West Ham United: Vladimir Coufal likens James Ward-Prowse to Andrea Pirlo and Juninho
Vladimir Coufal says “world-class” West Ham teammate James Ward-Prowse reminds him of Andrea Pirlo and Juninho because of his set-piece delivery.
Ward-Prowse has already assisted three goals and scored one of his own in three Premier League games for West Ham since joining from Southampton.
The most recent of those assists came in the 2-1 win at Luton Town on Friday [1 September] as his corner was headed in by Kurt Zouma.
Coufal is quoted by the Daily Mail [3 September] as saying: “I don’t have to say how good he is.
“Everybody in the Premier League and the UK and maybe all over the world knows who James Ward-Prowse is, from his free-kicks and corners.
“He is absolutely world-class. He reminds me of Andrea Pirlo or Juninho [Pernambucano].
“He chooses the spot in the box and he delivers exactly to that spot. It is easy for him. His kicking technique is absolutely amazing.”
Money well spent
Ward-Prowse’s ability to pick out a colleague, or indeed the back of the net, from set-pieces is one of the main reasons West Ham were so eager to sign him.
The England international has netted 17 goals direct from free-kicks in the Premier League alone, which is one short of David Beckham’s all-time record.
Paying £30million for the midfielder looks to be money well spent on the basis of his performances so far in the claret and blue shirt, having been directly involved in 1.38 goals per 90 minutes so far [FBref].
Prior to Sunday’s games in the Premier League, that was the fourth-best tally of any player in the division, behind Erling Haaland (1.81), Even Ferguson (1.74) and Taiwo Awoniyi (1.46).
Comparisons to Pirlo and Juninho may sound superlative on the face of it, but Coufal has a point.
Fingers crossed for West Ham that there is plenty more of the same to come from JWP.
In other West Ham news, the Hammers may bring in a free agent signing.