The Athletic’s Southampton correspondent Dan Sheldon has been discussing James Ward-Prowse during a recent edition of the Total Saints podcast following the club’s victory over Aston Villa in the Premier League on Sunday.
Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side went 4-0 up at Villa Park thanks to Jannik Vestergaard’s opener, a couple of free-kicks from James Ward-Prowse and a goal from Danny Ings in the second half and although the hosts rallied late on, scoring twice in stoppage time, the Saints left the Midlands with all three points (as per BBC Sport).
Sheldon, during the podcast, revealed he had previously not regarded Ward-Prowse as a set-piece specialist but admitted, after Sunday’s display from the 26-year-old that he may have been wrong. Here is what he had to say to the rest of the panel:
“I think I’m going to put my hands up on this one and say I got it wrong. His record isn’t 100%, but after today, they were two great free kicks.
“Prowsey was exceptional. [It was a] really enjoyable game to watch and yeah, I apologise to Prowsey. We’re happy to say I got it wrong.”
Is James Ward-Prowse a set-piece specialist?
Yes
No
TIF Thoughts on Dan Sheldon’s comments regarding James Ward-Prowse’s set-piece ability…
The goals at Villa Park were the player’s second and third in the Premier League this season and it appears that double may have been enough to change the journalist’s view with regards to the 26-year-old’s set-piece ability.
The England international’s average performance rating in the top flight this season stands at an impressive 7.36/10 (as per WhoScored), so, whilst the conversation was very much around whether or not he is a specialist in one particular area of his game, in our view, it’s clear that he offers plenty to the team overall.