Reece James on tightening up, a stunning free-kick and signs of progress

Reece James sparked Chelsea’s spirited comeback at Newcastle United with a sensational free-kick, and the Blues captain reflected on his emotions after helping his side battle back to earn a valuable point at St James’ Park.

Chelsea went into the interval 2-0 down and were fortunate not to be facing an even steeper task, with Nick Woltemade going close to completing a hat-trick shortly before half-time.

However, the Blues emerged with renewed intensity after the break. James’ superb set-piece reduced the deficit and shifted the momentum, before a clever finish from João Pedro completed the turnaround and secured a hard-fought 2-2 draw.

Operating once again with authority in central midfield, James was delighted to make a decisive contribution on a dramatic afternoon in the North East.

“I’ve been taking free-kicks my whole life, and to execute one when we needed to pull something out of the bag was a great feeling,” James said.

“One goal changes the game. We knew that if we got one, the second one would be there.”

The skipper was candid about Chelsea’s first-half struggles, admitting improvements were needed to match Newcastle’s intensity.

“They got the better of us in every department in the first half. They won too many second balls, which we needed to tighten up on,” he added.

“At half-time we reviewed things and changed a few details, and then the game turned quickly.”

James believes the comeback underlined both the team’s growing resilience and their progress in coping with the demands of hostile away environments — a key marker of Chelsea’s development in 2025.

“Last year we came here and lost. This time, we’ve come from 2-0 down in a very difficult game, and we’re happy to take a point considering the first half,” he said.

“It’s a tough place to come. The atmosphere gets the better of many teams. We couldn’t win, but when you can’t win, it’s important not to lose.”