He has those driving forward runs in his locker - he saw the opening against Sunderland in the second half last week and carried the ball 30 odd yards into their area. I think he's just very slightly conservative in his play, determined not to make a mistake that creates a vulnerable situation. That's not a bad thing, and as he grows futher into his role we'll see more expression from him, I'm sure.
The most exciting thing about James is he has every component of a top central midfielder: physically he's fast and strong; mentally he shows good anticipation and terrific effort (the goal clearance on Sunday was heroic); and technically he can pass, has good feet and comfort on the ball, and is capable (see Hull last year) of getting in the box and scoring. He might not be showing the latter all that much, but I honstly can't think of the last midfielder we had who possessed all those qualities.