---
title: "Pundit raves about James Ward-Prowse as remarkable stat emerges"
canonical: "https://readsouthampton.com/2020/12/01/darren-ambrose-hails-james-ward-prowse-free-kick-threat/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "jrushworth"
section: "News"
published: "2020-12-01T09:00:14Z"
modified: "2020-12-01T09:00:14Z"
---

# Pundit raves about James Ward-Prowse as remarkable stat emerges

Former Charlton Athletic midfielder Darren Ambrose has [suggested](https://play.acast.com/s/footballpreviewshow/thetightestoftitleraces)that Southampton’s [James Ward-Prowse](https://readsouthampton.com/?p=60148)has become an integral threat for the Saints in the last third following his impact against Manchester United.

Ward-Prowse has established himself as one of Southampton’s most influential performers under Ralph Hasenhuttl. The England international has already managed an impressive tally of four goals and two assists in 10 Premier League appearances for the Saints so far this term ([Sofascore](https://www.sofascore.com/player/james-ward-prowse/161717)).

Despite Southampton falling to a 3-2 defeat to Manchester United on Sunday, Ward-Prowse delivered an excellent performance, setting up Jan Bednarek’s opener with his dangerous corner. The 26-year-old then fired home another trademark free-kick, [his third of the campaign](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/james-ward-prowse/alletore/spieler/181579/plus/0?saison=2020&verein=&liga=&wettbewerb=&pos=&minute=&pos=&torart=207&stand=) after hitting two against Aston Villa.

A remarkable stat has now emerged that the midfielder has now registered the joint-second most direct free-kick goals in Premier League history alongside Cristiano Ronaldo on nine and two behind former Sunderland and Birmingham City playmaker Sebastian Larsson, per [premierleague.com](https://www.premierleague.com/stats/top/players/att_freekick_goal).

Speaking on [talkSPORT’s latest Gameday podcast](https://play.acast.com/s/footballpreviewshow/thetightestoftitleraces), Ambrose suggested that Ward-Prowse always gives the Saints a chance to take create and score goals in the final third. He added that the 26-year-old is becoming almost unstoppable from free-kick situations and that opposing teams might have to think about how they defend them.

Ambrose said: “When you’ve got someone of the quality of James Ward-Prowse obviously you can cause opposition teams problems and that’s exactly how it panned out. He set the first one up from the corner and scored the second.”

On the midfielder’s free-kick, he added: “I don’t think a wall can stop James Ward-Prowse. The goals he scored at Aston Villa, one of the goals he scored was right at the edge of the box and to get that up and over the wall and down in time to score was unbelievable.

“So, I don’t think the wall actually does much anyway when James Ward-Prowse is over the ball. If anything, you’d almost be better not having a wall and letting the goalkeeper see it all the way. So I think we’re getting to that point with him he’s got so much quality that you’re almost better not having a wall and letting goalkeeper see it all the way.”

### **Read Southampton verdict**

Ward-Prowse is fast establishing himself as perhaps the deadliest player from set piece situations in the Premier League. The midfielder’s quality from a dead ball is instrumental for Hasenhuttl’s side as they aim to cause problems for opposing defenders and be as effective as possible without the prolific presence of Danny Ings.

The 26-year-old is not just all about dead ball situations, either, having also managed to average an impressive 87% passing accuracy and 1.5 key passes per game so far this term ([Sofascore](https://www.sofascore.com/player/james-ward-prowse/161717)). That has seen him become one of the first names on the team sheet at St Mary’s.

As Ambrose suggests, he is becoming almost unstoppable from free-kicks and that quality should give him a real chance of making it into the England squad for next summer’s European Championships. It will be interesting to see whether Premier League sides begin to adapt their defending of his set piece deliveries, as the former Charlton midfielder thinks they might.