JAMES REPAYS FRANK’S FAITH
AS CHELSEA’s warm-up wound down, two players stood away from their team-mates. One spoke, the other listened. Captain Cesar Azpilicueta has vowed to help Reece James with ‘whatever he needs’. As kick-off approached, the 19-year-old was given a crash course in coping on the biggest stage. The surprise name in Chelsea’s XI, James is the latest academy graduate to benefit from the club’s transfer ban, as well as Lampard’s faith in youth. And like Mason Mount, Fikayo Tomori and Tammy Abraham before him, he showed the confidence to trust the skills he learned at Cobham — and honed on loan. A right back by trade, he was thrust in at right wing back here. His only previous senior Blues appearance came in the 7-1 Carabao Cup win over Grimsby last month. A year ago, he started for Wigan in the Championship against Swansea. Under the roof, he was tireless, contributing at both ends before being replaced shortly after the hour. By that time, only three Chelsea players had enjoyed more touches. Inside 10 minutes he had put in a testing low cross and made an important sliding interception as Lille broke. As the game wore on, his defensive skills were tested. After half an hour, he showed his inexperience with a rash sliding challenge that earned him a yellow card. Five minutes later he displayed quickness of feet and mind to track back and brilliantly prevent Jonathan Bamba from going one-on-one. Among those to breathe a sigh of relief was centre back Tomori who, at 21, could be on the verge of his first England call-up. His brilliant ball set up Abraham’s opener but soon Victor Osimhen found space between him and Kurt Zouma to nod home. The defender was then rescued by Kepa Arrizabalaga late on after his blunder put Osimhen in on goal. His recent displays have earned him Lampard’s backing, though. Can the same be said of Ross Barkley or Christian Pulisic after they were left out? The prospects of £58million Pulisic appear bleaker with each passing week, while Barkley was dropped after his row with a taxi driver over spilled chips. If their treatment showed Lampard’s ruthlessness, his faith in James and Co was evidence he uses both carrot and stick. So it was fitting that Callum Hudson-Odoi came on for James and set up the winner.