James Ward-Prowse

Ward-Prowse has turned the free kick into a genuine weapon, whipping the ball over a defensive wall with enough pace that goalkeepers get beaten from positions they should comfortably cover. His corners carry the same quality, struck with such consistency that teammates already know roughly where the ball will land. Away from dead balls he still covers huge amounts of ground, tracking back to help his midfield rather than lingering forward for the next set piece.

The tension is whether a player built so heavily on delivery still shapes matches once chances arrive from open play instead. He was never the quickest midfielder, so his value rests on timing and positioning rather than raw speed. How often West Ham actually win the free kicks and corners that make him so dangerous will decide how much of a weapon he really is.