Featured Image Credit: Image: Southampton FC
Topics: James Ward-Prowse, Southampton, Pep Guardiola, Premier League
Josh Lawless
Topics: James Ward-Prowse, Southampton, Pep Guardiola, Premier League
James Ward-Prowse has been branded "the best free-kick in the world" by Pep Guardiola - and a compilation of his set-piece screamers suggests the Manchester City boss might just be right.
Last weekend, the Southampton captain smashed in a glorious 35 yard free-kick against Wolverhampton Wanderers, taking his Premier League set-piece tally to 12.
Ward-Prowse is level with Thierry Henry and Gianfranco Zola, with only the dead-ball demon that is David Beckham scoring more in England's top tier than him.
The England international's free-kick taking is a thing of beauty and it's quite frightening how accurate he is from a range of different angles and distances.
He even scored two in one game against Aston Villa in 2020, as well as memorable belters against Manchester United, Spurs, Newcastle and Crystal Palace.
And Southampton's official Twitter account put nearly five minutes of free-kick goodness for us all to feast our eyes on.
The technique is just utterly outrageous and it's got to the point where you if you concede a free-kick against Saints you might as well accept the ball is going to nestle into the top bins.
And ahead of City's trip to Southampton this weekend, Guardiola paid the ultimate compliment to Ward-Prowse and his deliveries.
“He is the best taker I have ever seen, right now in the world," he said in a press conference.
"No player is a better taker than Ward-Prowse.
He is so good, maybe we miss a little bit this quality of a football player.
“A guy who adapts in the same position, he's a team player, great quality without the ball, with the ball, understanding the game.
“Set pieces and corners is exceptional. We need to pay more attention.”
Ward-Prowse modelled himself on England icon Beckham growing up and is now just seven free-kicks away from moving ahead of his Premier League tally.