Ward-Prowse, “the best free kick taker” that Guardiola has seen and who is going for Beckham

James Ward-Prowse (Portsmouth, UK, 1994) I grew up admiring David Beckham. “He copied every haircut, he wanted his boots, to wear his number… He was the footballer I admired the most and he had a great influence on me. He inspired me to shoot direct free kicks,” the Southampton media outlet confessed to ‘The Guardian’. Some parallels with ‘Becks’ that have made him a master of the set piece, now placing himself as the second footballer who has scored the most goals (12) from free kicks in the history of the Premier. With his goal of ‘free kick’ in the defeat (3-1) against Wolverhampton, the captain of the ‘Saints’ equal to Gianfranco Zola (Chelsea) and Thierry Henry (Arsenal). And now he only has his “idol” ahead of him (18 goals). Thus he turned his right hand into a glove… lethal.

How does Ward-Prowse throw fouls?

Ward-Prowse himself explains how he polished his technique since he entered the Southampton academy at the age of eight. “I started throwing them when I was a kid. I always liked it. The more you practice an action, the more your body is in sync with it. Watch Federer’s backhand or Jonny Wilkinson’s strike“, explained a medium that described in the ‘Guardian’ his way of throwing and how he has been perfecting his mechanics: “I have seen some still images of my posture and my way of hitting the ball and they baffle me a bit. I think I am ‘stressing’ my body. It seems like I wouldn’t be able to walk for several days if I’ve shot 10 free throws in a row like this! However, I am adapting my body to deal with it.”

I think I have more chances to score from a free kick than from a penalty. The maximum penalties are sort of 50-50. It could go anywhere! And in a foul I feel like I have more power over the goalkeeper

James Ward-Prowse, Southampton midfielder

Does he look so much like Beckham? “I’ve lost count of how many people have mentioned the similarities between our techniques, but there are differences. I know Beckham had great arm movement and he leaned back a bit more. He wasn’t as hunched over the ball. I, when I hit, tend to jump to force that movement up and down. The more I have developed my technique, the more I have found my own way of doing it, “he said in the ‘Guardian’ Ward-Prowse.

Matt Le Tissier, Southampton legend from whom the captain ‘Saints’ inherited his way of drawing ‘little bananas’, ‘settles’ the debate: “Both have the same ability to make the ball go up and down quickly. When Beckham came to the team we stayed to practice free throws and I thought to myself: ‘I’m pretty good, but here I’m the worst.’Prowsey’ also practices a lot and has a great body position when he hits the ball, which allows him to achieve maximum rotation.’.

How effective is Ward-Prowse?

Since scoring his first Premier League goal in 2014-15, Ward-Prowse has been one of the most lethal shooters in English and European football. Of 87 free-kicks, ‘Prowsey’ has hit the net 12. 13.7% of the direct free kicks he launches end in a goal. Only Leo Messi (28 goals) has scored more goals than the set piece since 2014 in the major leagues, but he has shot 293 times (9.5% effectiveness). In the Premier He has no rival: Eriksen, with seven set pieces for Tottenham, is the closest. It is not only the one who has scored the most, but also the one with the best effectiveness ahead of Marcos Alonso (11.1%) and James Maddison (10.6%) if we count this period of eight seasons and with players who have taken at least 32 shots (average of four per campaign).

Their 87 fouls are distributed heterogeneously. It is striking that, despite being right-handed, try the free kick from either side. It doesn’t matter if it’s a more appropriate position for a left-hander. His good technique leads him to execute them from that side, although the fact that all his goals have been from the middle to the left (the good profile for a right-hander) denotes which is his dominant foot. His effectiveness at goal from the left wing is surprising, despite having a smaller angle: in seven of his 10 shots the goalkeeper had to intervene.

Data: Understat

In addition, his good hitting allows him to look for a goalkeeper from distant positions. Five of his goals have been close to the box line or the half-moon, but the rest (7) are already from further back positions, including the last to the ‘Wolves’, his farthest free-kick. “I believe in my technique and yes, I can put the ball where I want, no goalie will be able to stop it. I think I have a better chance of scoring from a free kick than a penalty. The maximum penalties are kind of 50-50. I could go anywhere.” side! And in a free kick I feel like I have more power over the goalkeeper”, a WP told the ‘Guardian’ that from 11 meters, another of his responsibilities at Southampton, he hardly misses: He has scored 10 of the 13 penalties he has taken in his Premier career (77% effective). However, long distance is his specialty. Oh he is the king. With two goals (Crystal Palace and Wolverhampton) from 11 fouls taken this season, He is halfway to matching the four in 20 free kicks of 2020-21, his personal best.

What do your opponents think?

Ward-Prowse’s rivals surrender to the Premier’s ‘sniper’. “He is perhaps the best free-kick taker in England and in the world. There is a left-footer at PSG who is up to the task and he is also quite good. So maybe Ward-Prowse is the best right-footed free kick taker on the planet. It simply puts them in the square. It’s not a penalty, but it looks a lot like it. You have to be aware of that and not commit fouls on the edge of the box,” said Brentford manager Thomas Frank.

There is a left-hander at PSG who is up to the task and he is also quite good. So maybe Ward-Prowse is the best right-footed free kick taker on the planet. It just puts them in the square

Thomas Frank, Brentford manager

“Southampton have the best free kick taker I’ve ever seen.“, Pep Guardiola pointed out before facing City against the ‘Saints’. Every infraction near the area is a danger when Ward-Prowse is in front. “He is one of the best midfielders in the Premier. His shots are world class. If you look at the free kick percentage we have and the ones he makes, it’s unbelievable,” said his manager, Ralph Hasenhttl. This season, the nine-time England international has six goals in 19 league games for Southampton. He is two shy of his record (eight) from last season.Since they debuted in front of goal in the elite (2014-15) he has scored 36 goals, at an average of 4.5 per season.Remarkable numbers for a midfielder.

Beat Beckham’s record?

At 27 years old, Ward-Prowse still has time to reach and knock down the mark of the former Manchester United and Real Madrid. The six free-kick goals that separate him from ‘Becks’ are the ones he has achieved in the last two seasons. Age and numbers drive him to be the king of this discipline in the history of the Premier. “Hopefully I can catch up with him or beat him. I have never been with Beckham. If I have to beat him to meet him, I’ll do it as quickly as possible.”, pointed out the medium in the ‘Mail’. He goes for his 18 goals. Without fail.