JWP & his annual time to "kick on"

[John Boy Saint]

2 hours ago, Saint_clark said:

The last thing he has left to add to his game after which I think he will reach his peak is the courage to start playing some killer balls through/over the defence. Of course, we need strikers and AMs who will make the bursting runs beyond the defenders for him to be able to do that as well. 

I think it’s in there already, we just don’t have the calibre of player around him to provide the opportunity to show it. You see glimpses of it when he plays for England with better players (although that’s debatable after this last week) but then he never gets a chance to build up a head of steam to show it because he never gets a run of games. In that position he is a far better player than Phillips.

[Saint_clark]

46 minutes ago, Lee On Solent Saint said:

Do you think he has the ability to do that?

100%. Look at his assists away at Spurs last season, he definitely has the ability to play a ball 30-40 yards and have it land exactly where he wants it to. 

[Nemi]

On 18/06/2022 at 10:46, Saint_clark said:

100%. Look at his assists away at Spurs last season, he definitely has the ability to play a ball 30-40 yards and have it land exactly where he wants it to. 

For me he is outstanding at putting a ball into a dangerous area but I feel like most of his assists are this - balls which are a nightmare to defend but not necessarily aimed at a specific player.

I do feel like his weakest area is the more mental areas on the ball (in the sense that he sticks with the things he feels comfortable doing) and maybe why this is why he isn’t as good as spotting passes compared to others

[Paulwantsapint81]

29 minutes ago, Nemi said:

For me he is outstanding at putting a ball into a dangerous area but I feel like most of his assists are this - balls which are a nightmare to defend but not necessarily aimed at a specific player.

I do feel like his weakest area is the more mental areas on the ball (in the sense that he sticks with the things he feels comfortable doing) and maybe why this is why he isn’t as good as spotting passes compared to others

Hopefully this is an area that the new coaches can help him with

Dave Watson had some purple patches with his innovative set plays then just relied on JWP’s ability to strike the ball

[skintsaint]

4 hours ago, Nemi said:

For me he is outstanding at putting a ball into a dangerous area but I feel like most of his assists are this - balls which are a nightmare to defend but not necessarily aimed at a specific player.

Be nice if we had attacking players that attacked those dangerous areas. Generally they don't.

[Fabrice Fernandes no.1 fan]

7 hours ago, skintsaint said:

Be nice if we had attacking players that attacked those dangerous areas. Generally they don't.

Agreed, the amount of corners we seem to have our tallest players stood watching the ball rather than attacking it is odd. 

We have arguably the best set-piece taker in the world in our team, and yet we make nowhere near enough use of it

[The Cat]

8 minutes ago, Fabrice Fernandes no.1 fan said:

Agreed, the amount of corners we seem to have our tallest players stood watching the ball rather than attacking it is odd. 

We have arguably the best set-piece taker in the world in our team, and yet we make nowhere near enough use of it

The near post ones for a Bednarek header have worked, but we obviously can't do that every time. 

We also don't have a lot of height in the team which doesn't help. 

[Piran]

15 hours ago, Nemi said:

For me he is outstanding at putting a ball into a dangerous area but I feel like most of his assists are this - balls which are a nightmare to defend but not necessarily aimed at a specific player.

I do feel like his weakest area is the more mental areas on the ball (in the sense that he sticks with the things he feels comfortable doing) and maybe why this is why he isn’t as good as spotting passes compared to others

Many moons ago, when I was a centre forward, (as strikers were called then) I was always taught that it was the wingers job to get the ball into the right area, and mine to make the move to the right place...

[Greenridge]

https://apple.news/Ab5fP2zdUQzagP7_gTwG77w
 

West Ham interest in JWP. Apols if old news. 

[Nemi]

On 20/06/2022 at 02:12, skintsaint said:

Be nice if we had attacking players that attacked those dangerous areas. Generally they don't.

 

On 20/06/2022 at 13:02, Piran said:

Many moons ago, when I was a centre forward, (as strikers were called then) I was always taught that it was the wingers job to get the ball into the right area, and mine to make the move to the right place...

Not sure if you guys think I’m criticising JWP for this, just pointing out what his strengths and weaknesses are (which all players have). 
 

Just a shame that our strikers last season (expect Adams I guess, but I still wouldn’t he’s exceptional at it) weren’t good enough in the air to play to Ward-Prowse’s strengths. And it’s a shame that Broja, and Armstrong especially, would have benefited from some targeted through-balls in behind the defence which isn’t really JWP’s strength (I can only think of a handful of examples from his whole career). 
 

And of course, the fact that there were basically no other creative players in the squad, left a pretty  substantial disconnect between our only creative outlet and the way our attackers wanted to play, which really hurt us last season.
 

Hopefully, heading into August we’ll either have a striker who is better at attacking crosses or another CM/CAM who can unlock a defence, because last season too many of our attacking play came from wide areas and crosses while we looked completely toothless through the middle.

[HarvSFC]

1 hour ago, Greenridge said:

https://apple.news/Ab5fP2zdUQzagP7_gTwG77w
 

West Ham interest in JWP. Apols if old news. 

Looks like an easy clicks article to me. West Ham interested in £75m player, every West Ham fan is going to click. The article then says West Ham are unlikely to actually be able to sign him. We'd probably be "definitely interested" in Rice too. West Ham get linked to everyone with a pulse, only way they'd be able to afford JWP on top of the new CB and reportedly Broja is if they sell Rice and if they lose their star player then they're in the same bracket as Aston Villa were last summer when they were unsuccessful in getting JWP. When the top 6 get linked, I'll worry.

Edited 22 June, 2022 by HarvSFC

[skintsaint]

9 hours ago, Nemi said:

Not sure if you guys think I’m criticising JWP for this

I was criticising our lack of forward movement than JWP.

[SNSUN]

Southampton have attempted to deter interest from Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham and West Ham in 27-year-old England midfielder James Ward-Prowse with a £75m valuation. (Give Me Sport)

 

I don't think we'd actually get £75 million - this is a lot like Villa last year - his worth to them and his worth to us are about £30 million apart. West Ham would probably go for him if they could get him for around £40 million but that isn't going to happen. Personally I think anything north of £60 million we'd listen to, but whether anyone would want him, even at the prime of his career, is another matter. I don't think he'll go, I don't want him to go, and I don't think we're looking to sell him - but the funding for the players we're signing has to come from somewhere... unless our owners actually have put their hands in their pockets, which would be most refreshing after Gao. I think Spurs have their midfield options sewn up with Bissouma signing (they also have Bentacour, Skipp and Hojbjerg), City will probably go for the cheaper Phillips, and West Ham won't afford him. I think if he goes anywhere it'd be United (who need a major rebuild) or Newcastle (they have the money and may be looking for a big signing, although they seem to be spending money "cleverly" so far).

[skintsaint]

75m. See ya.

[Saint Garrett]

I don’t think any footballer is worth £75m it’s stupid, but the market is there for everyone to see. West Ham want £150m for Rice, Leeds want north of £75m for Phillips, and JWP is better than him and on a long contract. £75m should be the minimum we consider IMO. He’s a class above and now worth 15 goals a season to us. 

I wouldn’t be selling unless it’s ridiculous money. 

[Dusic]

10 minutes ago, Saint Garrett said:

I don’t think any footballer is worth £75m it’s stupid, but the market is there for everyone to see. West Ham want £150m for Rice, Leeds want north of £75m for Phillips, and JWP is better than him and on a long contract. £75m should be the minimum we consider IMO. He’s a class above and now worth 15 goals a season to us. 

I wouldn’t be selling unless it’s ridiculous money. 

Even for the smaller clubs the cash is less useful than the player as the type of market we operate in wages wise means we aren't going to be signing proven players and thats what would be needed to even try to replace JWP.

He is worth £75m to Saints but surely isn't worth that to any prospective buyer?

[Lee On Solent Saint]

13 minutes ago, Saint Garrett said:

I don’t think any footballer is worth £75m it’s stupid, but the market is there for everyone to see. West Ham want £150m for Rice, Leeds want north of £75m for Phillips, and JWP is better than him and on a long contract. £75m should be the minimum we consider IMO. He’s a class above and now worth 15 goals a season to us. 

I wouldn’t be selling unless it’s ridiculous money. 

My thoughts exactly. 75m gets you into a discussion about a transfer. I think Rice won't go for 150m but if they are looking for that sort of fee, no reason why we shouldn't be looking at the top end of our valuation. 

[Charlie Wayman]

18 minutes ago, Saint Garrett said:

I don’t think any footballer is worth £75m it’s stupid, but the market is there for everyone to see. West Ham want £150m for Rice, Leeds want north of £75m for Phillips, and JWP is better than him and on a long contract. £75m should be the minimum we consider IMO. He’s a class above and now worth 15 goals a season to us. 

I wouldn’t be selling unless it’s ridiculous money. 

Didn't we get £75 for van Dick several years ago?

[Toadhall Saint]

3 hours ago, Saint Garrett said:

I don’t think any footballer is worth £75m it’s stupid, but the market is there for everyone to see. West Ham want £150m for Rice, Leeds want north of £75m for Phillips, and JWP is better than him and on a long contract. £75m should be the minimum we consider IMO. He’s a class above and now worth 15 goals a season to us. 

I wouldn’t be selling unless it’s ridiculous money. 

This at this time

[Uncle Albert]

9 hours ago, Saint Garrett said:

I don’t think any footballer is worth £75m it’s stupid, but the market is there for everyone to see. West Ham want £150m for Rice, Leeds want north of £75m for Phillips, and JWP is better than him and on a long contract. £75m should be the minimum we consider IMO. He’s a class above and now worth 15 goals a season to us. 

I wouldn’t be selling unless it’s ridiculous money. 

You have to say that rice valuation is a bit of anomaly, more of a way of saying not for sale, same as with jwp but less extravagant.

[Matthew Le God]

Increased chance Ward-Prowse will going to the World Cup.

Or room for 3 extra right backs in Southgate's squad...

 

Edited 23 June, 2022 by Matthew Le God

[kevdoh]

5 hours ago, Matthew Le God said:

Increased chance Ward-Prowse will going to the World Cup.

Or room for 3 extra right backs in Southgate's squad...

 

Does anyone care about the world cup? Would be appealing if it was happening now when it's meant to. Even putting up with southgates horrendous use of our players the fact it's sunny and excuse to sit in garden having a beer and watching with mates is what makes the world cup and euros. Having it in winter and watching that shite they can shove it when the sun don't shine. And all these players that have made political stances and then go and play over there are hypocrites. Taking knees or whatever pointless gestures mean nothing. If players grew some balls and refused to play in Qatar it would make an actual difference

[jawillwill]

Anyone know how bad his "knock" is? 

[S-Clarke]

1 minute ago, jawillwill said:

Anyone know how bad his "knock" is? 

Same as last pre-season I think, we prepare him for playing every game in the real season by having him miss most of the pre-season games by the look of it.

[Gurj]

2 hours ago, jawillwill said:

Anyone know how bad his "knock" is? 

We won't know until the transfer talks he is in go ahead or not. 

[Toussaint]

9 hours ago, jawillwill said:

Anyone know how bad his "knock" is? 

Quite severe, he’s knocked on to a top six club