James Ward-Prowse

[Saintscummer]

Great servant to the club. Will always be a Saint. Be weird seeing him play against us if it ever happens. 

[FarehamSaintJames]

Christ sake, the bloke hasn’t even left yet.

Still don’t think he will. 👍🏻

[CSA96]

[bangkoksaint]

Subbed off just before the end for his own personal farewell. He’s definitely gone and he goes with my best wishes. He’d have stayed for his whole career and would probably have become our all time record appearance holder - if we hadn’t have had SR interfering.

[LuckyNumber7]

21 minutes ago, Saint86 said:

Think we can safely say he is off after today then. 

Didn't see the game today but anyone who thinks he's staying is deluded.

Don't think anyone should begrudge him a move, been a great servant for the club and always given his best while the quality of players around him has got weaker and weaker. Will be strange not seeing him in our midfield next season.

[beatlesaint]

42 minutes ago, FarehamSaintJames said:

Christ sake, the bloke hasn’t even left yet.

Still don’t think he will. 👍🏻

Yeah cos players always shake hands with everyone like that when they are just subbed off don’t they?

If that today didn’t convince the “he’s staying” posters that he actually isn’t then nothing will I guess 🤷🏻‍♂️

Edited 28 May, 2023 by beatlesaint

[The Cat]

43 minutes ago, FarehamSaintJames said:

Christ sake, the bloke hasn’t even left yet.

Still don’t think he will. 👍🏻

Your "gut feelings" are generally wider of the mark than a Saints strikers shots.

It's blindingly obvious that the substitution was so he could get an ovation. In fact it couldn't have been more obvious unless he walked off while removing his Saints shirt to reveal a Newcastle one underneath before singing Fog on the Tyne with Gazza on the pitch after the game while a plane flew over trailing a banner behind reading "thanks JWP, good luck for the rest of your career from all at Saints FC"

[Chez]

15 minutes ago, beatlesaint said:

Yeah cos players always shake hands with everyone like that when they are just subbed off don’t they?

If that today didn’t convince the “he’s staying” posters that he actually isn’t then nothing will I guess 🤷🏻‍♂️

spot on. heaven knows what are CM is going to look like next season. I keep thinking about the shit show against Grimsby without him.

[Golac's Cunning Stunts]

52 minutes ago, LuckyNumber7 said:

Didn't see the game today but anyone who thinks he's staying is deluded.

Don't think anyone should begrudge him a move, been a great servant for the club and always given his best while the quality of players around him has got weaker and weaker. Will be strange not seeing him in our midfield next season.

Yeah strange but not a massive loss I feel. My fave JWP game in recent memory was last season win v spuds away. He was great that day

[Dusic]

20 minutes ago, Chez said:

spot on. heaven knows what are CM is going to look like next season. I keep thinking about the shit show against Grimsby without him.

Essentially all four of our CM options will leave (Lavia, JWP, Diallo, AMN) so I would say its the key position for recruitment as even with Smallbone back will need to sign 3 before the start of the season.

Don't think there are any genuine academy prospects in the #6 type position either so recruitment here will be massive.

[S-Clarke]

1 hour ago, FarehamSaintJames said:

Christ sake, the bloke hasn’t even left yet.

Still don’t think he will. 👍🏻

What are you on mate!

[James G]

6 minutes ago, S-Clarke said:

What are you on mate!

He might stay. Nothing doing at this point.

[AlexLaw76]

2 minutes ago, James G said:

He might stay. Nothing doing at this point.

He is clearly going.

Amazed people are suggesting otherwise

[Chez]

27 minutes ago, Dusic said:

Essentially all four of our CM options will leave (Lavia, JWP, Diallo, AMN) so I would say its the key position for recruitment as even with Smallbone back will need to sign 3 before the start of the season.

Don't think there are any genuine academy prospects in the #6 type position either so recruitment here will be massive.

Smallbone was the most passive central midfielder I've seen at Saints, so it worries me that we are going to rely on him. He seems to have had a good season at Stoke, so that is encouraging, but we re going to need some more pace, power, aggression and dynamism to complement whatever it is he offers now.

[CB Fry]

1 minute ago, AlexLaw76 said:

He is clearly going.

Amazed people are suggesting otherwise

To be fair only about three weeks ago people on were still doing the old "hey everyone I've done another set of match predictors and I calculate we stay up by one point" so you can see the mentality.

[CB Fry]

1 hour ago, FarehamSaintJames said:

Christ sake, the bloke hasn’t even left yet.

Still don’t think he will. 👍🏻

Jesus wept.

[James G]

3 minutes ago, AlexLaw76 said:

He is clearly going.

Amazed people are suggesting otherwise

I think he will, but it's not a thing, yet. Seems like a decent chap and seems to love the club

[Sergei Gotsmanov]

14 hours ago, Golac's Cunning Stunts said:

Yeah strange but not a massive loss I feel. My fave JWP game in recent memory was last season win v spuds away. He was great that day

Really! not a great loss! - who will fly the Saints flag in the dressing room now?

 

Edited 29 May, 2023 by Sergei Gotsmanov

[fanimal]

Not a great loss???

What planet are you on??

Next beast direct free kick taker to Beckham! Come on please some people really have lost a lot of perspective this season 

[Saint_clark]

2 minutes ago, fanimal said:

Not a great loss???

What planet are you on??

Next beast direct free kick taker to Beckham! Come on please some people really have lost a lot of perspective this season 

Yep. 

He'll go to a better team next season, get well into double figures for assists and break the free-kick record wearing another teams shirt. Hope he goes to Liverpool to be honest as a Henderson replacement. 

[HarvSFC]

Smallbone's a number 10, the same as Alcaraz and Stuart Armstrong. We're going to need at least 3 new central midfielders for next season, unfortunately. Just need to hope the scouting department's improved. Hamer from Coventry, who's a Premier League player would be a coup to start.

[FarehamSaintJames]

2 hours ago, The Cat said:

Your "gut feelings" are generally wider of the mark than a Saints strikers shots.

It's blindingly obvious that the substitution was so he could get an ovation. In fact it couldn't have been more obvious unless he walked off while removing his Saints shirt to reveal a Newcastle one underneath before singing Fog on the Tyne with Gazza on the pitch after the game while a plane flew over trailing a banner behind reading "thanks JWP, good luck for the rest of your career from all at Saints FC"

Called it last season when everyone went into meltdown.

In terms of my other predictions, my 5-0 defeat was wide of the mark today. Then again I’ll welcome anyone that shows me their betting slip predicting 4-4. 😂

If he leaves no one should be angry or slagging him off. He’s been a good servant to the club all round. 
I said last week he doesn’t deserve half the stick he gets.

[hypochondriac]

2 minutes ago, FarehamSaintJames said:

Called it last season when everyone went into meltdown.

In terms of my other predictions, my 5-0 defeat was wide of the mark today. Then again I’ll welcome anyone that shows me their betting slip predicting 4-4. 😂

If he leaves no one should be angry or slagging him off. He’s been a good servant to the club all round. 
I said last week he doesn’t deserve half the stick he gets.

 

[FarehamSaintJames]

1 minute ago, hypochondriac said:

 

That’s just predicting a Southampton win, not a 4-4 draw 😂

[EBS1980]

13 minutes ago, HarvSFC said:

Smallbone's a number 10, the same as Alcaraz and Stuart Armstrong. We're going to need at least 3 new central midfielders for next season, unfortunately. Just need to hope the scouting department's improved. Hamer from Coventry, who's a Premier League player would be a coup to start.

3 goals in 46 for Stoke, he’ll fit in perfectly then.

[The Cat]

9 minutes ago, FarehamSaintJames said:

That’s just predicting a Southampton win, not a 4-4 draw 😂

I know Bet365 sometimes have tight odds but 5/1 for a 4-4 draw is incredible!

[macca155]

20 minutes ago, HarvSFC said:

Smallbone's a number 10, the same as Alcaraz and Stuart Armstrong. We're going to need at least 3 new central midfielders for next season, unfortunately. Just need to hope the scouting department's improved. Hamer from Coventry, who's a Premier League player would be a coup to start.

Definitely where all the action will be. Smallbone will take over Free kicks but at least 3 midfielders required.

Grimes is almost a certainty if Martin takes over. Plus he is just what we need. After that I guess it will be spreadsheet suggestions.

Hamer will be the subject of a PL auction. We can't compete with that.

[AlexLaw76]

9 hours ago, James G said:

I think he will, but it's not a thing, yet. Seems like a decent chap and seems to love the club

it is a thing. He will not be playing at Saints next season and will probably never play a proper game for us ever again.

[Yozzman]

8 hours ago, The Cat said:

I know Bet365 sometimes have tight odds but 5/1 for a 4-4 draw is incredible!

Interesting game, regardless of whether you backed Saints, Liverpool or a draw everyone won because of Bet365's early pay out rule.

[bpsaint]

11 hours ago, Chez said:

Smallbone was the most passive central midfielder I've seen at Saints, so it worries me that we are going to rely on him. He seems to have had a good season at Stoke, so that is encouraging, but we re going to need some more pace, power, aggression and dynamism to complement whatever it is he offers now.

Glad someone else feels the same way about Smallbone, he was such a nothing player for us previously now all of a sudden a half decent run at mid table Stoke and fans think he’s going to be running the midfield for us. It’s easy to stand out in a side primed for obscurity in the championship,but if we’re serious about bouncing straight back up we’re going to need someone with a bit more about themselves IMO.

Back to the subject of JWP, out of curiosity how many sides actually came in for him over the past 11 years? Always found it interesting that through the narrative of our fans he’s been highlighted as loyal player when everyone else seemed to move on, however I can’t recall any top 10 level side coming in with a bid that would have turned his head. 

[SotonianWill]

19 minutes ago, bpsaint said:

Glad someone else feels the same way about Smallbone, he was such a nothing player for us previously now all of a sudden a half decent run at mid table Stoke and fans think he’s going to be running the midfield for us. It’s easy to stand out in a side primed for obscurity in the championship,but if we’re serious about bouncing straight back up we’re going to need someone with a bit more about themselves IMO.

I understand what you mean. From the clips he looks like the championships answer to Kevin DeBruyne. For saints he was terrible when I seem to remember him being put on the right wing? but when in the middle, like against villa, he can switch a ball well. If we get Martin he could be very useful.

Edited 29 May, 2023 by SotonianWill

[Saint_Ash]

He's obviously off. Hopefully he'll go to a champs league team and the only one I can see him going to is Newcastle. Let's hope it pushes him on further and can get back into the England squad. 

[Nemi]

I think it's fair to say he's somewhat like Marcos Alonso - unbelievable technique, has decent stats, gets a decent amount of goals and assists, but ultimately has some serious deficiencies for the position he plays. 

Stats show he has by far the best-end product of his team, and I won't ever criticise him for that but I will criticise his positioning, how quickly he passes the ball, how well he controls a game - the bits the stats can't measure. Some of the best midfielders in the league probably have worse stats than JWP, but they are able to dominate the game in a way Southampton haven't since the end of the 2020. I've been saying for years he can't control the midfield, he doesn't have the composure, he doesn't have the ability to get the ball on the half-turn, as mentioned he isn't press resistant, and his passing is penetrative enough.  

He was good yesterday, and he'll be a decent squad player for the right type of PL team ( I'm happy to come back to this, he definitely won't be pulling up any trees). But I'm happy that we will be cashing in on him now and hopefully we'll spend the funds wisely to improve the end product in positions higher up the pitch, and bring in someone who I'm sure will be nowhere near him in terms of free-kick ability and the goals and assists it gets, but someone who is better at the bits that really matter for a DM and hopefully we'll be able to regain a bit of control in the centre of the park, because I can't remember the last time we have been truly comfortable in a match. 

[Daft Kerplunk]

Gutted that JWP will leave. Had we actually constructed a decent side that played to his, and indeed other players strengths then things could’ve been different. The way Selles played most of his games meant that we couldn’t win free kicks in advance positions to allow him to break Beckham’s record whilst in a Saints shirt. 

Sad times but good luck to him, and hope he goes to a club that will give him an opportunity to play with better players, or players who are actually ready for the Premier League. 

 

[Sergei Gotsmanov]

22 minutes ago, Nemi said:

I think it's fair to say he's somewhat like Marcos Alonso - unbelievable technique, has decent stats, gets a decent amount of goals and assists, but ultimately has some serious deficiencies for the position he plays. 

Stats show he has by far the best-end product of his team, and I won't ever criticise him for that but I will criticise his positioning, how quickly he passes the ball, how well he controls a game - the bits the stats can't measure. Some of the best midfielders in the league probably have worse stats than JWP, but they are able to dominate the game in a way Southampton haven't since the end of the 2020. I've been saying for years he can't control the midfield, he doesn't have the composure, he doesn't have the ability to get the ball on the half-turn, as mentioned he isn't press resistant, and his passing is penetrative enough.  

He was good yesterday, and he'll be a decent squad player for the right type of PL team ( I'm happy to come back to this, he definitely won't be pulling up any trees). But I'm happy that we will be cashing in on him now and hopefully we'll spend the funds wisely to improve the end product in positions higher up the pitch, and bring in someone who I'm sure will be nowhere near him in terms of free-kick ability and the goals and assists it gets, but someone who is better at the bits that really matter for a DM and hopefully we'll be able to regain a bit of control in the centre of the park, because I can't remember the last time we have been truly comfortable in a match. 

I think you think we are Real Madrid Nemi. What should we do? Go and sign another money grabbing mercenary with no loyalty to our club?

[S-Clarke]

9 minutes ago, Sergei Gotsmanov said:

I think you think we are Real Madrid Nemi. What should we do? Go and sign another money grabbing mercenary with no loyalty to our club?

I don't think he's saying that at all, I get where he is coming from. Both are good players and capable of playing at the highest level, but they are missing attributes which will always hold them back from breaking into that 'elite' level in my opinion.

What I would say is that JWP has, at times, been able to control a game for us against lesser opposition - but he struggles against power and pace, not through a lack of effort or trying, he's just limited physically with his pace and strength which does mean he gets gobbled up in CM at times. I do prefer him further up and playing from the right in an attacking role, picking up pockets of space to thread a ball through (which he's good at doing). The timing of his runs into the box are decent as well, as is his touch and manipulation of the ball - but we will always go back to his lack of pace and physicality which have truly held him back from being one of 'elite' products.

Edited 29 May, 2023 by S-Clarke

[stevy777_x]

15 hours ago, Dusic said:

Essentially all four of our CM options will leave (Lavia, JWP, Diallo, AMN) so I would say its the key position for recruitment as even with Smallbone back will need to sign 3 before the start of the season.

Don't think there are any genuine academy prospects in the #6 type position either so recruitment here will be massive.

Our midfield contained 2 good players this season, and yet our side has never looked so unbalanced with huge gaps in midfield which makes you wonder whether JWP and Lavia are overated or they just don t work well as a pair 

[Sergei Gotsmanov]

2 minutes ago, S-Clarke said:

I don't think he's saying that at all, I get where he is coming from. Both are good players and capable of playing at the highest level, but they are missing attributes which will always hold them back from breaking into that 'elite' level in my opinion.

What I would say is that JWP has, at times, been able to control a game for us against lesser opposition - but he struggles against power and pace, not through a lack of effort or trying, he's just limited physically with his pace and strength which does mean he gets gobbled up in CM at times. I do prefer him further up and playing from the right in an attacking role, picking up pockets of space to thread a ball through (which he's good at doing). The timing of his runs into the box are decent as well, as is his touch and manipulation of the ball - but we will always go back to his lack of pace and physicality which have truly held him back from being one of 'elite' products.

We are Southampton and players of his ability are normally long gone. I celebrate his loyalty, his free kicks and his engine on the field and will always be grateful to him. Players like him make me want to support our club, not the likes of Lallana, Van Dyke, Lovgron, Vestegarde Bertrand etc

[Nemi]

29 minutes ago, Sergei Gotsmanov said:

I think you think we are Real Madrid Nemi. What should we do? Go and sign another money grabbing mercenary with no loyalty to our club?

I mean you have just ignored everything I've said and just invented something yourself. Like I said, I'm happy to give up on his ability to get goals and assists from free-kicks and get someone with a better control of the game - if we got both unbelievable, but as you have so smartly pointed out we are Southampton and getting both is extremely unlikely. I would just prefer someone who has better control in midfield but I'm very aware that means we'd in-turn lose JWP's stand out abilities.

[Sergei Gotsmanov]

4 minutes ago, Nemi said:

I mean you have just ignored everything I've said and just invented something yourself. Like I said, I'm happy to give up on his ability to get goals and assists from free-kicks and get someone with a better control of the game - if we got both unbelievable, but as you have so smartly pointed out we are Southampton and getting both is extremely unlikely. I would just prefer someone who has better control in midfield but I'm very aware that means we'd in-turn lose JWP's stand out abilities.

What I have tried to stay albeit probably not very articulately is that JWP's contribution to our club stretch well beyond the field. He sets standards and his loyalty and stature has provided stability in turbulent times. Your new midfielder is unlikely to make such an all round contribution. You may be happy that we are cashing in on him but I am just saying you have not factored in his true value to our club.

[Lord Duckhunter]

49 minutes ago, Sergei Gotsmanov said:

I think you think we are Real Madrid Nemi. What should we do? Go and sign another money grabbing mercenary with no loyalty to our club?

There’s no fucking loyalty in football. If there was the twats who got us relegated (including blue eyed boys Lavia & Prowse) would stay and sort it out.

If Liverpool wanted Prowse instead of Thiago a couple of years back, he’d have been as quick with the pen as lallana was.
 

Loyalty, my fucking arse. They’re as loyal as the bloke we’ll pinch off another club to replace him. 

[Saint Billy]

I cannot argue the fact that he has been a great servant, a nice bloke, dead ball specialist etc, but now is the time for him and saints to move on.

 

[Sergei Gotsmanov]

34 minutes ago, Lord Duckhunter said:

There’s no fucking loyalty in football. If there was the twats who got us relegated (including blue eyed boys Lavia & Prowse) would stay and sort it out.

If Liverpool wanted Prowse instead of Thiago a couple of years back, he’d have been as quick with the pen as lallana was.
 

Loyalty, my fucking arse. They’re as loyal as the bloke we’ll pinch off another club to replace him. 

I would argue that JWP has been more loyal than most and has not appeared to manipulate a move. I will of course concede that he would be at Liverpool if they had wanted him but he would have conducted himself better whilst doing it.

 

Edited 29 May, 2023 by Sergei Gotsmanov

[Tamesaint]

2 hours ago, Lord Duckhunter said:

There’s no fucking loyalty in football. If there was the twats who got us relegated (including blue eyed boys Lavia & Prowse) would stay and sort it out.

If Liverpool wanted Prowse instead of Thiago a couple of years back, he’d have been as quick with the pen as lallana was.
 

Loyalty, my fucking arse. They’re as loyal as the bloke we’ll pinch off another club to replace him.

 

... Of course you would stay loyal to your current employer if someone came to you  and offered to double / triple your money and to work in a much more prestigious establishment. 

I think you are a hypocrite. 

 

[Lighthouse]

2 minutes ago, Tamesaint said:

... Of course you would stay loyal to your current employer if someone came to you  and offered to double / triple your money and to work in a much more prestigious establishment. 

I think you are a hypocrite. 

I don’t think he’s suggesting players SHOUlD stay loyal, simply pointing out that they don’t and TBH he’s got a point. Tiss was one of the few players who was genuinely loyal to us as he had serious offers to go elsewhere and earn more. I find it somewhat bemusing when people talk about the likes of Benali and Long being loyal.

JWP has stayed with us because he’s a lower mid-table standard player, or a reasonable squad option for a European competitor and up until now, we’ve managed to provide him with the former platform.

[david in sweden]

There is a... " what if "...  here to consider.    We all seem to agree that Prowsey deserves to stay in the Prem. perhaps more than anyone else, 

but it also represents 20 years of his life and he may be reluctant to move away for 3 or 4 years especially as he is Hampshire born and bred. 

Certainly for someone already on 100K /week , (not a bad salary by anyone's reckoning) there will be a number of the "big money " clubs who see 

him as a "cheap buy"  compared with some of the huge fees they normally pay out, (but it would have to be at a fee that Saints are willing to accept).

 

JWP  is unlikely to uproot himself /and family just for another 10K a week, and Saints will want to  get a good fee if / when he does move

- or even if he doesn't want to move to a part of the country where they don't speak " English" , or to a club who he just " doesn't fancy ".

 

The " what if "  (in my estimation) is that unless he and the club get offers that can't be refused,  is that he stays on  until the New Year,

by which time ....IF  Saints are leading the Championship by 6 points, he would stay on and see us get promoted back up to the Prem.

Plan  B ...is ....if we are " treading water " in mid-table, or worse...one of the big  Prem. sides who are struggling to meet their own expectations

of  success and glory would likely come in for him, and he would move anyway. 

This may sound a bit strange, but he must be a good poker player because - at the moment - he just doesn't seem to want to move away......

 

  

Edited 29 May, 2023 by david in sweden

[AlexLaw76]

3 minutes ago, david in sweden said:

There is a... " what if "...  here to consider.    We all seem to agree that Prowsey deserves to stay in the Prem. perhaps more than anyone else, 

but it also represents 20 years of his life and he may be reluctant to move away for 3 or 4 years especially as he is Hampshire born and bred. 

Certainly for someone already on 100K /week , (not a bad salary by anyone's reckoning) there will be a number of the "big money " clubs who see 

him as a "cheap buy"  compared with some of the huge fees they normally pay out, (but it would have to be at a fee that Saints are willing to accept).

 

JWP  is unlikely to uproot himself /and family just for another 10K a week, and Saints will want to  get a good fee if / when he does move

- or even if he doesn't want to move to a part of the country where they don't speak " English" , or to a club who he just " doesn't fancy ".

 

The " what if "  (in my estimation) is that unless he and the club get offers that can't be refused,  is that he stays on  until the New Year,

by which time ....IF  Saints are leading the Championship by 6 points, he would stay on and see us get promoted back up top the Prem.

Plan  B ...is ....if we are " treading water " in mid-table, or worse...one of the big  Prem. sides who are struggling to meet their own expectations

of  success and glory would likely come in for him, and he would move anyway. 

This may sound a bit strange, but he must be a good poker player because - at the moment - he just doesn't seem to want to move away......

 

  

he aint staying

[Tamesaint]

48 minutes ago, Lighthouse said:

I don’t think he’s suggesting players SHOUlD stay loyal, simply pointing out that they don’t and TBH he’s got a point. Tiss was one of the few players who was genuinely loyal to us as he had serious offers to go elsewhere and earn more. I find it somewhat bemusing when people talk about the likes of Benali and Long being loyal.

JWP has stayed with us because he’s a lower mid-table standard player, or a reasonable squad option for a European competitor and up until now, we’ve managed to provide him with the former platform.

Footballers don't stay loyal but why should they when 99% of the population would happily change their employer if offered much more money and a job in a better environment?  To expect young men to behave differently is unrealistic. 

[sledger]

been a great servant to saints but oh how i wish the up tempo all action ward prowse we saw yesterday had popped up 3 months ago then he and saints might not be getting relegated

[Badger]

1 hour ago, sledger said:

been a great servant to saints but oh how i wish the up tempo all action ward prowse we saw yesterday had popped up 3 months ago then he and saints might not be getting relegated

Toothless attack in front of him, piss poor defence behind him. Don’t think a  full season turbocharged JWP would make up for that.