James Ward Prowse | this isn’t a performance thread | signed for WH

[PoTMS]

He would cost more than De Jong. For £30m, maybe. For the price he's being touted at, he's not worth it at all.

 

[NoPace]

Couldn't disagree more. And Spence would walk into our team too, I watched him live half a dozen times last season and he's got everything needed to be a top wingback, the only question marks are around his attitude.

Akso, saying that a player would suit two teams that are way ahead of us surely says enough about his qualities? He's obviously not at De Jong's level, but he's a better back up option than Tielemans imo.

I've seen Spence like twice on TV so I really don't have a strong take on that one at all. And Conte has certainly improved wingbacks.

Ward-Prowse took a long time to get good, Southampton concede a ton of goals with him dead center of the team and when I watch him, I don't see a player with the agility, two-footedness or first touch to be great in the center. I think on a big team he's gotta play a bit wider and his delivery and running and attitude make him useful. Which isn't what we or most big teams need. Also the cost would be massive. His set pieces are special, but I don't think he's got the talent apart from that to be a clear first team player for us.

 

[youngrell]

All I ever remember of him when he plays against us is beautiful set pieces and hacking our midfielders down. He’s a very run of the mill PL player and not worth anything like the figures quoted.

 

[honirelandboy]

How the standards have dropped. He's a top eight player and nothing more. United have enough average players on the wage book. Don't need any more average players.

 

[Zoo]

He'd walk into our midfield. We are in no position to turn our nose up at this sort of player, especially when the top midfielders don't want to join us right now. We can't just persist with the McFred midfield until we get the players we ideally want, they need replacing ASAP.

Many players would walk into our midfield. A 27 year old valued at £70m who is nothing special outside of dead ball deliveries is not something worth discussing however.

 

[Wing Attack Plan R]

He would cost more than De Jong. For £30m, maybe. For the price he's being touted at, he's not worth it at all.

We need to strengthen midfield but agree he's being way overpriced.
Changed my mind .

 

[worldinmotion66]

I've only seen Spence a limited amount of times and i am really impressed as well (and wouldn't mind us taking a Malacia type punt on him) but to say a championship player would walk into our first team is a little....premature, isn't it? The step-up or level between the 2 leagues is high, though Spence really does seem to have all the ingredients to make it.

He's both physically and technically excellent, but obviously he still has much to learn tactically and positionally. There's a reason he's going to a Champions League club though, and not to Forest. He was the best player on the pitch in every live game I saw, apart from the play off final. He's more than ready for the Premier League.

I've seen Spence like twice on TV so I really don't have a strong take on that one at all. And Conte has certainly improved wingbacks.

Ward-Prowse took a long time to get good, Southampton concede a ton of goals with him dead center of the team and when I watch him, I don't see a player with the agility, two-footedness or first touch to be great in the center. I think on a big team he's gotta play a bit wider and his delivery and running and attitude make him useful. Which isn't what we or most big teams need. Also the cost would be massive. His set pieces are special, but I don't think he's got the talent apart from that to be a clear first team player for us.

He's been playing in a midfield two, so it's maybe a little unfair to suggest that he's responsible for the amount that Southampton concede. But he works hard, has a great attitude and is technically sound. I'll agree that I don't think he's top level and I certainly wouldn't go near him at the prices quoted, but we could do a lot worse than Ward Prowse. We don't have anyone that can pass as progressively in our squad right now, and that's been a huge issue.

 

[WirralRed]

It’s always the way with players who have a very good stand out trait that they get overhyped, plus the fact he is English. His free-kicks are amazing as are his corners, but on the ball every thing else is very forgettable. If it wasn’t for him scoring free-kicks regularly he wouldn’t be talked about.

 

[croadyman]

It’s always the way with players who have a very good stand out trait that they get overhyped, plus the fact he is English. His free-kicks are amazing as are his corners, but on the ball every thing else is very forgettable. If it wasn’t for him scoring free-kicks regularly he wouldn’t be talked about.

Yeah his set pieces can't even get him into a tournament squad for England

 

[DWelbz19]

Even if he was good enough for us, most of his best traits are covered by new signing Eriksen anyway.

 

[croadyman]

Even if he was good enough for us, most of his best traits are covered by new signing Eriksen anyway.

Yeah Eriksen got the delivery and won't cost a transfer fee either, well when it finally gets announced of course

 

[WirralRed]

Even if he was good enough for us, most of his best traits are covered by new signing Eriksen anyway.

Excellent point, kind of forgot how good Eriksen was at set pieces. I’m really looking forward to seeing him play for us, think it’s a bit of an underrated signing because of people righting him off after his health issue.

 

[NoPace]

He's both physically and technically excellent, but obviously he still has much to learn tactically and positionally. There's a reason he's going to a Champions League club though, and not to Forest. He was the best player on the pitch in every live game I saw, apart from the play off final. He's more than ready for the Premier League.

He's been playing in a midfield two, so it's maybe a little unfair to suggest that he's responsible for the amount that Southampton concede. But he works hard, has a great attitude and is technically sound. I'll agree that I don't think he's top level and I certainly wouldn't go near him at the prices quoted, but we could do a lot worse than Ward Prowse. We don't have anyone that can pass as progressively in our squad right now, and that's been a huge issue.

Disagree on him being technically sound. Brilliant striker of the ball but most of the technical stuff a midfielder needs to do he's not up to really.

 

[izak]

Seriously is this the best we can do for s De Jong alternative?

 

[worldinmotion66]

Disagree on him being technically sound. Brilliant striker of the ball but most of the technical stuff a midfielder needs to do he's not up to really.

I guess we'll have to agree to disagree on that one. I appreciate his touch and passing range, though he doesn't have the agility and speed to dribble. Fingers crossed it's all insignificant and we get De Jong over the line!

 

[SirReginald]

Let’s be real, the only reason he is in the England squad is because our midfield is terrible. He is t anywhere near the ability of the “golden” generation. Lampard, Gerrard, Scholes, Carrick, Hargreaves and even Barry. What we have right now is Phillips who himself is bang average and Rice and nothing else.

He isn’t a bad player but he isn’t a great one either and given that goals from corners (3% total) and free kicks (1 in 17) it’s not worth signing him.

 

[Ish]

He's both physically and technically excellent, but obviously he still has much to learn tactically and positionally. There's a reason he's going to a Champions League club though, and not to Forest. He was the best player on the pitch in every live game I saw, apart from the play off final. He's more than ready for the Premier League.

He's been playing in a midfield two, so it's maybe a little unfair to suggest that he's responsible for the amount that Southampton concede. But he works hard, has a great attitude and is technically sound. I'll agree that I don't think he's top level and I certainly wouldn't go near him at the prices quoted, but we could do a lot worse than Ward Prowse. We don't have anyone that can pass as progressively in our squad right now, and that's been a huge issue.

Yeah no doubt he’s got the potential but he’s yet to prove it at the highest levels. That was my point.

 

[worldinmotion66]

Yeah no doubt he’s got the potential but he’s yet to prove it at the highest levels. That was my point.

It's a fair point, but neither have any of our options at right back.

 

[NoPace]

Let’s be real, the only reason he is in the England squad is because our midfield is terrible. He is t anywhere near the ability of the “golden” generation. Lampard, Gerrard, Scholes, Carrick, Hargreaves and even Barry. What we have right now is Phillips who himself is bang average and Rice and nothing else.

He isn’t a bad player but he isn’t a great one either and given that goals from corners (3% total) and free kicks (1 in 17) it’s not worth signing him.

England finally have wingers but still lack quality deeper in midfield. Be interesting to see them higher a Red Bull type manager since you can then get by without someone controlling games in midfield in a 4-2-2-2.

 

[Ish]

It's a fair point, but neither have any of our options at right back.

Agreed. All this being said, I’d have loved it if we had signed him

 

[UnitedSofa]

So now Soton relegated, where does he go? Would you take him at United?

 

[UnrelatedPsuedo]

So now Soton relegated, where does he go? Would you take him at United?

Championship player with Champions League dead ball ability.

 

[Reditus]

So now Soton relegated, where does he go? Would you take him at United?

It would be interesting to see how he would adapt to a bigger side. No idea

i reckon with the way Eriksen has played in the 2nd half of the season JWP would be an improvement and offer similar qualities

 

[cyberman]

It would be interesting to see how he would adapt to a bigger side. No idea

i reckon with the way Eriksen has played in the 2nd half of the season JWP would be an improvement and offer similar qualities

Eriksen has barely played in the second half of the season?!

 

[Nou_Camp99]

He's a decent PL player and somebody will snap him up. He's not good enough for where we want to go though.

I'd prefer Lavia. Different sort of midfielder but he's got massive potential and youth on his side.

 

[ti vu]

It would be interesting to see how he would adapt to a bigger side. No idea

i reckon with the way Eriksen has played in the 2nd half of the season JWP would be an improvement and offer similar qualities

Eriksen should be relegated to back up role. Sure. That means we need better starter. JWP is no starter material at the level we expect to get. Before spending money on squad option, we have to spend our limited budget wisely first on singing for starting position.

 

[Remember the geese]

Might make a decent right back

 

[NoPace]

He's a decent PL player and somebody will snap him up. He's not good enough for where we want to go though.

I'd prefer Lavia. Different sort of midfielder but he's got massive potential and youth on his side.

Yeah, I could see Ward-Prowse doing well for one of the Spanish sides (Wolves or Villa) since their managers like to play lop-sided 4-4-2 type things and then you get JWP in crossing positions and helping out in midfield but not actually forced to do the basic midfielder things he struggles at and guys like Kamara, Luiz, Lemina and whoever replaces Neves can do.

 

[SadlerMUFC]

His set piece ability is so good it's made the rest of him under rated (sounds a lot like a certain player who used to play for us). Personally, I'd take him at United in a heart beat. Would he crack the starting 11? Not sure. Definitely be a good option. The way I see it, he's played in a midfield 2 at Southampton for quite a long time and has been their best player in that 4-4-2. That speaks volume for me. How good could he be in a 3 man midfield and with actual quality players around him?

 

[SadlerMUFC]

It would be interesting to see how he would adapt to a bigger side. No idea

i reckon with the way Eriksen has played in the 2nd half of the season JWP would be an improvement and offer similar qualities

JWP can do the defensive side of the game that Erikson doesn't offer

 

[SadlerMUFC]

Might make a decent right back

I thought that at one point too. Not sure about converting a player from midfield to RB at this stage of their career though. Would be interesting to see though...

 

[skc_18]

Surely signing him and Rabiot will give our midfield a boost without spending a fortune.

 

[Eddy_JukeZ]

He's nowhere near good enough.

 

[berbasloth4]

Be good to have as squad player which we lack that’s about it. Unfortunately football isn’t like gridiron were we can bring on kicker just for free kicks

 

[croadyman]

Be good to have as squad player which we lack that’s about it. Unfortunately football isn’t like gridiron were we can bring on kicker just for free kicks

Yeah that's my concern

 

[berbasloth4]

Yeah that's my concern

bruno probably still not give a free kick up anyway

 

[ManRed]

If we have budget issues then he is a good backup to Eriksen. We also need a ST (maybe 2), DCM (backup), CB and GK (not happening)

 

[Fabio Rochemback]

Hard pass, he is completely unremarkable in open play.

 

[Remember the geese]

I thought that at one point too. Not sure about converting a player from midfield to RB at this stage of their career though. Would be interesting to see though...

Yeah agree on the positional change at this stage of his career. Though you would think that he could fit the trend of right backs who can come inside and step into midfield. Would be interested to see what Pep could do with him there.

 

[Red Royal]

Take away his set piece and this would not even be a discussion. We need to aim higher.