Games For James?

Reece James may not be a name as well known to all Manchester United fans as Wayne Rooney and Ashley Young but he, like the England internationals, made his mark with a pair of goals in Louis van Gaal's opening game in charge of the Reds.

If the 7-0 scoreline against LA Galaxy was a startling one, it was nothing compared to seeing James help himself to a couple of strikes in his maiden senior outing. The former Preston youngster has many attributes but it is not being unkind to say goalscoring has not previously been high on that list.

James did not hit the net last term for the Reserves and Under-21s - the closest he came was when forcing Everton keeper Mason Stringthorpe into a decent save back in October. He did not register in the 2012/13 campaign either and I think I'm pretty certain the double at the Rose Bowl were his first strikes for the club in officially-recorded matches.

Yet the versatile left-back was probably one of the first names on Warren Joyce's teamsheet. He played more games than anybody else at Under-21 level (20), and also represented the club in the Manchester Senior Cup and Lancashire Senior Cup.

The 20-year-old is not the sort of player to prompt giddy comparisons with greats of the past or outlandish predictions of superstardom but, much more importantly, he is highly regarded by those who work with him. Joyce nominated him on the three-man shortlist for the Denzil Haroun Reserves' Player of the Year trophy, with Saidy Janko getting the nod from supporters for the accolade.

Like his brother Matty, who came through the ranks at United before joining Leicester City and playing a key part in their promotion to the top flight, he is an intelligent footballer with a willingness to learn and take advice on board. These are the qualities, combined with an appetite for hard work, that will stand both in good stead.

Joyce likes to field younger players in different positions to help broaden their education of the game and James is no different. Although he still views himself as a left-back, he was pushed into midfield last term and revelled in the increased responsibility, seeing more of the ball and enjoying a greater influence on matches.

Maintaining his positional sense and defensive diligence, he was able to showcase more creative elements to his work and would knit moves together with his precise and unfussy passing. Although Chelsea won the Under-21 final at Old Trafford, there was much to admire from the youngsters throughout the campaign and James was clearly a major contributor.

Nonetheless, there was no guarantee he would be taken to the United States, even after Alex Büttner departed, with Tyler Blackett also capable of deputising for new signing Luke Shaw at left-back. But van Gaal has already identified James as an interesting prospect. His preference for a 3-5-2 formation requires wing-backs on both flanks and, after replacing Shaw for the second half in Pasadena, he pushed his claims in a manner few could have expected.

Armed with the experience of performing in more advanced roles in 2013/14, he was able to adapt effectively and looks a viable option for the position. There are no doubts about his defensive acumen and his temperament surely looks sound on the albeit limited evidence of playing in front of over 86,000 spectators. More United fans who do not monitor the younger teams closely will be more aware of Reece James after that debut and they could be seeing a lot more of him under the tutelage of a man who has forged a reputation on plucking youngsters from relative obscurity.

Credit: Manutd.com