England Vs Latvia: Tuchel Lauds 'Quality' James After Positive Return To Three Lions Camp

Thomas Tuchel said he never had any doubts about Reece James' quality after the Chelsea captain marked his England return with a goal against Latvia on Monday. (More Football News)

James opened the scoring at Wembley Stadium with a stunning free-kick, before goals from Harry Kane and Eberechi Eze sealed a comfortable win for the Three Lions. 

Indeed, James became the first defender to score a direct free-kick goal for England at Wembley바카라 웹사이트since Stuart Pearce did so back in November 1992 (v Turkiye).

It was also the 25-year-old's first start since a 3-3 draw with Germany in the Nations League in September 2022, and he put on an impressive display against Latvia.바카라 웹사이트

James recorded a team-high total바카라 웹사이트of accurate passes (96), while also winning possession back more times than any of his England team-mates (eight).바카라 웹사이트

The full-back is a player Tuchel knows well, with the pair having worked together at Chelsea, winning the Champions League in 2020-21 along with two other major honours.바카라 웹사이트

And though he is aware of James' recent injury record, Tuchel believes that the Blues defender could be a big player for England during his tenure.바카라 웹사이트

"I know the quality he has in that foot — it's amazing. He has every right to be happy and proud of his performance. He's in excellent shape," Tuchel added.바카라 웹사이트

"When we called him up, he hadn't had many games, but it wasn't due to injury, they were just taking care and managing him. He looks sharp and in shape."

James has made 14 appearances for Chelsea across all competitions this season after suffering two separate hamstring injuries so far this term.바카라 웹사이트

Under Enzo Maresca, he has operated in a defensive midfield role over the last few weeks, scoring his only goal of the campaign in the position against Bournemouth.바카라 웹사이트

But바카라 웹사이트when Tuchel was asked about whether this could be trialled on the international stage, he conceded it might not be best suited to his playing style.

"We did it rarely at Chelsea. If you play a dominant match like today, he바카라 웹사이트can be a hybrid midfielder to help create an overload. He plays chipped balls. He's very confident," he said.

"If there are a lot of transitions in midfield, I'm not sure if it will suit him perfectly. Reece's quality is at the highest level.

"We have been in close contact in the last weeks. We were sure and learned that he trained without pausing.

"We knew he was in good shape and in a good space mentally. That's what he proved. He was very positive throughout the camp."