Xabi Alonso told how to solve Marco Palestra injury puzzle as Chelsea face Reece James dilemma

Marco Palestra was set to be one of the first names on the Chelsea teamsheet before he suffered a knock.

Xabi Alonso has been urged to reconsider Reece James as an option at right wing-back in the absence of Marco Palestra. The 21-year-old defender, whom Chelsea signed from Atalanta for £47million in the transfer window, hasn't featured yet this season despite being one of the first names on the teamsheet over the summer.

Palestra made an excellent impression during the pre-season tour of Australia and Asia, playing both left and right wing-back. He was expected to be a key player for the Blues, particularly in the early stages of the campaign, having largely played in a back-three last term.

But, then, the Italy international suffered a knock in the build-up to the opening weekend of the new Premier League campaign, and he's not played since, let alone appeared on the bench. As it stands, it remains unclear when exactly Palestra will be back in action.

In his absence, Pedro Neto has played right wing-back, and to great effect. Although he's done well, Pat Nevin has suggested that James, who's essentially been branded as a midfielder by Alonso, take the reins.

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When quizzed on the right wing-back position at Chelsea, the 63-year-old said: "Reece James, at his best, is probably the best at that, but we know about the injuries and the need to be able to do it week after week after week.

"And just when you think he’s got it back, he crumples a wee bit because of the injury. It’s never the lack of ability; it’s never that he’s not got everything you need, because I’m such a fanatic of Reece James as a football player.

"Chelsea have brought players in, and we’re not sure how good they’re going to be with the wingbacks in the team. We don’t know how good they’re gonna be at the Premier League level. So it’s a question of systems and styles.

"I think if you’re a winger at Chelsea, you might have limited opportunities. I’m not sure if it’s the best place to be, but we will find out soon."

On Neto, who's recently been rewarded with a new contract for his efforts, Nevin said: "Neto is a very different winger to the kind of winger that myself or others were, you know. The pace is the big thing and the going at people.

"He’s got an actual goal-scoring instinct as well. I just get a feeling you won’t be having wingers at Chelsea at the moment. Now he will mostly be playing at the wing-back.

"It is definitely something he will have to adapt to. I like Pedro a lot as a winger, but now he will have to be a wingback, and that’s a different game."

On whether Estevao Willian could make a similar transition, Nevin said: "I’m not sure Estevao can play wingback either because he’s a wide attacker. In fact, he’s a 10, to be honest. But he can play wide and attack. He can do that job, but he wouldn’t do it to the level you need to do it week in, week out."

At the end of the interview with Betarades, the Blues cult hero said: "So Pedro’s the one that could do that wingback role for now. Because if you play that wingback role, if you play a system that’s 3-4-2-1, there’s an argument that the two wingbacks are the most important players of the team.

"There’s a big argument for that. Think of the teams that have been great in that system. Marcos Alonso played there for Chelsea on the left, and he was so important. He was massively important."