Nottingham Forest suffered a defeat to Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday, with James Ward-Prowse making a return to the starting lineup. The 30-year-old midfielder had not started a match since his red card in a 1-1 draw against Chelsea in early October. Although he made a brief appearance as a substitute against Newcastle before the international break, this was his first start in several weeks.
Ward-Prowse, who is on loan at Forest, has now played six matches for the club but has yet to register a goal or an assist, despite his reputation for delivering quality set pieces. His impressive form for West Ham last season under David Moyes earned him recognition, but he has struggled to make a similar impact under Forest manager Julen Lopetegui.
Many Forest supporters have expressed doubts about Ward-Prowse’s future at the club. After his performance against Arsenal, some fans have voiced their hope that he will not remain at the City Ground beyond the current season.
During Saturday’s game, criticism of Ward-Prowse emerged on social media. Fans were frustrated with his overall contributions, with one calling him one of the club’s worst loan signings since promotion. The fan cited his lack of pace, poor positioning, and weak tackling as significant issues, asserting that his game outside of set pieces was below Premier League standard. Another fan echoed this sentiment, describing his involvement as a waste of time. Some suggested that his main value lies only in taking free-kicks and corners.
In terms of his performance against Arsenal, Ward-Prowse showed signs of rustiness due to limited recent playing time. Sofa Score highlighted that he lost possession six times and completed just one tackle throughout the match. However, there was a bright spot in his passing accuracy, which stood at nearly 93%, the highest of any Forest player in the game, according to Who Scored.
Ward-Prowse’s ability to make a meaningful impact on the pitch is expected to improve with more regular game time. Given his career achievements, his potential contributions should not be dismissed. Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo now faces a decision on whether to continue starting Ward-Prowse or explore other options when Ipswich visit the City Ground next weekend.