James Ward-Prowse

[thunderball]

1 hour ago, macandally said:

Some bizarre responses here, “I haven’t watched him but £40m is too much just for free kicks”

Try watching a few highlights before saying stuff like this, the midfield is the engine and sets the tempo for the game, it was what the Keanes and Vieras of this world excelled at.  If you think we want JWP for free kicks and not the ability to control the game tempo you may as well play Connor and you are totally missing where his value is to the team.

Exactly my take, he's a pro, he has great work ethic and mindset, if you watch his clips he has a drive and determination and plays with his head up. Him and McGinn in midfield would be breathless, it would unburden our offensive players, both have energy and a decent passing range. They would be a perfect central pairing infront of Mings and Konsa as our solid middle ground allowing Cash, Targett/Young to push alongside and release Buendia, and the three forwards.

.....but I dont see this transfer happening unfortunately.

Edited August 13, 2021 by thunderball

[Peter Griffin]

I am sceptical about JWP but reading some of the contributions on here about him is making me think. I am starting to sway to the 'I want to sign him' camp 

[DaveAV1]

14 minutes ago, QldVilla said:

Agree with the methodology, but you can be 3 inches shorter than another player but have a superior vertical leap which can match that player in the air. They would have the data.

I think I’ve said this before, a mate of mine has a theory that shorter player leap higher because they have too and conversely many taller players don’t use their height to it’s full advantage. I think he’s right, Alan Wright for example was much better in the air than his height would suggest. 

[HKP90]

When people talk about cost, I kind of feel that they don’t look at both sides of the coin. The monetary value for improving league position is immense.  
 

The difference in prize money alone between finishing 11th, where we were, and 4th, which is the upper end of realistic if we get the breaks and….perhaps sign JWP…. was £26M last year. 
 

Technically all we’ve done is replaced Grealish, and we have a -£10M net spend. If we bought JWP for £45M, and we end up 4th, in real terms we would have spent £9M on transfers this summer. 

[QldVilla]

17 minutes ago, DaveAV1 said:

I think I’ve said this before, a mate of mine has a theory that shorter player leap higher because they have too and conversely many taller players don’t use their height to it’s full advantage. I think he’s right, Alan Wright for example was much better in the air than his height would suggest. 

You can’t put in what god left out, everyone is different. Your best people with vertical leaps are high jumpers, but also suitable for volleyball, netball etc where good vertical leaps are essential make up of the type.

Obviously the taller you are the lesser the effort to leap higher, but if you are too tall, speed, agility can be affected. It’s a balance and no perfect type.

Edited August 13, 2021 by QldVilla

[garreth]

This aint happenning romano has spoken!

[HKP90]

6 minutes ago, garreth said:

This aint happenning romano has spoken!

[chrisvilla4]

I'd love us to sign him but think its not going to happen.

I think if Grealish was still here, he would have signed, although we've signed his mate Ings now so who knows! 

[one_ian_taylor]

57 minutes ago, DaveAV1 said:

I think I’ve said this before, a mate of mine has a theory that shorter player leap higher because they have too and conversely many taller players don’t use their height to it’s full advantage. I think he’s right, Alan Wright for example was much better in the air than his height would suggest. 

Will never forget Alan Wright outjumping Steve Bould to make an amazing headed clearance in the six yard box - or did I just dream that?

[rjw63]

17 minutes ago, HKP90 said:

Preferred Mrs Romano if I'm honest

[a-k]

1 minute ago, rjw63 said:

Preferred Mrs Romano if I'm honest

With Ray's brother as our midfield destroyer

[brommy]

13 minutes ago, chrisvilla4 said:

I'd love us to sign him but think its not going to happen.

I think if Grealish was still here, he would have signed, although we've signed his mate Ings now so who knows! 

I think if JWP doesn't move it's more down to the income provided by Southampton's other sales, not what player has left Villa.

It feels like Southampton have sold the players who wanted to leave in order to finance this year, including keeping JWP who isn't pushing for a move and could be the difference of surviving relegation.

For that reason it's possible that Saints have priced him high (possibly too high) in a win-win situation for them.

Edited August 13, 2021 by brommy
Punctuation.

[DaveAV1]

22 minutes ago, chrisvilla4 said:

I'd love us to sign him but think its not going to happen.

I think if Grealish was still here, he would have signed, although we've signed his mate Ings now so who knows! 

Conversely he could look at the players leaving Southampton and feel as a club they’re going backwards and so want out. Like you say, who knows?

[KevinRichardsonsMoustache]

He won't make the opening fixtures so nobody is in a rush for this deal to happen. Similarly, any of the alternatives won't go straight into the starting XI.

For me, JWP has a premium on his head because we know he can hit the ground running, so we'd pay slightly over the odds for him. If we walk away and then buy Sarr or Doucoure, we have to wait for them to bed into English football. It's a gamble that has bitten us before. I don't think Dean wants to take that sort of risk in such a critical position if he can avoid it.

Fwiw, I think Soton will demand mad money (something prohibitively high like £60m+) for this guy and we'll walk away.

 

Edited August 13, 2021 by KevinRichardsonsMoustache

[RichiBoi11]

I could see this one happening, but possibly not until as late as deadline day. There's a lot of moving parts to this due to the fee which will no doubt be inflated, and the fact he's not fully fit currently, but if Southampton really are desperate for money it might come down to testing their resolve closer to the end of the window. The player himself might be happy to stay, but he made it clear he wasn't happy to just miss out on the Euros squad, and if he's there on deadline day and Southampton look like a sinking ship he might force the issue. Plus on deadline day they may say they want a ludicrous fee, of 50 plus for example, but if they're as desperate for cash as it seems due to the Chinese ownership, and we tell them, well you can have £40m now, or nothing until January, they might snap our hands off.

[thunderball]

Plenty on Twitter suggesting it has been a "nearly done" deal for a while, however. Some might say there is no smoke without fire?

[LondonLax]

3 minutes ago, thunderball said:

Plenty on Twitter suggesting it has been a "nearly done" deal for a while, however. Some might say there is no smoke without fire?

Is this your first time on Twitter?

[Killeen30]

2 hours ago, DaveAV1 said:

I think I’ve said this before, a mate of mine has a theory that shorter player leap higher because they have too and conversely many taller players don’t use their height to it’s full advantage. I think he’s right, Alan Wright for example was much better in the air than his height would suggest. 

Ahh Alan Wright. A very, very good player!

[Killeen30]

Just seen bits of Dean’s presser on Sky Sports news. They asked him about us being in for James Ward-Prowse and with a big smile on his face he said 'I never talk about players from other clubs'. So I think that there is still strong interest and something could very well happen.

if our interest had been 100% rebuffed then he’d have said so. This is still one link to watch. I think it will happen.

[leemond2008]

2 hours ago, thunderball said:

Plenty on Twitter suggesting it has been a "nearly done" deal for a while, however. Some might say there is no smoke without fire?

Some might also say that we should never ponder