Chelsea fans all make same damning Reece James point after Champions League loss to Bayern Munich

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Chelsea fans have all been making the same point involving Reece James following the Blues’ Champions League loss to Bayern Munich.

Chelsea made their return to Europe’s elite club competition on Wednesday night with a daunting trip to Bayern Munich’s Allianz Arena.

And while Munich was the scene of Chelsea’s first ever Champions League triumph back in 2012, this trip to the Allianz Arena proved a lot more disappointing.

Trevoh Chalobah’s own goal and Harry Kane’s brace were enough to down Chelsea, while Cole Palmer netted a consolation and had a second effort disallowed.

And while numerous Chelsea players flattered to deceive on the night, what Enzo Maresca did with Reece James was especially annoying for Blues fans.

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Chelsea fans can’t believe Reece James came off instead of Malo Gusto

Maresca opted to start James in midfield, while Malo Gusto played at right-back, which is the position James has played in for most of his career.

And even though Gusto was partly to blame for Bayern’s third goal, Maresca kept him on the pitch, while James ended up making way.

Chelsea fans thought the obvious decision to make would have seen Gusto come off and James taking his place at right-back.

“I think Maresca is horrible at reading games,” one fan wrote on X.

“Should have taken Gusto off. Put James at RB and Santos in the midfield. Bring in Estavao for Neto. Simple.”

Another supporter said: “So we needed James in this game. Replace Gusto with Garnacho and let Reece go back to right-back.”

The criticism of Maresca’s decision kept coming, with one fan saying: “I like Maresca but starting to lose faith in him, Gusto isn’t good enough, I’ve said it for the last year!

“Cost us our 3rd goal and he drags James and leaves him on!!!”

Another supporter wrote: “Maresca just wow, is Estevao sick?

“And why this nonsense formation where Gusto didn’t overlap for 45 mins and James getting substituted instead of Gusto, just wow.”

Another fan said: “Maresca is clueless!!!

“Sub off Neto, bring in Garnacho… sub off Gusto and introduce Estavao, then move James to play right-back, Palmer to play as 10… That’s all we need in this game.”

Why Enzo Maresca is playing Reece James in midfield

Back in April, Maresca told reporters that playing James in midfield is part of a plan to protect him from injury.

James has had 15 different injuries over the past five years, but since playing in midfield, he has largely remained injury-free.

“In terms of data, you can see that when a full-back plays in the way they used to play, up and down, they (do that) much, much, much more (often) than to go inside, covering a (bigger) distance, for the amount of times they go up and down,” Maresca said, as per BBC Sport.

“So for sure that way that we are using James, in some games, can help him.

“Last year at Leicester we had Ricardo Pereira, that he potentially could be a top player for a top team, but because of his injuries… last year with us he played all the games, we changed a little bit and that works quite well.”

However, Maresca also said James would not be confined to playing in midfield.

“With James, it’s working quite well,” the Italian continued. “But I said already many times, Reece with us is playing right full-back, left full-back, midfielder – different positions.”

With that in mind, it doesn’t seem as though there is any reason why James could not have played at right-back for the last half hour or so.