Reece James expressed frustration as Chelsea squander lead at Villa

After the Blues lost 2-1 to Aston Villa at Villa Park, despite leading at halftime, Chelsea captain Reece James expressed his frustration.

Speaking to the media post-match, James lamented the team's inability to build on their solid start, stating, "It's really disappointing to leave with nothing, especially when you consider we had the lead at half-time, having started the game so well."

Chelsea's first and second half performances were very different, as the England international pointed out, adding that the team had spent the entire week analysing Villa's weaknesses.

James stressed that Villa's two goals were due to "our own collective mistakes as a team". The Chelsea captain, who was used in an unfamiliar central midfield position with Moises Caicedo, found a bright spot in his own performance despite the defeat.

Speaking about his change in position, James said, "Yes, it was a completely different position to what I am used to, but that does not worry me; it is somewhere I have played in before, so it was not anything new to me."