Ralph Hasenhuttl has made James Ward-Prowse an integral part of his Southampton side since taking over last December.
The Austrian has regularly called on the midfielder in his starting line-ups, and he has featured throughout the opening exchanges of the manager’s first full season at St Mary’s.
Ward-Prowse has developed a lot under Hasenhuttl, and much of this is owed to his relentless pressing and work rate.
In fact, such has been the influence of his athleticism and running power this season, the Premier League’s Twitter account recently revealed that he had covered more distance than any other player in the top flight so far this term.
Twitter: @OfficialFPL Distance covered in the #PL this season (km):
James Ward-Prowse – 69.8
Ashley Westwood – 67.3
Philip… https://t.co/9pw82b7nQR (@premierleague)
Read Southampton’s verdict
Ward-Prowse has emerged as a really important player for Southampton in the past year, and it’s good to see him step up and push towards his potential.
After stagnant seasons under poor managers, he seems to have found his feet under Hasenhuttl and is tailor-made for his intense, aggressive style of play.
The manager demands that his midfield players, in particular, work incredibly hard to counter-press and retrieve possession quickly, and Ward-Prowse has been a suitable fit given his intelligence and reading of the game.
His performances this season have not been notably impressive, but his importance to Hasenhuttl’s plans is evident, and he will continue to develop as he cements his place in the boss’ starting line-up.
