Revealed: What Reece James did with young debutant before kick off
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall nets the winner, but it’s Reece James’ touching gesture to debutant Reggie Walsh that captures the heart of Chelsea’s fifth straight victory.
Chelsea’s revival rolled on in confident fashion on Thursday night, as the Blues claimed a 1-0 win over Djurgårdens to secure their fifth consecutive victory in all competitions. But while Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall grabbed the headlines with a well-taken winner, it was captain Reece James who quietly stole the spotlight with a moment of true leadership before kickoff.
Reece James with his arm around Reggie Walsh having a little chat with him pre-match. #CFC
— Bobby Vincent (@BobbyVincentFL) May 8, 2025
The 24-year-old defender, still working his way back to full fitness and now mostly featuring in Europe, was seen placing a reassuring arm around 18-year-old debutant Reggie Walsh in the tunnel moments before they stepped onto the Stamford Bridge pitch. For a teenager making his first-team bow on such a big stage, it was the perfect show of support from a skipper who knows what pressure at Chelsea really feels like.
James’ impact off the pitch has grown more visible this season as injuries have limited his time on it. Yet his importance to the squad remains undeniable.
Though his role has shifted from automatic starter to a more rotational presence—particularly in Conference League fixtures—James is embracing his duties as captain in full. His pre-match gesture toward Walsh was a quiet but powerful reminder of the culture being built behind the scenes at Chelsea.
Speaking before the match, former Blues midfielder Steve Sidwell shed light on the significance of strong leadership during Chelsea’s late-season surge.
“There’s big pressure at this football club and in this dressing room at any time of the season,” Sidwell explained. “You talk about a process and a project—up until Christmas, it was going really well, then there was a real dip. That’s when you find out the characters and the leaders, the likes of Reece James, who will have galvanised this squad.”
Chelsea’s growing momentum continued with a gritty 1-0 win against Djurgårdens, sealed by a decisive goal from summer signing Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. The midfielder pounced midway through the second half, finishing coolly to put the Blues within touching distance of both a European trophy and a return to the Champions League.
That makes it five wins in a row—a run that seemed almost unthinkable just a few months ago when the club appeared to be on the brink of another bad campaign. Instead, they now sit just four wins away from what could be a truly memorable finish.
While the result mattered, so too did the scenes before the whistle. James’ arm around Walsh wasn’t just a captain’s duty—it was a symbol of a club starting to reconnect with its identity: one built on togetherness, youth, and leadership.
Chelsea fans will hope James continues to rediscover his best form on the pitch. But moments like these prove that, even when he isn’t in the spotlight, his influence is as strong as ever.
