The midfielder has continued to thrive after departing from Southampton, which has surprised some, including Football League World’s Southampton fan pundit Martin Sanders. Despite leaving the Saints and joining West Ham in the summer transfer window following Southampton’s relegation from the Premier League, James Ward-Prowse has excelled in his new environment. He has made a significant impact, with two goals and six assists in nine appearances for West Ham across various competitions. This has played a crucial role in West Ham’s current Premier League and Europa League standings, with the team currently in seventh place in the league and at the top of their Europa League group. However, despite his impressive performances, Ward-Prowse has not received a call-up to the England squad under Gareth Southgate, despite his last appearance for the national team being a goalless draw against Italy in the UEFA Nations League the previous summer.
Martin Sanders, a Southampton fan, believes that Ward-Prowse’s contributions at West Ham should warrant an England recall. He also suggests that the midfielder might have benefited from leaving Southampton earlier in his career. Martin acknowledges that some Southampton fans might be hesitant to discuss Ward-Prowse’s success with West Ham, as he is now considered an “ex-player,” but he commends his achievements with the Hammers.
Regarding Ward-Prowse’s performance at West Ham, Martin states, “A lot of fans don’t like talking about Ward-Prowse down here anymore. They go ‘he’s an ex-player,’ and there’s a bit of a stigma attached to it, but yeah, he’s done well, hasn’t he, three assists, two goals in seven games, so he’s doing really well. He’s a top player. He made some comments the other day about how he’s been desperate to play European football for a while, which I understand. Maybe he should have left Southampton a little bit earlier, maybe, for his career.”
In Ward-Prowse’s absence, Southampton, under new manager Russell Martin, has had a mixed start to life in the Championship, sitting tenth in the table with 17 points from 11 league games.
The article suggests that there is a strong argument for Ward-Prowse to be included in the England squad for the October internationals. His impressive form at West Ham makes a compelling case for his inclusion, especially when compared to some players who have been selected despite not playing regularly at that level. If Ward-Prowse maintains his current form, there may be increasing pressure on Southgate to consider him for an international recall.
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