James Ward-Prowse

[Sir Ralph]

Played well. Made the right decisions throughout the game. Also he hasn’t played much football recently. Give him a run in the team and I think he will start to influence the game more.
 

i remember when his free kicks were a threat teams didn’t want to tackle our players around the edge of the area. That could help scienza

Edited Wednesday at 11:55 by Sir Ralph

[Patches O Houlihan]

16 hours ago, Baird of the land said:

Hypondriac - Wonder if Tonda will try to fit jwp Downes and Jander into one team if they are all fit and firing. No doubt they are all in our top eleven best players.

Jwp is not.

Candidates for 'Best Eleven Players' in no particular order:

1) Jander

2) Downes

3) Azaz

4) Larin

5) Scienza

6) Schotterbeck

7) Peretz

8 ) Manning

9) Bree

So presumably besides all those players listed above you consider at least two (possibly more) of Matsuki, Fellows, Bragg, Stephens and Wood to be undeniably superior to JWP as well?

I would remind you that JWP has 11 England caps, and was sold a little over 3 years ago aged 28 for £30m. He has played more than 420 PL games, scoring 57 goals (a goal every 7.3 appearances)

 

He also is the second highest fee kick scorer (17) in Premier League history only one kick behind David Beckham, partly because they wouldn't count the goal he scored direct from a corner. Incidentally no one else is close to Beckham and JWP. Pep Guardiola (2020): "Ward-Prowse is the best free-kick taker I have seen in my life" (Messi scored 11 free kicks while playing for Pep at Barcelona 2008-2012)

in 2021, he became the first Premier League player to play every single minute of two consecutive Premier League seasons, and is still known for excellent fitness and stamina. He is now aged 31.

I completely take on board Ducky's Souness discussion. JWP is far from a complete player. But I really struggle to see the logic in your argument, particularly when mysteriously all the players around him have had an upturn in their effectiveness since he joined the team: Downes, Bragg, Wood, Fellows

We bought him for £800k FFS!

Edited Wednesday at 13:48 by Patches O Houlihan
Messi stat

[23rdSaint]

2 hours ago, Patches O Houlihan said:

Candidates for 'Best Eleven Players' in no particular order:

1) Jander

2) Downes

3) Azaz

4) Larin

5) Scienza

6) Schotterbeck

7) Peretz

8 ) Manning

9) Bree

So presumably besides all those players listed above you consider at least two (possibly more) of Matsuki, Fellows, Bragg, Stephens and Wood to be undeniably superior to JWP as well?

I would remind you that JWP has 11 England caps, and was sold a little over 3 years ago aged 28 for £30m. He has played more than 420 PL games, scoring 57 goals (a goal every 7.3 appearances)

 

He also is the second highest fee kick scorer (17) in Premier League history only one kick behind David Beckham, partly because they wouldn't count the goal he scored direct from a corner. Incidentally no one else is close to Beckham and JWP. Pep Guardiola (2020): "Ward-Prowse is the best free-kick taker I have seen in my life" (Messi scored 11 free kicks while playing for Pep at Barcelona 2008-2012)

in 2021, he became the first Premier League player to play every single minute of two consecutive Premier League seasons, and is still known for excellent fitness and stamina. He is now aged 31.

I completely take on board Ducky's Souness discussion. JWP is far from a complete player. But I really struggle to see the logic in your argument, particularly when mysteriously all the players around him have had an upturn in their effectiveness since he joined the team: Downes, Bragg, Wood, Fellows

We bought him for £800k FFS!

Getting the boring stock replies ready:

"Yeah, but he's a skate cunt"

"He plays crab football"

"He's past it"

Zzzzzzzzz. Good post – JWP easily in our top eleven players

[Lord Duckhunter]

2 hours ago, Patches O Houlihan said:

So presumably besides all those players listed above you consider at least two (possibly more) of Matsuki, Fellows, Bragg, Stephens and Wood to be undeniably superior to JWP as well?

I notice you haven’t listed Ramsdale. 

[Lord Duckhunter]

30 minutes ago, 23rdSaint said:

JWP easily in our top eleven players

Totally irrelevant, he’s not in our top 2 central midfielders when everyone is fit. 

Edited Wednesday at 16:34 by Lord Duckhunter

[23rdSaint]

21 minutes ago, Lord Duckhunter said:

Totally irrelevant, he’s not in our top 2 central midfielders when everyone is fit. 

It was the original point, so not irrelevant. But you raise an otherwise valid point – is he in our top 2 CMs? Was Charles in our top 2 last season? I think most would say it depended on the scenario. And I think it's the same with JWP.

I like Downes and Jander together – they were great at the back end of last season. I think Downes plays deeper when he's next to Jander, whereas next to JWP, he plays further forward. And others on here have said JWP makes those around him better, which certainly appears to be the case.
 

Does that make him top 2? I'd personally rather Downes and Jander if I had to choose from a fully fit squad and with our current formation, but I'm certainly not going to complain if JWP is in the starting XI at one of the others' expense. 

[Willo of Whiteley]

You don’t change a winning team. Simple as that.

[Stripey McStripe Shirt]

32 minutes ago, Willo of Whiteley said:

You don’t change a winning team. Simple as that.

What if they need to play in their away kit after a home win?

[Disco Stu]

5 hours ago, Patches O Houlihan said:

Candidates for 'Best Eleven Players' in no particular order:

1) Jander

2) Downes

3) Azaz

4) Larin

5) Scienza

6) Schotterbeck

7) Peretz

8 ) Manning

9) Bree

So presumably besides all those players listed above you consider at least two (possibly more) of Matsuki, Fellows, Bragg, Stephens and Wood to be undeniably superior to JWP as well?

I would remind you that JWP has 11 England caps, and was sold a little over 3 years ago aged 28 for £30m. He has played more than 420 PL games, scoring 57 goals (a goal every 7.3 appearances)

 

He also is the second highest fee kick scorer (17) in Premier League history only one kick behind David Beckham, partly because they wouldn't count the goal he scored direct from a corner. Incidentally no one else is close to Beckham and JWP. Pep Guardiola (2020): "Ward-Prowse is the best free-kick taker I have seen in my life" (Messi scored 11 free kicks while playing for Pep at Barcelona 2008-2012)

in 2021, he became the first Premier League player to play every single minute of two consecutive Premier League seasons, and is still known for excellent fitness and stamina. He is now aged 31.

I completely take on board Ducky's Souness discussion. JWP is far from a complete player. But I really struggle to see the logic in your argument, particularly when mysteriously all the players around him have had an upturn in their effectiveness since he joined the team: Downes, Bragg, Wood, Fellows

We bought him for £800k FFS!

I'm not sure Manning and Bree are undeniably superior to JWP either tbh.

[West end Saints]

On 09/09/2026 at 17:34, Lord Duckhunter said:

Totally irrelevant, he’s not in our top 2 central midfielders when everyone is fit. 

If Jander is in form he is very good, but he had several games last season when his form dropped to a level that JWP would rarely drop to.

Jander is not as physically fit and consistent as JWP.

It's good to have both.

JWP was good against Swansea, better than I thought so soon after arriving and with so little first team football.

FD/JWP potentially the best CM pair in this league

[trousers]

12 minutes ago, West end Saints said:

If Jander is in form he is very good, but he had several games last season when his form dropped to a level that JWP would rarely drop to.

Jander is not as physically fit and consistent as JWP.

It's good to have both.

JWP was good against Swansea, better than I thought so soon after arriving and with so little first team football.

FD/JWP potentially the best CM pair in this league

I have been wondering of late that, in his absence, Jander seems to have been elevated to almost deity levels... Yes, he's obviously got something about him, and had some cracking performances last season but, as you say, he's also prone to being inconsistent, which is unsurprising given his age.

So I'm inclined to agree that Downes / JWP is probably our best pairing as things stand 👍🏻

Edited 18 hours ago by trousers

[Cuddles]

One thing Jander was superb at towards the end of last season was nicking the ball off opposing players and quickly bringing it forward. I do think we miss that a bit, so will be great to have different options soon.

[SWLondon Saint]

Tbh Jander plays better when he has license to go and be aggressive trying to win the ball, like we've seen Downes doing the last few games. If we have to play teams that dominate the midfield, I could see us playing with JWP behind Downes and Jander, like we set up against Coventry away last season with those 2 and Bragg.

[Saint Pete]

On 09/09/2026 at 17:34, Lord Duckhunter said:

Totally irrelevant, he’s not in our top 2 central midfielders when everyone is fit. 

That's your opinion, not fact. Downes is a fine midfielder at this level and he's back to his very best form now. But when he had the opportunity to play in the Premier League he was found wanting and had a poor season for us and also never made it there with West Ham. Jander is a promising player no doubt and is one of the few players in our current team who have the potential to one day make it at the higher level, but at the moment, potential is all it is. He is far from the finished product and as a reminder currently has the grand sum of 2 goals and 1 assist for us at Championship level. 

JWP, whether you like it and choose to acknowledge it or not, has proven himself to be a Premier League player, you don't get to play over 400 times at that level and score 57 times if you are not that. Granted it's debatable whether he could still do a job at that level now (so he's in the same boat as the other 2 there), but at 31, he can absolutely still do a great job at Championship level for us and I'm sure he will. 

I suspect Tonda will interchange the 3 of them once they are all fit throughout the season with Bragg there as another alternative when needed. But if we are posing the question of who will be in the top 2 for the biggest of games once they are all available, settled and fit, I would absolutely back JWP to be one of them based on the respective records and what I have seen of all 4.

 

Edited 2 hours ago by Saint Pete

[HKsaint]

When Jander is fit, JWP can move up to replace Fellow. Surely, JWP is better in crossing and shooting, though he need to be more aggressive.

[BARCELONASAINT]

Resigning JWP for the fee it cost them is the most astute bit of business SFC have done for a very long time. At this level he is head and shoulders above virtually any other midfielder in this division and we are extremely lucky to have him back. His experience to this side is invaluable and already his partnership with FD is looking like it should be the starting midfield every game. Was gutted when he left but he deserved the move and Saints did well with the fee and now they have ripped Wet Spam a new one again!

[Miltonaggro]

Watched Prowse closely against Swansea and he was the calm head and metronome of the side.  Several times the younger players (and Downes!) looked to him for a nod on positioning, so we gained a second skipper on the park. Last game I saw him play for us before the transfer to West Ham was the Sheff Wed away win, first game of the season under Martin, when he looked our fittest player and a class above - looked no different to me on Tuesday. 

[JohnnyShearer2.0]

Class player and definitely good to have the team with some decent experience. Hopefully it'll help out when we're chasing games. 

Need the bench to step up, as that was where Saints were incredibly strong last season.

[Saint86]

On 09/09/2026 at 17:34, Lord Duckhunter said:

Totally irrelevant, he’s not in our top 2 central midfielders when everyone is fit. 

I mean, he absolutely is. He should be an automatic starter imo. The question is who will get dropped to let JWP start because Downes is playing very well alongside him and i think Jander will struggle to get back in to that pairing.

Its a great problem to have though - because assuming Jander gets back to his best, we then have Azaz, JWP, Downes, and Jander for the central 3 midfield spots - and thats 4 of the best CMs in the league no questions asked.

Edited 3 hours ago by Saint86

[LiberalCommunist]

On 14/08/2023 at 14:24, Dragon_man said:

He'll be back in 2 to 3 years time.

Outstanding prediction DM.

[swedish dave]

Think I read an article published.....in the Echo? with a comment from interview with JWP, who

said that he was looking to do more for the club in terms of helping / encouraging youngsters.

Certainly, there are few people better placed to do that, as his history with the club proves. 

Turning his back on his association with the club at the eastern end on the M27... he joined Saints 

at aged 8, progressed through the groups and was already getting some rave reviews at 14. 

Debuting at 17,  Saints career was almost entirely as a Prem. player. Above all others who came

through the Saints Academy, he has become the role model for every young player in the club.

 

Another thought came to mind, in that Prowsey is not the only player of those born in the 1990's

who wore the shirt and made a career in the game. Adam Lallana's sojourn at Liverpool made him 

one of the most successful players in the Klopp era, and that experience will help the our U21's who 

he is currently managing, along with another former Academy graduate, Ben Reeves.  We also saw

the return of Andrew Surman, (now U18 manager) who was a fan favourite in his time, but "forcibly 

sold" in the wake of the 2009 bankruptcy, but later played in a very good Bournemouth outfit.

So, you may ask....what was " the thought "?. Being of a generation old enough to recall the emergence

of Bill Shankly's era as Liverpool manager (early 1960's), it was not only the Beatles who had success.

When Shankly finally retired, there came a succession of men who had either played for the club, or

had worked behind the scenes and became known as .."The Liverpool Boot Room", a system that

brought glory during the following 30 years. Somewhere in my imagination, I can see those former

Saints players (named above) perhaps forming more permanent positions in the club, regardless of

who the manager might be ...at any given moment.  Having Prowsey around, and still getting game 

time, may be encouragement for those currently playing for the club, and  others who were once

proud to wear the shirt ....even for a shorter time.  One can only hope.