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The news that Reece James has suffered yet another injury has sparked debate among Chelsea fans – particularly around his standing as club captain.
While there is little doubt that James is a fine player and a genuine leader on the pitch, availability continues to prove an issue for the 26-year-old. Indeed, James has suffered a fresh knee injury and is expected to miss at least 16 games following surgery.
Sadly for Blues fans, this is nothing new. James has missed 147 games for club and country in total, 83 of which since he was appointed club captain in 2023. The fact that James misses so many games is a source of constant frustration and Chelsea supporters on TalkingPoints have suggested alternative options for the armband.
Jordan Henderson and Moises Caicedo touted to replace Reece James as Chelsea captain
Asked if they would take the captaincy off James following his latest injury, fans and subscribers tipped the likes of Jordan Henderson and Moises Caicedo as replacements. Levi Colwill was also touted as an option, along with Cole Palmer.
Caicedo was the standout option among supporters, though Henderson did generate some support.
“Caicedo stands out to me,” said another subscriber.
“My choice would be Moises Caicedo,” read another response.
Henderson, of course, captained Liverpool to huge success between 2015 and 2023. Furthermore, Henderson was signed by Chelsea for his leadership skills, so would appear to be a natural fit. Caicedo, meanwhile, is a guaranteed starter when fit. While he has suffered injury problems of his own this season, they do compare with the issues James has endured.
Interestingly, Caicedo has been heavily praised in his role as Chelsea’s vice-captain and has previously described getting the armband as a “dream.”
“Jordan Henderson! There’s a reason he keeps getting picked by top managers, so may as well use it!,” read another response.
The numbers that strengthen Chelsea’s case for replacing Reece James as captain
The fact is that Caicedo started 47 of Chelsea’s 50 games last season.
Availability, they say, is the best ability and Caicedo generally does offer that much more regularly than James.
Games missed through injury since Reece James was appointed Chelsea captain (August 2023) Reece James Moises Caicedo Jordan Henderson
83 8 21
The problem for James is not only that he misses so much action. It’s the fact that Caicedo is usually so reliable on the fitness front. Caicedo has missed only eight games since James was appointed Chelsea captain, 75 fewer than the defender himself. Henderson has not missed more than 10 games in a season since way back in the 2020/21 campaign, too.
While none of this is to say that James is a bad captain and should be removed of all leadership responsibilities entirely, it’s clear that there are viable options to replace him as skipper on the pitch and that those Chelsea fans calling for a change have a point.
There is still value in having James, forged in the fire of the club since he was a young boy, take on such a prominent role. Still, there is certainly reason to suggest he does not need the armband on a game-by-game basis.