James Ward-Prowse for England? ...say that again ...

Trouble is there are people who, and have, persistently mithered about him are so use to griping about him that if he scored a hat trick 3 games running would still be mithering about him.

I certainly wished he believed in himself a bit more, which he now seems to be doing. About mid way through last season I thought he had become a bit more combative, in the 3-2 Liverpool game I think it was Skrtel he turned inside out and put him on his backside, nicked the ball, and set up our 3rd. The praise towards him was very scant almost dismissive and the preferred line (shamefully from Saints fans) was more towards Minolets poor kick out. In a few of the Europa games this season he was getting stuck in like he was slightly possessed and on the edge of getting carded, maybe all those England games taught him where the line is.......... now there is a habit of knocking him, regardless of how he plays, from certain quarters its going to be hard to shake that off.

 

Maybe there should be a poll: Who would you rather have in midfield JWP or Clasie.

............ and neither is not an optional response.

PEH - 21 years old

JWP - 22 years old

Clasie - 25 years old

It seems mind-blowing to write these young players off - we are rarely going to be buying the finished product and i think all of these players have a lot of potential.

if JWP was eligible for any other nation as well as England, he would have won a full cap already. Like that lad spurs signed from MK Dons who has already won a cap after 5 or so games in the prem

Whatever happened to that lad?

I predict England won't win the World Cup next year.

If JWP gets into the full England side other clubs fans will view him as the new Tom Cleverley.

If JWP gets into the full England side other clubs fans will view him as the new Tom Cleverley.

But would they, like I said earlier there is a jaundiced view of JWP here. Whilst Gareth Southgate might not be viewed as the most dynamic of managers he must see something in James to have made him Captain of the Young Lions especially when you see the array of "more exciting" young players who have been in the team with him.

.......... mentioning Tom Cleverley in the same sentence as JWP should having you washing your mouth out with soap!!

I hav championed JWP in the past and will continue to do so. Only 22 and already 125 PL appearances. He is maturing in to his body, which he uses much more effectively now. This season he has demonstrated a much greater understanding of where to be, and when.

We are fortunate to have him.

If JWP gets into the full England side other clubs fans will view him as the new Tom Cleverley.

So what, what other fans view him as will have no bearing on what type of player he will become.

JWP for me, i think he is a fantastic player, great vision, control, passing, touch, yeah he is a worthy part of the team and should imho be first choice

Tottally agree! Think he has been excellent this season

JWP has played well lately but doesn't deserve an England call up yet IMO.

An additional factor is that he has been playing well in a wide right position. Should he be called up he would be considered a central midfielder and in 5 years he hasnt been able to nail down a starting place for us in that position because he has too many weaknesses in that role.

If he keeps doing well for us then it might come but he hasn't earned it at this stage.

Watching Monaco last night gave some interesting context to JWP's progress. Fabinho and Bakayoko are 23 and 22 respectively, and absolutely dominated the midfield aside from a twenty minute stretch for City at the start of the second half. Both broke up play, passed intelligently (and progressively when the moment called for it), and both scored goals. JWP has done well out on the right, and his dead ball delivery is excellent, but in his peer group internationally, there are players already capable of controlling a champions league knock-out round game.

His dead ball delivery is factually extremely poor, because the shots are virtually never on target. The goalie invariably doesn't need to save it. His free kick to goal ratio is possibly the worst in all 4 leagues.

Dead ball specialist.....urban myth. So, not good at dead balls, can't score in open play, can't tackle, can't win headers, can't beat opponents with speed, can't dribble past opponents, can only pass the ball, no "trickery" of any description. I hope he plays for England as he is very good, apart from all the above. Get rid and buy a good midfielder who can score goals. Saints have had a midfielder for 6 years who can only pass the ball, well done Les in cultivating your "precious".

Watching Monaco last night gave some interesting context to JWP's progress. Fabinho and Bakayoko are 23 and 22 respectively, and absolutely dominated the midfield aside from a twenty minute stretch for City at the start of the second half. Both broke up play, passed intelligently (and progressively when the moment called for it), and both scored goals. JWP has done well out on the right, and his dead ball delivery is excellent, but in his peer group internationally, there are players already capable of controlling a champions league knock-out round game.

His dead ball delivery is factually extremely poor, because the shots are virtually never on target. The goalie invariably doesn't need to save it. His free kick to goal ratio is possibly the worst in all 4 leagues.

Dead ball specialist.....urban myth. So, not good at dead balls, can't score in open play, can't tackle, can't win headers, can't beat opponents with speed, can't dribble past opponents, can only pass the ball, no "trickery" of any description. I hope he plays for England as he is very good, apart from all the above. Get rid and buy a good midfielder who can score goals. Saints have had a midfielder for 6 years who can only pass the ball, well done Les in cultivating your "precious".

Just because you use the word 'factually' does not make it any more than the opinion of a man who 'factually' has an inordinate number of posts dedicated to slating JWP. We get it, you don't rate it. Some on here do and others do not. Either way a lot of those with experience of the game at a top level rate him and his dead ball delivery. More than welcome to disagree but maybe keep from conflating your opinion with established and verifiable fact.

Personally I think he had started to show the potential we all hoped he might fulfil as this season has progressed and believe he might develop into an international class player (hopefully while still playing for us!).

Posted this in reply to someone saying (as quoted), on the Build up thread, might be best placed for here.

Adkins, Pochetino, Keoman, Puel, Hodgeson and Southgate.

Just some of the blokes who disagree with you, but hey, what do these clueless ****s know right?

Ignoring U21's (championship level football IMO), he's only ever had a consistent run of games under Puel.

Under Adkins, Poch & Koeman he's started the season in the first team and then gradually made his way to the bench, so I'd argue that actually they didn't rate him that highly. In fact he was never picked by Hodgson, so he couldn't have rated him that highly and that bloke is clueless.

If JWP was that highly rated a top 5 team would have already come in for him.

I'm not his biggest fan, but no one can deny that he has improved this season (well last couple of weeks). He is obviously a very good 'technical' player, who has the ability to keep the ball well (I can see why he would impress in training), however I think the problem that he faces is that no one is aware of his best position.

IMO, he is not strong enough (yet) to play in one of the 2 CM roles, not creative enough to play as a no10 and not quick enough to play on the wing. He does keep the ball well and have an alright set piece (not as good as some make out though).

He deserves his place in the team based on current form, however unless he 'bulks' up or starts getting more goals, I can see him eventually ending up in the championship in a couple of season.

His dead ball delivery is factually extremely poor, because the shots are virtually never on target.

So you think dead ball delivery only consists of shooting on goal?

Been left out of the u21 squad, so guessing he's got the call up..

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Been left out of the u21 squad

Interesting! Where have you seen that btw? (U21 squad hasn't been officially announced by England via Twitter yet)

Interesting! Where have you seen that btw? (U21 squad hasn't been officially announced by England via Twitter yet)

John cross of the mirror on twitter, although he's now deleted the original tweet about it. And the fountain of knowledge Alex Crook too.

Now I'm thinking it's bulls**t

Alex Crook

Enough said

Defoe in. Played well and deserves a chance if all the main strikers are out injured.

Under 21 squad....

Under 21 squad....

 

 

Great to see McQueen get a call up.

No wonder Scotland are trying to persuade Sam Gallagher to switch allegiance if Cauley Woodrow is getting call ups ahead of him. Half as good, half as many goals...

Jwp and Redmond omitted from the u21s must mean full squad call ups no ?

No wonder Scotland are trying to persuade Sam Gallagher to switch allegiance if Cauley Woodrow is getting call ups ahead of him. Half as good, half as many goals...

He's injured atm

4 players in the squad. Nice. Pleased Redmond is in there, he would link up well with Alli and Kane (shame we won't see that though)

 

Enough said

Lovely slice of humble pie coming your way, trousers.

Lovely slice of humble pie coming your way, trousers.

Please accept my humble apologies Alex. You're right, I should have given your repeating of John Cross's tweet much more credence. Any chance of unblocking me now?

9 current & Ex Saints make up the senior squad

Please accept my humble apologies Alex. You're right, I should have given your repeating of John Cross's tweet much more credence. Any chance of unblocking me now?

Mmmm saved a big slice for you, smells amazing

Mmmm saved a big slice for you, smells amazing

Thanks Alex. You're far too kind, although I do feel a bit bad about having to take some of yours

Fair play to the lad. I'm nowhere near his biggest fan and his opta stats this season are not exactly amazing. But whatever you think of him he tries hard and is very dedicated to our club. He doesn't strike me as a typical modern day footballer attitude wise. Going to put a punt on him scoring a goal.

I like JWP not convinced he'll make a CL team but will carve out a good career as a mid-table PL player - like lots of English midfielders such as jack cork.

Defoe in. Played well and deserves a chance if all the main strikers are out injured.

And good on Defoe for making himself available for international duty - given how's been treated in the past I'm not sure I would.

He's the sort of player who we could keep for years.

 

Although the big clubs like to add English players, his reputation outside Southampton is growing and now an England cap will increase that. Would be surprised to see a Liverpool or Man City interested at some point, even if he wouldn't start for them yet. I mean I'd rather have him than Delph or Lucas to be honest.

Pleased with his inclusion. Maybe it's the formation, maybe it's the coaching, but he definitely seems to be playing better of late. Whether he'll do it for England we shall see. Personally I doubt he'll get any game time for a while (unlike Redmond who I think may get a run out) but stranger things have happened.

Agree with this.

 

Pleased with his inclusion. Maybe it's the formation, maybe it's the coaching, but he definitely seems to be playing better of late. Whether he'll do it for England we shall see. Personally I doubt he'll get any game time for a while (unlike Redmond who I think may get a run out) but stranger things have happened.

No, it's the fact that for some reason people expect a 17/18/19/20/21 year old to be the finished article. He's maturing nicely as a player, and physically becoming a man (people mature physically at different rates - not everyone is a Rooney or a Shaw who are physically mature by age 17).

John Moston talking about the call ups on Talk ****e said Jwp''s call up was just a matter of time !

Very happy for him and despite what some (not all) say in here, its well deserved.

I like the continuity in coach and players. It will be interesting to see how this develops.

Watching Monaco last night gave some interesting context to JWP's progress. Fabinho and Bakayoko are 23 and 22 respectively, and absolutely dominated the midfield aside from a twenty minute stretch for City at the start of the second half. Both broke up play, passed intelligently (and progressively when the moment called for it), and both scored goals. JWP has done well out on the right, and his dead ball delivery is excellent, but in his peer group internationally, there are players already capable of controlling a champions league knock-out round game.

But we are talking about England, not whoever Fabinho and Bakayoko play for. Not many better Englishman than JWP in his position for England.....

But we are talking about England, not whoever Fabinho and Bakayoko play for. Not many better Englishman than JWP in his position for England.....

What is his position exactly? Midfielder who isn't attacking, isn't defensive, isn't good on the wing, can't shoot or tackle? Free kick specialist who has scored...one free kick in over 100 games for us? Is being capable of making a sideways pass at such a premium these days?

He seems to have disappeared.

Looks like he's now davidinfrance on the BBC HYS sections. No bold and underline formatting options there though so he'll come crawling back to us!

I have always been a fan but he seemed to have stagnated for a couple of seasons. Despite the number of games he has played we tend to forget how young he is. This season, particularly since Christmas he seems to have kicked on. He certainly has added some steel to his game but is not yet the finished article - but he is getting there and is obviously well regarded within the club and the England setup. Maybe because he goes about his job in an unspectacular way he is destined to become one of those players that are not always appreciated by the crowd but are essential to the team - a 'player's player'.

I thought he was excellent yesterday even before the goal, made some gutsy challenges and his movement was strong.

He's being interviewed live on Sky Sports News at 2pm.

Rooney remained in Manchester to have treatment on an injury sustained in a collision with Phil Jones and missed a meeting James Ward-Prowse said underlined England’s lofty ambitions.

 

“It was a very powerful message,” the Southampton midfielder said. “It is one that the under-21s have received before, sort of highlighted about the highs and lows of a career and the ambitions that he sees for us. And you know, we want to establish ourselves as a top team in the world. So it is all about plugging away at those goals and making sure what we do now stands us in good stead for when we reach major tournaments.”

 

Asked what the goal is, Ward-Prowse added: “I think obviously we want to be the best in the world. If you want to win major tournaments, then you’ve got to become that sort of team.

 

“In every department – the medical side of it, technical and tactical, the operations and the way we things work – we all want to be the best and make sure we give ourselves a chance to succeed.”

 

It was a bold statement the confident and eloquent Ward-Prowse has made before, saying in 2013 the current crop can “reach the stars” after the former Football Association chairman Greg Dyke spoke about winning the 2022 World Cup. The midfielder was part of Southgate’s under-21 squad at that point, so, too, was fellow England newcomer and Saints team-mate Nathan Redmond.

 

“It was the similar meeting to what he had with the 21s,” Redmond said. “Him telling us about himself, the highs and lows in his career. It brings him closer to the squad and that’s exactly what it did for the 21s.”

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/mar/20/england-given-powerful-message-gareth-southgate-james-ward-prowse-wayne-rooney

It is strange that the three most heavily criticised Saints players on this forum JWP, Redmond and FF are chosen in the England squad. What does this say about England selectors--or about our judgement of our own?

It is strange that the three most heavily criticised Saints players on this forum JWP, Redmond and FF are chosen in the England squad. What does this say about England selectors--or about our judgement of our own?

It probably says something about the lack of quality players available for the England team.

He is a useless runner about-er in a meaningless rubbish way. Watch him and stop pretending that he is not complete crap. Actually watch him instead watching the ball like all the other ******s.

He's a good team player, he links play well and will be better than Davis long-term IMO. I think he does have goals in him, but he seemed to stop making runs into the box as much last season, whether through tactics or form I don't know. But v Leicester and again yesterday his run and positioning was exactly what you'd want. I prefer him on the right, gets the most out of him. We know he can cross, he links well with Cedric, he's free to get in the box more.

 

His set pieces are usually very good, but without VVD, Fonte and Austin we don't have much threat really in that regard.

 

If JWP continues to improve then he'll be a very good player. He's become a regular PL starter and in the england squad as it is. At this point I think most Saints fans would have him in the team? We assume the likes of Hojberg will come in and be better, but when young is does take time to adjust. Next target for him should be looking at 5-10 goals a season, he is capable of it and would make a huge difference to the team's success.

Can someone please report this Skate *&!* for trolling. ^^^^^ Mods, why do you allow this idiot to post, he is clearly not a Saints supporter, get rid of him.