.
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The first was perfectly-weighted down the right channel, splitting the whole Newcastle defence into the path of N’Golo Kante, whose shot was saved by Martin Dubravka.
And then moments later he delivered an absolute peach of a cross into the near post, which Dubravka did well to collect from the feet of Tammy Abraham.
James has two assists so far this campaign and his crossing has already compared to that of none other than David Beckham.
Earlier this week, Chelsea legend Pat Nevin said: “One skill that looks much easier than it first appears is sending in a vicious cross at pace, with perfect direction while on the run.
“Think of David Beckham at his best, his crossing was his finest attribute by far, and suddenly you realise that being brilliant at one particular skill can get you a very long way in the game.
“I mention Beckham because the quality of crossing that we see most weeks from Reece James reminds me of his level. But he is a long way away from being a one-trick pony.”
After a blistering first-half James was clattered by Ciaran Clark midway through the second and never fully recovered.
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He soon went down holding his left ankle after taking a throw in and was ushered off the pitch by ref Chris Kavanagh.
Unable to carry on he was replaced by Emerson after 75 minutes, much to the delight of the home fans, who serenaded him with chants of ‘soft as s***e, soft as s***e’’ as he limped around the pitch to the tunnel.
But while the game did not end as well for James as it started, this was another showcase of just what he could offer Southgate and England this summer.