In one of the other threads there was an image that showed Ward-Prowse had played as many key passes as Gerrard on half as many minutes on the pitch. I think that sums it up nicely that rabbit spectrum is completely wrong about ward-prowse' passing. I think rabbit spectrum is thinking for an AMC we should be looking for someone more like Mata/Cazorla/Ozil than JWP, so I can sympathise with his point in a way. (As in someone with more flair.) Personally, I could see him being more like Steven Gerrard/Frank Lampard than one of those more European style number 10's, but in truth he is good enough to play anywhere pochettino puts him. But to say JWP has a limited range of passing is absolutely ridiculous. He is still finding his feet as professional footballer, as he is basically just a young boy.
It was a good ball but Rooney was offside. If it was given correctly as offside then noone would remember it. How many 'great' passes have Saints made that have been forgotten because they were offside? It's a bit like the argument that Ramirez plays balls that nooone else is good enough to read. Put simply he plays poor balls because he should be playing to his teams strengths. JWP is playing a blinder every time I see him. For anyone to question that is not seeing what I am seeing. I liken him to Paul Scholes but more as a mid to late Paul Scholes. He plays along the middle and keeps the ball moving. The 'pivot' sort of thing. The advantage Scholes had is he started up front and moved back. JWP started as a CM and is being moved into more attacking areas. So yes very like Scholes. He is the type of player who keeps the ball moving while it is Morgan that does the 'pause, look up, penetrate' passing.
A key pass is one that directly leads to a shot. Not one of keys passes has been creative or visionary, they have been from crosses set pieces or like the pass into rodriguez simple forward passes. When you have a player with no aptitude for the creative they aren't going to become a no.10. He also has severe limitations on his ability to become a right winger good enough for where we are going. I really don't feel I am stating anything that isn't obvious. A judgement based of his footballing ability rather than the number of chances he has created from freekicks, corners and crosses will lead you to a similar conclusion.
That's one thing I don't worry about, he's got a vicious shot on him as anyone that watched him hit the post in the last England U21 game will verify, that ball was travelling. We need to start teeing him up on the edge of the box though like Utd with Scholes, Liverpool with Gerrard and Chelsea with Lampard. Watching how cleanly he strikes a ball is really impressive.
What I want from an attacking midfielder: they do things that lead to goals. We do need a player or players in midfield with the ability to make something out of nothing against packed defenses (Lallana's certainly coming along in that regard), but that doesn't make JWP any less valuable, especially if he expands his game over time. Which is a distinct possibility, what with him having only recently graduated kindergarten and all. The best teams can beat you in a variety of ways. We're currently a constant threat from set pieces and crosses...complement that with players capable of producing magic with the ball at their feet and our defensive solidity and you have a team that can compete with anyone.
A good attack has a variety of options but is also one that opens up space for each other and I think we are really quite poor at this despite how many men we get forward. JWP for all his value on setpieces and crossing doesn't open up space with his passing or movement and this is a significant limitation on the way we attack not to mention a major flaw in his game.
We have many of the same difficulties when he isn't playing. One of the reasons we've struggled to unlock defenses is that teams have been able to sacrifice pressing the ball in favour of stacking bodies on the edge of the box...we weren't much of a threat to get in behind, and we're not much of a threat from distance. Beyond creating chances directly, his crossing is going to force teams to push out further defensively; it's going to make teams more wary of balls played over the defensive line; it means that the person defending JWP cannot cheat down the line if Clyne goes to overlap. Those are things which can help to provide the space in which flair players operate.
I think we have been better without him i.e. the first 25 minutes of the second half against west ham where we moved the ball quickly and didn't let the defence settle which is a far better way to combat men behind the ball.
Ha, just watch and you'll see. I'm not claiming JWP is ready to carve up defenses just yet and maybe he never will be. I wonder about his defensive awareness and tackling ability which is important in our system, and his ability to retain possession on the dribble. There's still a lot of question marks about him which is not surprising given he is only 18. But I am not even remotely concerned about his passing or vision, just whether he'll develop enough other skills to take advantage of them. Let him get some confidence and Pochettino takes the gloves off you'll see the goal and the through balls just like I promised. It's going to be the other stuff that determines his fate.
I can see a long England career for JWP with fans saying what the **** is he doing in the squad as England manager after England manager select him. Not flashy but hellishly effective (and he is going to get better).
Just leave it. You're now really sounding weird and obsessive. As has been said countless times, as well as the Scholes comparisons, Beckham had no pace, couldn't go round a player or head the ball, but he didn't do too badly....a Scholes/Beckham combo would get into any team.
Well, I'm blowed. It appears that visionless, talentless 18 year old, Saints need to offload ASAP, had another good game. Obviously a blip: http://squawka.com/news/2013/10/29/...me-southamptons-chief-playmaker/2013102930128
Steady on, those are just facts. Facts are as nothing compared to what can be seen by anyone with eyes to see, which is that JWP is useless, plays only easy passes and/or useless cross field passes that defences don't fear and will never develop. Vin
