Paolo Di Canio made a surprise decision to switch the 24-year-old to the right for last Monday’s visit of Stoke City, with Jack Colback operating down the left.
Paolo Di Canio: “It’s difficult for him on the right.
“He doesn’t have the same tricks as Adam (Johnson) and I knew that it would be difficult for James to come inside.
“But I used him on the right because Stoke have (Charlie) Adam on the left, who plays deep.
“It was a tactical thing.
“I thought Danny (Rose) and Jack could destroy them on the left side, where they play with (Ryan) Shotton, who is very tall, but has long legs.
“James is not fast, fast, whereas Jack is a bulldog.
“There was an imbalance. In the second half, it’s clear he was better and also Adam was able to express himself on the other side.”