Latest news with #Ward-Prowse
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Recalling a final day like no other at St Mary's - do you remember it?
The sting of relegation may have had time to settle in, but is still a bitter pill for Saints fans to have had to swallow this season. With their fate sealed and Championship football looming, the final Premier League matchday this Saturday against Arsenal at St Mary's offers little more than a chance to play for pride. Yet, in these moments of despair, memories of past defiance can offer a sliver of hope, a reminder of what the team, and the St Mary's faithful, are capable of. Fans will undoubtedly be hoping for a performance echoing the spirit, if not the exact scoreline, of a similarly fated final day encounter not so long ago – a truly astonishing 4-4 draw with Liverpool. On that sun-drenched afternoon, with Southampton's relegation to the Championship already a stark reality and Liverpool's fifth-place finish confirmed, the atmosphere at St Mary's was surprisingly vibrant. It was a day for poignant farewells and unexpected fireworks. The most resonant moment, perhaps, was reserved for captain James Ward-Prowse. As he made way in the closing stages of that thrilling encounter, the entirety of St Mary's rose in a sustained, heartfelt standing ovation. After more than 400 appearances, a career forged in the fires of Saints' academy, it felt like a significant chapter was closing, a goodbye heavy with emotion and gratitude. It was fitting, almost scripted, that the skipper, who had given so much to the club, was replaced by an academy graduate, Sam Amo-Ameyaw, making his debut – a symbolic passing of the torch. The match itself was a rollercoaster, a perfect encapsulation of a season of 'what ifs' and fleeting brilliance. It was Ward-Prowse's typically precise goal that ignited a sensational comeback after an early Liverpool onslaught. Read more: Saints' 80s dominance over Man City when the Dell was a fortress The day Southampton played on a lake The Reds, with Diogo Jota and the departing Bobby Firmino finding the net, had stormed into a seemingly unassailable 0-2 lead within the first 15 minutes, leaving the St Mary's supporters, who had commendably filled much of the ground despite the futility of the occasion, fearing the worst. But then, the fightback. Charly Alcaraz, another spark in a difficult season, orchestrated Ward-Prowse's ninth league goal. Then, Kamaldeen Sulemana, the club's record signing who had only arrived in January, truly announced himself. He bagged his first goals for the club, one either side of half-time, the second a moment of individual brilliance as he picked up the ball in his own half, surged towards the Liverpool box, and expertly finessed his shot into the corner. Suddenly, incredibly, Saints were ahead. The delirium reached fever pitch when substitute Adam Armstrong raced through to clip home a fourth, his first touches leading to only his second league goal of the season. Manager Ruben Selles, on the touchline, must have dared to dream of a first win in 12 matches, a stunning send-off. However, Liverpool, even with nothing tangible to play for, possessed too much quality to simply roll over. Cody Gakpo, a player Saints had pursued the previous August, finally found the net at St Mary's, before Jota grabbed his second with a thunderous strike, levelling the scores with a quickfire double-salvo. The game also saw a rapturous applause for Theo Walcott in his final game for the club, and a welcome return for Tino Livramento. Even with the scores level, the drama wasn't quite over. Mohamed Salah hit the woodwork with an audacious lob, and then came that poignant substitution. Ward-Prowse, the heart and soul of the team with 409 appearances to his name, made way for 16-year-old Amo-Ameyaw, the adoration from the stands a fitting tribute. Now, as this current, difficult season draws to its close against Arsenal, the circumstances are grimly similar – relegation confirmed, nothing but pride on the line. The hope for the fans crowding into St Mary's this Saturday will be for a performance imbued with that same courageous, almost reckless abandon shown against Liverpool. They'll yearn for a display of heart and fight, a brief, brilliant flash of excitement to carry them into the uncertainty of the Championship, just like that unforgettable, chaotic, and ultimately uplifting 4-4 draw.
BBC News
17-02-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
West Ham 0-1 Brentford - the fans' verdict
We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's Premier League game between West Ham and are some of your comments:West Ham fans:Hamed: No game strategy evident. No tactical adjustments evident. Disinterested players, most making not much effort. Graham Potter is clearly at a loss as to what to do. If we had lost 5-0, that scoreline would have flattered us. We are relegation fodder. Are those who whined to get rid of David Moyes happy with their handiwork? I am The disappointment is the amount of time we have had to prepare for this game. Brentford could have been 4-0 up in the first half. That's not an exaggeration. Evan Ferguson came on in the second half and he andJames Ward-Prowse got us on the front foot. A draw was the minimum expected from this Strange selection by Potter. Senseless to play Lucas Paqueta up front when Jarrod Bowen can do it better and we were overloaded on the right flank. That said, atrocious first half. As poor as it has ever been. Brentford could and should have been four up! The changes immediately helped but Mohammed Kudus' miss sums it all up. We could have played all year and not scored. Glad Ward-Prowse is back though. We almost had a midfield in the second half!Simon: Two weeks of training to serve up the same old slow sideways nonsense first half. The high line against quick forwards was never going to end well. They could have been three up at the fans: Peter: Great first-half performance, but failed to put away a number of excellent chances, giving West Ham something to chase in the second half. A solid defensive display allowing us to keep a clean sheet and earn a third consecutive away Brilliant to get three away wins in a row for the first time! Come on you Bees!
New York Times
15-02-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
James Ward-Prowse's West Ham return: Why Graham Potter has brought midfielder back
Midway through the January transfer window, West Ham United first expressed an interest in recalling James Ward-Prowse from his loan spell at Nottingham Forest. Ex-head coach Julen Lopetegui was sacked and had been replaced by Graham Potter. West Ham sources, kept anonymous like all of those spoken to for this article to protect relationships, say there was an acceptance internally that it was a mistake letting the midfielder leave last summer. After featuring in the first Premier League game of the season against Aston Villa and in the League Cup against Bournemouth, Lopetegui informed Ward-Prowse that he was not in his plans. He then joined Forest on deadline day in August on a season-long loan. Advertisement But the 30-year-old struggled to force his way into Nuno Espirito Santo's starting XI. His preferred midfield partnership was captain Ryan Yates alongside either Nico Dominguez or Elliot Anderson. Ward-Prowse only made nine Premier League appearances, five of which were starts. Given his lack of minutes, it was mutually agreed between the two clubs to end the loan prematurely. 'It was very hard because since James came in he was a big help for us,' said Nuno in his press conference before their FA Cup win over Exeter City. 'I had the chance to speak to him and explain that it wasn't an easy situation and every game he played he helped us. There was a moment where he was not playing and then his parent club told us that their intention was to call for him and the intention was that everybody felt the decision was for the best for all parties.' Despite Ward-Prowse's lack of game time at Forest, Forest sources say Yates often leaned on him for advice in his role as captain. Ward-Prowse has leadership qualities, having worn the armband for boyhood club Southampton. Forest club insiders say the midfielder was a good presence around the training ground and formed a close bond with Yates, Harry Toffolo and Zach Abbott. Nuno was an admirer of Ward-Prowse before his arrival. He valued the example he set in the dressing room and his professionalism even when he was a figure on the periphery. Forest signed Anderson in the summer from Newcastle United to predominantly play wide on the left flank in a 4-2-3-1 system. But the 22-year-old has proved to be a versatile performer, with Nuno favouring him in central midfield, the position Ward-Prowse plays. His limited minutes were compounded by Nuno dropping Morgan Gibbs-White, a No 10, into a deeper role in the latter stages of games instead of bringing on Ward-Prowse. When midfielders Danilo and Ibrahim Sangare — both of whom were injured in August — returned to fitness in mid-January, it prompted West Ham to formalise plans for Ward-Prowse's return. Advertisement The 11-time England international is happy to be back at his parent club. He joined from Southampton for £30million ($37.41m at today's rates) in August 2023 and registered seven goals and 11 assists at West Ham last season. Potter has been impressed with Ward-Prowse's performances in training. The midfielder will provide depth to West Ham's midfield, which consists of Tomas Soucek, Carlos Soler, Andy Irving, Guido Rodriguez, Lucas Paqueta, Edson Alvarez and academy prospect Lewis Orford. Ward-Prowse's link-up play and set-piece delivery will be a welcome boost for Potter. Across the last five matches in all competitions, the only midfielder to register an assist was Alvarez in the 1-1 draw against Aston Villa. Soucek, Soler, Irving, Rodriguez, Paqueta, Alvarez and Orford have a combined total of three assists this season. West Ham have scored seven goals from set pieces this season, the fourth-highest in the league. One of Ward-Prowse's main attributes is his delivery from corners. This delivery means their already impressive stats from set-pieces could yet improve with Ward-Prowse's return. In the 2-1 win against Wolverhampton Wanderers in April, he scored an 'olimpico' (direct from a corner). It is a goal not even Lionel Messi, widely recognised as the greatest player of all time, has scored. Ward-Prowse bends one in from the corner 🤯 — West Ham United (@WestHam) April 6, 2024 West Ham are yet to play since Ward-Prowse's return on February 2 given their early exit from the FA Cup. He could yet be involved when the east London side take on Brentford this Saturday. Ward-Prowse, whose deal expires in the summer of 2027, will aim to be a key influence on and off the field. In July, The Athletic interviewed the midfielder and he outlined his plans for the season. Given his struggles at Forest, the midfielder intends to serve a reminder of his qualities. 'Even though the last few months for me personally haven't been the most productive as I would have liked on the pitch, I feel as though the whole experience off it and the sort of different tests that I've had to endure have sort of benefited me now,' he told West Ham's website. 'I think I'll look back on the experience and I'll be grateful for it. It's really lit a fire in me to go out and prove people wrong. Advertisement 'I think I'm the sort of character that wants to play every minute of every game, so to have had that brief period in the first half of the season where I haven't, it's tested those parts of my character again from when I was younger and relit that fire inside of me and enter a new chapter under the head coach with a little bit more optimism.'
