James Ward-Prowse

[Guest]

On 21/04/2023 at 22:28, harvey said:

Tbh I look forward to his departure, apart from his free kicks I think he's massively overrated and one of the reasons where we are where we are.

 

On 21/04/2023 at 22:38, harvey said:

I disagree, not a captain or leader on the pitch at all.

Clown 😂

[East Kent Saint]

He had a good spell with a new more aggressive approach and we enjoyed Zaha being nullified . He suffered a bit as the team went into slow decline and missed out on an England place so that was probably his last chance . Like most players he would look better in a more positive going forward team . JWP is JWP he's not some shouty , pointy , in yer face bloke .

[Toussaint]

So, what’s the story morning glory? No show for second half? Followed by unfathomable tactical change  to 3 at the back? 5 at the back? No one at the back? Headless chickens at the back ??? Elyonoussi at the back (see also headless chickens). I’ve never seen such a shamozzle. 

[OttawaSaint]

On 22/04/2023 at 03:11, Mosin said:

I hope he beats Becks record before he moves....

Doubt we'll actually score or our thick cunt players figure out that if they attack the other team they can tempt a foul in JWP territory and let him have a pop.

[Whitey Grandad]

12 minutes ago, Toussaint said:

So, what’s the story morning glory? No show for second half? Followed by unfathomable tactical change  to 3 at the back? 5 at the back? No one at the back? Headless chickens at the back ??? Elyonoussi at the back (see also headless chickens). I’ve never seen such a shamozzle. 

My neighbour’s instant reaction was that he hand Selles had had a fallout in the dressing room over the negative way that we had been playing. Hence the diplomatic illness.

AMN went into midfield to fill his place and Lyanco came on to replace AMN at right back. We lost any shape that we had in the first half.

[Weston Super Saint]

On 22/04/2023 at 11:24, Scottie said:

Consistently one of our best players over the last few seasons. Given the size of our club and our funding it’s highly unlikely we will get better regardless of what league we are in.

Not exactly a glowing endorsement.

Like saying he was the shiniest shit in the pile of turd.

[Harry_SFC]

Did he play a forward pass in the first half last night? 

[Toussaint]

14 minutes ago, Harry_SFC said:

Did he play a forward pass in the first half last night? 

Yes he did, but also he is playing under strict instructions from an extremely negative “manager”.

Ironically he was better under Jones playing further forward. He’ll do well elsewhere where they play to his strengths.
 

Can you imagine what it is like for a player of his calibre playing in our “system” with players like Elyonoussi and god knows who around him? What does he think when he sees the team sheet and tactics board or whatever they use? We only have to watch it, he has to try to make it happen.

[Stud mark of doom]

54 minutes ago, Harry_SFC said:

Did he play a forward pass in the first half last night? 

Good point. This could well have been the reason Selles subbed him. 🤣

Edited 28 April, 2023 by Stud mark of doom

[Harry_SFC]

11 minutes ago, Toussaint said:

Yes he did, but also he is playing under strict instructions from an extremely negative “manager”.

Ironically he was better under Jones playing further forward. He’ll do well elsewhere where they play to his strengths.
 

Can you imagine what it is like for a player of his calibre playing in our “system” with players like Elyonoussi and god knows who around him? What does he think when he sees the team sheet and tactics board or whatever they use? We only have to watch it, he has to try to make it happen.

Lavia doesn't seem to have a problem playing forward passes. JWP is a "safe" player. 

In my opinion Romeu and Lavia have held our midfield together over the last few years. JWP is decent but that's all IMO. It'll be a shame when he goes but I certainly won't be losing any sleep over it. 

[Toussaint]

11 minutes ago, Stud mark of doom said:

Good point. This could well have been the reason Selles subbed him. 

More likely he was subbed because JWP gave him a blast at half time for hist total and utter incompetence in blindly steering us to the championship,

[Toussaint]

2 minutes ago, Harry_SFC said:

Lavia doesn't seem to have a problem playing forward passes. JWP is a *"safe" player. 

In my opinion **Romeu and Lavia have held our midfield together over the last few years. JWP is decent but that's all IMO. It'll be a shame when he goes but I certainly won't be losing any sleep over it. 

*I think that is the role JWP has been given. When JWP played for England and there were eager runners everywhere he didn't have a problem playing forward.

**Lavia has only been here one season (his one and only)

[Nemi]

13 minutes ago, Toussaint said:

Yes he did, but also he is playing under strict instructions from an extremely negative “manager”.

Ironically he was better under Jones playing further forward. He’ll do well elsewhere where they play to his strengths.
 

Can you imagine what it is like for a player of his calibre playing in our “system” with players like Elyonoussi and god knows who around him? What does he think when he sees the team sheet and tactics board or whatever they use? We only have to watch it, he has to try to make it happen.

Sorry, I know the other players are terrible too, but JWP has been a big problem for years. He’s not capable of playing under pressure, he can’t play with one touch, everything is risk adverse. He only makes himself available for the ball when he knows he won’t get closed down. 
 

It’s no coincidence that for the past 5 years with him as a regular almost every win is a struggle by the end or so many points have been dropped: he can’t dictate the play. 
 

We need a midfielder who can grab the game by the scruff of the neck and take it under control: not someone who has to drop into the backline constantly to give himself more time, not someone who just boots it anywhere when put under pressure.

[east-stand-nic]

JWP is very divisive, but I genuinely believe we would be better off without him for many reasons.

[Toussaint]

1 minute ago, Nemi said:

Sorry, I know the other players are terrible too, but JWP has been a big problem for years. He’s not capable of playing under pressure, he can’t play with one touch, everything is risk adverse. He only makes himself available for the ball when he knows he won’t get closed down. 
 

It’s no coincidence that for the past 5 years with him as a regular almost every win is a struggle by the end or so many points have been dropped: he can’t dictate the play. 
 

We need a midfielder who can grab the game by the scruff of the neck and take it under control: not someone who has to drop into the backline constantly to give himself more time, not someone who just boots it anywhere when put under pressure.

I accept he has his limitations, he isn't KDB, but we are shitty Saints, not Man City. I just find it strange that of all the limited players we have, and the ones that don't give a crap, and amongst all the other failings of our club,  that he gets singled out for criticism, extremely harsh in my view.

[Nemi]

9 minutes ago, Toussaint said:

I accept he has his limitations, he isn't KDB, but we are shitty Saints, not Man City. I just find it strange that of all the limited players we have, and the ones that don't give a crap, and amongst all the other failings of our club,  that he gets singled out for criticism, extremely harsh in my view.

My biggest frustration is that we’ve had various opportunities to cash in on him and rebuild for some pretty generous money but refused to do it basically just to generate some positive PR. (Although I accept this would also require competent owners, which is where the blame truly lies)
 

There’s plenty of midfielders out there who can move the ball with one touch (even Bournemouth were knocking it about with one touch with ease, Championships and League One teams were doing it against us - when do Saints ever do that) and unless we address this (along with many other things) we’ll continue to struggle no matter what league we’re in.

And honestly if JWP accepted being a right-back (where he’s always played exceptional) it would be a lot better. He’d get the time on the ball he needs, he wouldn’t have to play with his back to goal as much, he could whip in crosses. But we can’t have him at DM if we’re serious about rebuilding

 

[100%Red&White]

39 minutes ago, Toussaint said:

Yes he did, but also he is playing under strict instructions from an extremely negative “manager”.

Ironically he was better under Jones playing further forward. He’ll do well elsewhere where they play to his strengths.

Agree with this, far more effective further forward. I also don't think half of these players are entirely useless but, as you say, just playing to instruction. Get too adventurous and you're likely dropped. They're obviously prohibited from speaking out against tactics, so must be frustrating and easy to lose heart in playing in such a stifled side. Having said that, they should also remind themselves they have a lifestyle and getting paid salaries most fans can only fantasise about. Yep, for playing football.

[Toussaint]

6 minutes ago, 100%Red&White said:

Agree with this, far more effective further forward. I also don't think half of these players are entirely useless but, as you say, just playing to instruction. Get too adventurous and you're likely dropped. They're obviously prohibited from speaking out against tactics, so must be frustrating and easy to lose heart in playing in such a stifled side. Having said that, they should also remind themselves they have a lifestyle and getting paid salaries most fans can only fantasise about. Yep, for playing football.

Funnily I said to my daughter last night  that the absolutely useless Adam Armstrong would never have to work again, even if he stopped playing tomorrow, just for having spent a couple of years in the PL.

[Wade Garrett]

Would love to know what was said at half-time last night.  I’m not buying this illness reason.

[Pilchards]

3 minutes ago, Wade Garrett said:

Would love to know what was said at half-time last night.  I’m not buying this illness reason.

I would love it if it went like this.

JWP ‘Fuck sake we need to win this game not pounce it around the back line.’

Selles ‘Hey we’ve not conceded yet so it’s very much another point James.’

JWP ‘But we are bottom and cut adrift from the rest, we need to win this by pumping more balls into their box.’

Selles ‘We are bottom? I had no idea as I don’t look at the league table.’

JWP ‘You fucking useless piece of shit, I’m done with this bolloxs.’

[SotonianWill]

he got called a pedo by bournemouth fans and couldn’t take it had to get out. 

[Hodgey]

I don’t buy the illness line either - I mean he doesn’t risk a clearly fit striker. Also that note incident didn’t even go to him.

As for those looking fwd to him leaving - be careful what you wish for - he performs a very decisive roll which is under appreciated, which you’ll see next year.

[Pamplemousse]

There are 19 other teams without him who are better than us. We'll cope fine without him. Actually, it might be better, same with Tottenham who are overly reliant on Kane. We should never be so reliant on one person to dig us out of a hole.

[SotonianWill]

3 minutes ago, Hodgey said:

Also that note inciden

what’s the note incident?

[OldNick]

2 minutes ago, Hodgey said:

I don’t buy the illness line either - I mean he doesn’t risk a clearly fit striker. Also that note incident didn’t even go to him.

As for those looking fwd to him leaving - be careful what you wish for - he performs a very decisive roll which is under appreciated, which you’ll see next year.

Finding someone who runs a lot and sideways and backwards will be hard to replace. He is a good player and his free kicks are superb, it may not be his falut that he is playing a deep position. Only at our clu do we find a perfect spot in the team for him, he scores and creates havoc for us to win, and then we put him back deep. 

[DT]

He's such a powder-puff, chicken, lily-livered, sideways crab of a player, but one who can hit a dead ball very well. I think choosing him as captain has filtered all those attributes throughout the side, so we have no back-bone, and very little progressive, attacking threat. Personally think he'll go to Spurs to be with his fwend Fraser and come off the bench occasionally to take free kicks. We will need someone with a bit more gravitas and heft as a captain as we try and get better than mid-table in the Championship, and not someone whose best performances are when someone like Romeu can make up for JWP's inadequacies. I hate the way he has given up over the last months, and offered little or no rallying cry to pep up the losers around him. Hope we get good cash for him and someone buys his hype.

[Dman]

Hopefully someone asked the thick cunt why he kept taking a short corner. 

[lambtiss]

13 minutes ago, Hodgey said:

I don’t buy the illness line either - I mean he doesn’t risk a clearly fit striker. Also that note incident didn’t even go to him.

As for those looking fwd to him leaving - be careful what you wish for - he performs a very decisive roll which is under appreciated, which you’ll see next year.

Possibly. This was certainly the case with Matthew Oakley back in the day.

[Lee On Solent Saint]

16 minutes ago, DT said:

He's such a powder-puff, chicken, lily-livered, sideways crab of a player, but one who can hit a dead ball very well. I think choosing him as captain has filtered all those attributes throughout the side, so we have no back-bone, and very little progressive, attacking threat. Personally think he'll go to Spurs to be with his fwend Fraser and come off the bench occasionally to take free kicks. We will need someone with a bit more gravitas and heft as a captain as we try and get better than mid-table in the Championship, and not someone whose best performances are when someone like Romeu can make up for JWP's inadequacies. I hate the way he has given up over the last months, and offered little or no rallying cry to pep up the losers around him. Hope we get good cash for him and someone buys his hype.

He isn't going to a top six side. No chance. 

[Victor]

28 minutes ago, SotonianWill said:

he got called a pedo by bournemouth fans and couldn’t take it had to get out. 

A positive, if illiterate, suggestion.

[Victor]

10 hours ago, OttawaSaint said:

Doubt we'll actually score or our thick cunt players figure out that if they attack the other team they can tempt a foul in JWP territory and let him have a pop.

You have called them 'useless thick cunts' all season.  OK, we get it. Most of us are of a similar opinion but you became tiresome a while back.

Until you you can express a more intelligent and reasoned opinion please keep your foul mouth shut.

[SotonianWill]

37 minutes ago, Dman said:

Hopefully someone asked the thick cunt why he kept taking a short corner. 

excellent tactic. they always concede from corners so we take it short.

[SotonianWill]

31 minutes ago, Victor said:

if illiterate

I am running on no sleep sadly. Should’ve stayed at home last night. 

[Sergei Gotsmanov]

1 hour ago, DT said:

He's such a powder-puff, chicken, lily-livered, sideways crab of a player, but one who can hit a dead ball very well. I think choosing him as captain has filtered all those attributes throughout the side, so we have no back-bone, and very little progressive, attacking threat. Personally think he'll go to Spurs to be with his fwend Fraser and come off the bench occasionally to take free kicks. We will need someone with a bit more gravitas and heft as a captain as we try and get better than mid-table in the Championship, and not someone whose best performances are when someone like Romeu can make up for JWP's inadequacies. I hate the way he has given up over the last months, and offered little or no rallying cry to pep up the losers around him. Hope we get good cash for him and someone buys his hype.

It is players like JWP that make me want to support the club and fans like you that make me want to stop following the club. 

[Guest]

If JWP left he’ll either bench warm a top six side or play regularly for a Villa or West Ham type side.

The Athletic isn’t a realisable source as such, more a rehash of a story that states the bleedin’ obvious. 

Last nights defeat isn’t on him.

Kind of feel for the shit he’s had to play with and endure for sometime.

I don’t see him as a captain, more a poster boy.

I’m not going to buy into the rumour that JWP and RS had a halftime bust up either. 🤣

[Whitey Grandad]

1 hour ago, Dman said:

Hopefully someone asked the thick cunt why he kept taking a short corner. 

Because he was instructed to to so? Maybe that was part of the story.

[OttawaSaint]

1 hour ago, Victor said:

You have called them 'useless thick cunts' all season.  OK, we get it. Most of us are of a similar opinion but you became tiresome a while back.

Until you you can express a more intelligent and reasoned opinion please keep your foul mouth shut.

And yet here you are now boring me. 

Get stuffed!

[S-Clarke]

No denying that he's part of our decline over the last few years, but he's one of our better options - although certain aspects of his make up do highlight our problems in my opinion (the crab like football, the lack of leadership on the pitch, not brave enough on the ball).

[Osvaldorama]

People on here are idiots. 
 

Of all the issues with the club, of which there are hundreds, you pick on the one player that actually cares and makes a huge difference? 
 

Mental. He has carried this club for years. Some of you should be ashamed. 
 

Even Pirlo in his prime would look awful if he had to play with Ely, Adam Armstrong etc. 

[Nemi]

54 minutes ago, Osvaldorama said:

People on here are idiots. 
 

Of all the issues with the club, of which there are hundreds, you pick on the one player that actually cares and makes a huge difference? 
 

Mental. He has carried this club for years. Some of you should be ashamed. 
 

Even Pirlo in his prime would look awful if he had to play with Ely, Adam Armstrong etc. 

Sorry, when people praise him they always use general terms like he makes a difference but can never say how?

He gets picked out because he has all the attributes of an excellent player, yet he he constantly plays within a comfort zone that hurts us. And his overly safe football sets the tone and is a big problem for a team who just knock it about sideways for the last 10 mins while chasing a goal.

 No one is saying he’s a completely useless football, he’s ok. But he’s nowhere near this game changer people make him out to be and his style of play is turgid, slow and boring. Yes, he great at free-kicks, he’ll (very occasionally) grab a goal in open play, but he slows down our general play and that cancels out what he brings us in set-pieces.

Even Bournemouth has a midfield that moves the ball forward quickly, we need someone in midfield who can do that and Ward-Prowse just can’t. Maybe play him in a different role but we’ll need a better DM next year when Lavia leaves. 

[East Kent Saint]

We don’t know if he is just following orders , if he did want to move the ball forward quickly there is often no one available . The front players have long since given up making runs or even being in the final third . I think most players would give up , see Man U before Ten Hag and even after he started.

[Victor]

22 hours ago, OttawaSaint said:

And yet here you are now boring me. 

Get stuffed!

Almost the intelligent and reasoned response, although a little more 'school-boyish' than the foul-mouthed one, that I was expecting.

[Sussex_saint]

I'm quite surprised at the negativity JWP gets on this forum - he was great against Arsenal, and has scored some big goals this year. Although I doubt we will keep him, I think it's fair to say he has enjoyed a fantastic career at this club and I for one will wish him well whatever he ends up next year. 

[Convict Colony]

2 hours ago, Sussex_saint said:

I'm quite surprised at the negativity JWP gets on this forum - he was great against Arsenal, and has scored some big goals this year. Although I doubt we will keep him, I think it's fair to say he has enjoyed a fantastic career at this club and I for one will wish him well whatever he ends up next year. 

My take is this.

We give and have given JWP stick here cos he is our main hope of winning games and when we don't we all complain our centre mid captain hasn't won it for us cos he's had a normal game.

Form goes up and down for the best players but if you look at our forwards and our non attacking forwards they are permanently shit so JWP is the Messiah which is unfair, but hey fuck it I bet he's the most pissed off of all of us with this shit.

He's had a couple of feel good seasons when our team was good but since then we've been average to crap and he's been pulling us out of the shit every season while most of the team around him under performs.

[derry]

JWP would be a better, more effective midfielder if he was told to cut out the routine sideway and backwards with the centrebacks and play the ball out to wingers or even forward. He annoys me intensely when he plays passes either behind or straight to a player rather than in front of them to run onto. He would be more effective if he just took the direct free kick opportunities and passed over most corners and non direct free kicks to other players instead of just inswingers from the left and outswingers from the right.

JWP suffers from players like Elyounoussi and Adam Armstrong offering nothing. Adams is poor positionally and moves around but rarely makes diagonal runs. Using wingers would help us to be better attackers and easier for JWP to play more positively resulting in feeding wingers who in turn can play in whoever we play as strikers with crosses from wide into the penalty area. The lad is talented but is not an obvious leader. Captains should be seen to be leaders not the old cliche, leads by example.

[Osvaldorama]

On 28/04/2023 at 14:29, Nemi said:

Sorry, when people praise him they always use general terms like he makes a difference but can never say how?

He gets picked out because he has all the attributes of an excellent player, yet he he constantly plays within a comfort zone that hurts us. And his overly safe football sets the tone and is a big problem for a team who just knock it about sideways for the last 10 mins while chasing a goal.

 No one is saying he’s a completely useless football, he’s ok. But he’s nowhere near this game changer people make him out to be and his style of play is turgid, slow and boring. Yes, he great at free-kicks, he’ll (very occasionally) grab a goal in open play, but he slows down our general play and that cancels out what he brings us in set-pieces.

Even Bournemouth has a midfield that moves the ball forward quickly, we need someone in midfield who can do that and Ward-Prowse just can’t. Maybe play him in a different role but we’ll need a better DM next year when Lavia leaves. 

Mate he’s been played as a defensive midfielder, being asked to do a very simple job of breaking up play and recycling the ball which he does very well. 
 

Despite the fact he plays so far back he is still number 2 for goals, number 1 for assists, chances created, distance covered, tackles etc etc

He is surrounded by absolute dross. People don’t understand football if they are singling him out.

Every time he passes the ball to anyone except Lavia they give it away and it comes straight back at him. He deserves to play in a much better side than us, and I wish him well. I am really interested to see where he ends up and how he gets on. 

[gordonToo]

Too robotic and slow at this level to be truly effective. Southgate picked up on this early on which is why he's only been a fringe player for the national team.

[washsaint]

Good god, how did we ever get to this?  Those slating JWP are insane: this guy has been a primary reason we have not been relegated until this season.  He has to carry the whole team.

Lets see what you haters think when he is gone next season, looking good for his new team surrounded by better players and we have not replaced him effectively.

Unbelievable.

 

[The Cat]

4 hours ago, Sussex_saint said:

I'm quite surprised at the negativity JWP gets on this forum - he was great against Arsenal, and has scored some big goals this year. Although I doubt we will keep him, I think it's fair to say he has enjoyed a fantastic career at this club and I for one will wish him well whatever he ends up next year. 

You have to consider that a reasonable number of the population are thick as shit. Some of them like football, and some of them support Saints.

He's a decent player who has consistently performed well each season throughout his career at Saints and been a mainstay of the team since we returned to the Premier League. Unfortunately he has inevitably been dragged down by the clusterfuck of incompetence around him this season.

It will be a bit weird next season watching us play without him. 

[Wade Garrett]

JWP under a more forward thinking manager would be a massive improvement than the role he currently plays.

Watch him be more of an influence with his new club next season