Chelsea secured a late 2-1 victory against Fulham, but the evening was far from satisfying for the fans. They vented their anger at Enzo Maresca’s inverted use of Reece James into midfield. The experiment only lasted so long before James was caught in possession deep in his own half, only to lose the ball.
The turnover saw Fulham mount a swift move that ended up with Alex Iwobi drilling the ball past Robert Sanchez to give the lead to the visitors in the 20th minute. The Blues, however, got back into the game courtesy of second-half goals by Tyrique George and Pedro Neto.
But the focus after the game was on the gamble involving James. Maresca has been attempting to remould the full-back into what he terms as “more of a midfielder”. He has actively used the England international in central roles in recent games.
However, the latest lapse today (April 20) further bolstered the ongoing debate about whether the Chelsea captain is better anywhere other than in his natural right-back role. Of course, the comeback kept the Blues’ top-five hopes alive.
Still, the delight in the win was nothing compared to the growing volumes of angry calls from Maresca’s tactical choice. Fans did not mince words on social media after the match, making posts like these:
PLAY REECE JAMES AS AN OVERLAPPING RIGHT BACK THIS ISN’T ROCKET SCIENCE AT ALL
PALMER WOULD THEN BE ABLE TO DRIFT INSIDE FROM THE RIGHT WHICH IS BY FAR HIS BEST POSITION ON THE FIELD
WHY DOES MARESCA CHOOSE TO PLAY REECE INVERTED WHEN WE KNOW HE’S THE BEST RB DOWN THE FLANK
— TheEnzoLad (@TheEnzoLad) April 20, 2025
Reece James being played out of position and he costs us a goal. How many instances of poor player profiling do we need to see under Enzo Maresca before we start asking serious questions?
— Dean (@DeanCFC_) April 20, 2025
GET REECE JAMES OUT OF THE MIDFIELD!!!!!!
— Futbol Chelsea (@FutbolCheIsea) April 20, 2025
One of the best RB in the world football is being fooled around in midfield for no reason.
By the time Maresca is done with Chelsea, Reece James will turn to Zapacosta.
— Ceejay (@Sir_Jay99) April 20, 2025
Get Reece James out of the midfield ffs we need him as RWB and RB not some fucking CM 😤😤😤
— O W U L A 🧔🏻♂️ (@_owula) April 20, 2025
Turning Reece James into a midfielder due to inverted fullbacks blah blah blah is what you get man..
— 𝚁𝙰𝚈 (@CfcRayyy) April 20, 2025
Chelsea Snatch Dramatic Comeback Win at Fulham
Chelsea came behind to snatch a dramatic victory over Fulham at Craven Cottage. Tyrique George and Pedro Neto scored late goals to secure all the points for the Blues. The west London derby seemed to slip out of the grasp of the Blues after Fulham opened their account in the 20th minute through Alex Iwobi. However, a second-half resurgence flipped the script.
The introduction of players like Jadon Sancho and Malo Gusto helped to shift the momentum. In the 83rd minute, 19-year-old substitute Tyrique George latched onto a loose ball on the edge of the box and smashed home his first Premier League goal, drawing Chelsea level.
The comeback was finally put to bed, deep within stoppage time. Enzo Fernandez picked out Pedro Neto with a driven low pass, and the winger turned sharply before rifling the ball into the top corner, leaving Bernd Leno rooted. It sealed a much-needed win and sent Chelsea up to fifth place.
