Every time Southampton's James Ward-Prowse steps up to behind the ball and anticipates taking a set piece, opponents are always shivering, as the England international has proven for the 17th time that he is a lethargic weapon when it comes to dead-ball situations.
Either he finds his teammates, who head the ball into the net, or he carries the whole burden on his shoulder. With every hit that he whips on the ball as he attempts to send the ball over the opponent's wall, he channels his inner David Beckham with the posture that he keeps himself in while getting it done.
"Bend it like Beckham" is a phrase Man United's faithful and Premier League fans got accustomed to over the years while Man United's legend David Beckham donned the Red Devils jersey. James Ward-Prowse has proven he can match the former England international, as he is the most technically gifted dead ball specialist currently in the Premier League and in the world of football.
FanNation claimed that David Beckham scored 18 free kicks in 265 appearances during his playing days in the Premier League; James Ward-Prowse is one shot away from that record but needed 328 matches to achieve the feat. Premier League fans have already agreed he will go down in the history of the competition as one of the best free kick takers, regardless of what unfolds in the future at Southampton, who are currently in a relegation battle.
According to Goal.com's ranking, James Ward-Prowse is the second-best set-piece specialist in the history of the English Premier League. Judging from the perspective of the number of goals scored from dead ball situations, the 28-year-old is ranked above Arsenal's Thierry Henry, Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo, Chelsea's Zola, Lampard, and Liverpool's Steven Gerrard.
He is just one shy of equaling David Beckham's 18-goal record, and it appears he could match or even break the record this season, despite the Saints' relegation fight. He is also certain to be snapped up by a Premier League club if the Saints are relegated at the end of the campaign.
James Ward-Prowse certainly has a good chance of inking his name at the number one spot of this chapter of the English Premier League history books before making his bow out of football, and one of the chances to do so will present itself on Sunday afternoon when the Saints lineup against the Red Devils at Old Trafford. His recent set-piece exploit ensured that Ruben Selles' side picked up all three points from their trip to Stamford Bridge two weeks ago.
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