Chelsea news: How Reece James quickly became the odd player out under Xabi Alonso

With a new manager at the helm and the amount of fresh faces joining Chelsea across the summer reaching double figures, the presence of Reece James in the Stamford Bridge and Cobham dressing room felt imperative.

To a large degree, that still applies. A homegrown talent with 235 games under his belt and who has lifted Champions League and Club World Cup trophies is invaluable in modern-day football.

However, the manner in which Chelsea dispatched Bournemouth by a 5-1 scoreline with veteran midfielder Jordan Henderson the star of the show hinted that James should not necessarily expect an immediate recall upon his return from a knee issue, the severity currently unknown.

In Xabi Alonso's 3-4-2-1 formation, James is capable of playing as a central midfielder, right-sided centre-back or right wing-back, that arguably being the order of preference and suitability.

Nevertheless, how Chelsea are evolving under Alonso may dictate that the 26-year-old is no longer a first-choice pick in any of those positions.

Why Reece James may have just lost his place in the Chelsea XI

The big talking point from the weekend was how Henderson inspired Chelsea's best performance of the season. His two outstanding strikes - the second a rare free kick - made the headlines, but it was how the 36-year-old combined with Moises Caicedo, who was making his first start of the season, that really stood out to Alonso.

Some context should be applied. This was a Bournemouth midfield that was missing star man Alex Scott, but Alonso waxed lyrical over the pair in his post-match press conference, highlighting that Chelsea's engine room had far more of a physical presence.

Chelsea have been missing a physically-imposing central midfielder for some time. For all of the qualities that Caicedo, James, Enzo Fernandez and Romeo Lavia have provided in the past, none of them bring, or brought, the height that you require in a Premier League midfield.

Some Chelsea fans, and maybe James himself, may point to the Englishman, Caicedo and Fernandez all starting in a midfield that blew away Paris Saint-Germain in the 2025 Club World Cup final, but that is very much an anomaly in the record books.

Had Caicedo and Henderson been fit at the start of the season, James may have been picked as a right-sided centre-back, but needing to feature in midfield has given a chance of Josh Acheampong.

Are Acheampong, Palestra viewed as more important in Alonso's Chelsea than James?

The academy graduate is far from the finished article, but having been largely ignored by the likes of Enzo Maresca and Liam Rosenior, the England Under-21 star has taken his chance under Alonso.

In the three Premier League games that he has started, Chelsea have conceded five goals. Eight have been shipped in the three matches where he has been used as a substitute or not selected.

Acheampong's extra height is also a major factor in why he should stay ahead of James. Chelsea were going into matches in 2025-26 when the only players that could be deemed physically-imposing were their two centre-backs. Maybe Joao Pedro, too.

Even though Chelsea conceded from a set piece against Bournemouth, having Acheampong, Maxence Lacroix, Levi Colwill, Henderson, Morgan Rogers and Pedro as options for defending set pieces is in stark contrast to last season, and Alonso is understanding that possessing such height could make the difference over the course of the campaign.

Theoretically, that leaves right wing-back as James's best option, but Alonso has already shown that he wants a different profile of player for that role.

Marco Palestra was hand-picked for that position in the summer, and Pedro Neto has deputised in his absence. Malo Gusto and Geovany Quenda come into the mix, too. James can match them for speed, power and creativity, but history has shown that James regularly sustains hamstring injuries when playing at right-back. He would be more vulnerable at wing-back.

How can Reece James earn a regular spot in Xabi Alonso's Chelsea XI?

While an injury in central defence or midfield could realistically lead to an immediate recall for James when he is fit, his best chance of regular action is Alonso reverting to a back four.

James playing at right-back with Pedro Neto in front of him in a 4-2-3-1 formation would tick plenty of boxes, but it feels unrealistic when Alonso is consistently starting with a 3-4-2-1 and instructing Chelsea to drop into a 4-4-2 on occasions when they do not have the ball.

If that proves effective more often than it does not, James could quickly find himself with more responsibility from the substitutes' bench. He could effectively take on role - one of stature and leadership - that Henderson was earmarked for upon his arrival.

That all said, James has the affinity with Chelsea that would see him put the club before his own expectations. This is a season where securing a return to Europe - the natural aim being the Champions League - is of high priority and importance, and James will be tuned in to achieve that goal.

The Cobham-developed star may also be understanding of the perception that playing less football for a season may benefit him in the long term. For all of the constant talk of his injury issues, this is a player who has played 55 times for club and country since the Club World Cup final. He has also had two summers without an extended break.

Alonso will not view James with any less importance to his squad as a whole. After all, this is a player who racked up 404 minutes across Alonso's first six matches in charge.

However, Henderson's performance, and striking up such an instant rapport with Caicedo, against Bournemouth has provided the Spaniard with plenty of food for thought going forward, and James, the club captain, could be the one who is impacted.