Chelsea's young defender Reece James insisted on playing in the recent preseason match and showed excellent athleticism despite a bandaged leg injury, according to the British media London Football Network. This performance is not only remarkable, but also reflects the Chelsea club's fine-tuning of the player's health management as well as the positive changes in the preparation strategy.
In the last few pre-season games, James has featured for extended periods of time in three consecutive games, playing the majority of the game in each. In particular, he played almost the full 80 minutes against Manchester City and was not substituted until near the end of the game. Such a performance is undoubtedly the best proof of his professionalism and athleticism.
James was wearing a bright white bandage on his right thigh during practice, which showed that he does have an injury problem with his leg. However, this did not stop him from giving his all in the game. On the contrary, he proved with his actions that injuries can't be a hindrance to his progress.
Aside from James, Chelsea's other defender, Badiazile, also had his leg bandaged in training, but he showed the same tenacity in the game. Despite being expected to miss the game against Manchester City, he ended up coming on as a substitute in the game and contributed to the team.
Chelsea FC's focus on player health management has been fully reflected in this pre-season. In order to avoid players from getting injured due to overwork, the club purposely excluded James from the lineup to Atlanta so that he could get sufficient rest and recovery. This move not only helps James stay in top form, but also lays the foundation for him to play a bigger role in future games.
Looking back at the entire summer, James has already played more than half of his total playing time in all competitions last season. After an injury-plagued season, the fact that he was able to play so often and perform so well in the preseason is undoubtedly the best affirmation of his individual ability and the team's preparation strategy.
