Xabi Alonso has lots of big decisions to make this summer as he looks to lead Chelsea back to winning ways.
Reece James could be set for a familiar role under Xabi Alonso. The new Chelsea manager, who recently signed a four-year contract at Stamford Bridge, will begin his new role on July 1 and is expected to bring new ideas to Cobham training ground.
When Alonso first took the reins of Real Sociedad B in June 2019, he deployed a 4-2-3-1 formation. While in possession, the 44-year-old often pushed one of the two holding midfielders forward, effectively giving his side two central attacking midfielders, a pair of wide wingers, and a focal point.
Towards the end of his spell in San Sebastián, Alonso began experimenting with a back-three. Then, at Bayer Leverkusen, he embraced the new shape, fielding a 3-4-2-1 formation that required a double pivot and two narrow attacking midfielders to create a box.
In doing so, he granted the wing-backs the license to hold the width and bomb forward. Despite having enjoyed so much success with the setup in Germany, which earned him the job at the Santiago Bernabeu, Alonso reverted to a back-four to accommodate as many of Real Madrid’s household names.
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As it stands, it remains unclear what formation the Spaniard will deploy at Chelsea. James looks set to play a key role for Alonso regardless, whether that’s at right-back, holding midfielder, or right centre-half in a back-three.
In May 2020, following a breakthrough campaign for the Blues under Frank Lampard, the Cobham graduate revealed his favourite position. He told Sky Sports: “I probably prefer right-back, but there is not much in it.”
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James, who had spent the previous season on loan at Wigan Athletic, where he often played in midfield, added: “I will happily play right-back and midfield – I have played there enough that I am comfortable playing that position as well.”
The following year, James was called up to the England squad, with Gareth Southgate keen to capitalise on his versatility. In June 2021, he said: “[I’ve trained in] probably the positions you can guess.
“Wing-back, centre-back, right-back. I’ve played all three so far, so I don’t really know what’s going to happen or what position I might feature in. It’s much different to wing-back, you can’t really go forward.
“Wing-back, you have the license to push on and join in attacks, but right side of a three, you’re kind of limited to where you can go and what you can do.”
James added: “I played right-side centre-back many times coming through the academy, so the position wasn’t new to me.”
A few years later, more so under Enzo Maresca than any other Chelsea head coach, James featured more and more in the middle of the park. He began operating as an inverted full-back before eventually starting in a double pivot.
In April 2025, James was asked how he was finding his role. He said: “Yeah, it’s okay. It’s somewhere I played a lot growing up as a kid, a little bit when I was on loan, so it’s not really new to me.
“It’s just reminding my memory how to play there again, but no, I’m enjoying playing again with the team and helping them as much as I can.”
When he first started playing in midfield, James said: “Maybe from under 11s, maybe to like, I don’t know, 15s, 16s a bit. I played various positions growing up in the academy.”
Shortly before Maresca stepped down as Chelsea gaffer, James was asked, again, about his favourite position. Speaking to club media, the Blues captain said: “I don’t really have a preference to be honest.
“I’ve played so much with both. If you asked me a year ago, maybe I would have had a preference, but now, having played half and half in both roles, I’m just happy to be back on the pitch.”
Although Alonso could be tempted to utilise James as a wing-back, where perhaps he was once at his very best, the Chelsea skipper has matured into a far more reliable option in the middle of the park. Not only can he impact games from far more dangerous positions, but he’s also become regularly available for selection again.
The new Blues boss will need James on the pitch next season. Not in the treatment room. So, Alonso needs to take a leaf out of Maresca’s book and refrain from playing the England international at either full-back or wing-back.
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