Shhhh! I prefer us remaining under the radar entirely. Near the end of MOTD with the focus mainly on the other team suits me totally; I like being called a 'surprise package' again and again. Let the media focus elsewhere, though I fear they've just started to notice us; Cortese is even getting respect from Sky: http://www1.skysports.com/watch/video/sports/football/8994201/praise-for-southampton
I said before that I think he is a footballers' footballer...every player and manager knows about him and his worth (especially when he peaks in a couple of years time). He is easily overlooked by the media...he is not going to fly down the pitch, dribbling round the opposition before shooting into the top corner. He never puts a foot wrong (though he did miss one pass...naughty boy), he gives the ball to others, is good with a deadball, keeps it simple...bit Beckhamesque. Don't worry...they value him at U21 level and will no doubt end up in the England team one day.
According to the Sky stats he created 6 chances yesterday. Way more than any other player. He could end up as our Paul Scholes.
I'm not sure that he'd get the attention elsewhere, just because what he does (while hugely influential) doesn't make for spectacular highlights. He isn't lightning quick; he doesn't have a cannon shot; he doesn't have an array of flicks and tricks. He thus doesn't fit the mold of Exciting Young Talent, because he's too busy doing Heady Veteran stuff like whipping inch-perfect corners and crosses. Take Carrick. For a big club player, he gets overlooked with staggering frequency, because he merely helps you win games and doesn't make mistakes and zzzzzzzzzzzzzz
his corners are amazing, the way they clear the first men but then dips to almost bounce in front of the keeper shows great abilty and adds a threat to our game. Will without a doubt be our no.10 in years to come, although England U21s play him in a deeper role
My only real worry about JWP is that his only standout strength is his crossing and set piece delivery. He is certainly a calming presence in possession, but I can't say he's a better recycler than either Schneiderlin or Davis, and defensively his tackling is nowhere near Schneiderlin or Wanyama. I think the key to him securing a place in the XI is him showing something else that makes him stand out other than his set piece delivery, otherwise I fear he'll lose his place to Davis/Osvaldo/Ramirez when they're fit.
His development will ultimately revolve around his range of passing. Over time, he'll need to become more of a playmaker with the ball on the ground in addition to his crosses/set pieces, but he clearly has the technical ability to do so.
He is 18, and improving all the time. And when you think his only real rival for set piece deliveries is Danny Fox, I think his place, certainly in the match day squad, is safe.
Yeah, I absolutely agree! He seems very willing to work and improve and has already made a lot of progress from last season, I just feel he's not quite a rounded enough player yet to be more than a rotation option.
We only have to look at Lallana and Schneiderlin now to know the importance of game time to a young player. Morgan couldn't tackle a paper bag when he 1st joined and when he did attempt it he would get booked. JWP doesn't have the physical presence of Morgan at his age(not that he used it too well) or probably quite the vision and range of passing in his locker, but it's clear he is a football nerd and has a winning attitude which has gotten him to this stage so early in his career. Plus for Pochettino he has quickly taken Cork as the go to player. He was used against Liverpool, Swansea & Man Utd in different scenarios and that set piece delivery makes him more than just a fresh pair of legs.
That was simply awesome. Teams just don't know how to handle the relentless pressure. I know Fulham were bad yesterday, but real credit to Saints for making them look completely lost. All PL teams know how we play, but still can't work out a way of coping. Brilliant all round team performance and Lallana was outstanding (again). Hats off to MP. Saw my first match in 1966 & have been a Saint ever since - but I've never seen them play as consistently well as they have done this season. Wonderful stuff!
Ward-prowse doesn't have the talent to become a no.10 at this level, and I doubt if he will the develop the necessary physique to be an adequate defensive midfielder either. His current role in behind clyne crossing from deep and sweeping midfield isn't a viable tactic or position and he will fall down the pecking order when we sign another attacker who can provide more than set-pieces and crossing. He creates chances and statistically it is impressive but what he adds to the team away from crossing and set-pieces is minimal and that isn't good enough.
You do know that all your damning statements are recorded for posterity. Ready to be trotted out at the most awkward moment.
I'm only stating what's obvious, he clearly isn't a no.10 and is too small to be a defensive midfielder without some serious work. He is vastly overrated on this forum with some hilarious comments drawing connections between his eloquent interviews and football intelligence. Coming on as a versatile midfielder and doing a job with some well taken freekicks and crosses is monumentally different to breaking up the play or creating the play in the champions league. He isn't going to be able to make the grade for us if we become a european team. Currently we are weak in the positions he plays in and we will be bringing in someone young and much better than ward-prowse in januray or in the summer.
So much rubbish. Firstly no one has claimed he could be a defensive midfielder, and we've never seen him even attempt that sort of a role. Secondly if you think set pieces are his only strength then you haven't been paying enough attention. He's a good passer, has good vision and gets in good positions. He can do everything you want from a creative midfielder, and already does many things better than Gaston does for us. You might be stating what's obvious to you, but I have a feeling it just seems like bullshit to most people reading it.
The fact is, JWP has a long way to go, but for a long time last season when we were coming up short up front, with all the possession and nice play in the world but no clear chances or goals to speak of we were all crying out for a 'Plan B'. JWP is that Plan B. Sure, there's plenty of things you'd like to see him add to his game (And why can't he, considering he seems to of pulled this crossing ability out of his rear-end over the summer?), but at the moment he brings two vital and threatening things that literally no-one else in our squad has. I think Lallana has been excellent so far this season, Davis has had consistently strong outings, JRod showed the form we saw at the back-end of last season against Fulham, the full-backs have been great, but in terms of creating actual legitimate threats on goal, Ward-Prowse has probably created more than them all combined.
He does have a long way to go. That would be because he's a teenager, and most teenagers are not finished products. At that age, Steven Gerrard was -- by his own later admission -- totally out of his depth in the Premier League. David Beckham was still in the reserves. Frank Lampard was just starting to get worked into West Ham's side. Scott Parker was limited to the occasional cameo. Luke Shaw aside, players generally do not emerge from the womb as fully-formed international-calibre players.
He played as a defensive midfielder against norwich, second half sunderland, and he was in the position of defensive midfielder saturday at times. He doesn't have vision or good passing, you would struggle to find 1 instance of him finding a man in space in the final 3rd through passing rather than crossing or set-pieces. Against sunderland was probably the only time I have seen him in a good attacking position. He makes good position in the centre of the pitch and can play that middling, easy pass role quite well but that is no indication that he could one day be a decent no. 10 I can't understand the degree to which people have been blinded by their saints bias. How anyone can attribute vision and good passing to a player who hasn't demonstrated these qualities at all is beyond me. @Mikey, I agree he offers a good plan b, but its also at the expense of other options. To a degree he dictates the way we play and that is often quite 1-dimensional. @Schad, compare him to janusaj, I doubt he will ever be able to split a defence like he did a fortnight ago.
