James made a first start for the season and lasted 55 minutes before a planned substitution at Anfield.
"It was great to be involved again," the 24-year-old told chelseafc.com. "I missed playing in big games and playing against big players so it was a big step.
"It’s been a long time since I started a game, and starting here was always going to be tough, but I’m feeling good.
"The road to recovery has been tough – it definitely hasn’t been easy. I hope to stay strong, keep going, and help the team achieve what we want to achieve.
"Coming here is never going to be easy but I felt that we controlled most of the game.
"We had the first few chances but they have some incredible individual players so it was always going to be tough.
"I think the performance was a good performance and I don’t think the scoreline reflects how well we played at Anfield. Goals make the difference."
James added: "I think if you step back and look at performances over the season, you can really see what we’re trying to do. It’s still early days though and we’re progressing."