In a recent interview with talkSPORT, England manager Gareth Southgate backed Everton shot-stopper Jordan Pickford to cope with the growing pressures surrounding his recent performances on the field. The 49-year-old also had words of encouragement for the English keeper when he said (via talkSPORT), “He’s played exceptionally well for us for the last three years and had some critical moments in us achieving some big wins.
“So I understand the question and he knows there have probably been a couple of goals of late he would want to do better with.
“And as you rightly say, the spotlight when you have England international attached to your name is always greater – on and off the pitch.
“But he knows that and he is more than capable of coping with that.”
It Has Been A Campaign Of Mixed Emotions For Pickford
Pickford has received a lot of scrutiny for some of his questionable performances in recent weeks, so Southgate’s backing will undeniably be a timely boost to the Everton goalie’s confidence heading into the business end of this campaign. The Toffees regular has to find some consistency under Carlo Ancelotti’s stewardship over the next few weeks if he wants to be a part of the England first-team for the UEFA Euro 2020 which is set to kick off later this summer.
The Washington-born talent has impressed in patches during this campaign and has eight clean sheets to show for his efforts. Even though Everton’s defensive record has improved under Ancelotti, there is no denying that Pickford has struggled to keep the ball out of the back of his net over the past eight months. He has conceded 47 goals in 33 matches for the Toffees this term in all competitions.
The former Sunderland custodian has often been guilty of being inaccurate with his ball-distribution after he completed just 57% of his passes in the Premier League this season (stats via whoscored). Pickford can be a flawed keeper at times as it is quite apparent from his performances of late there are holes in his game. At the same time, he also possesses the ability to make some world-class stops at the back to help his side turn the losses into draws and the draws into wins.
What Does The English Custodian Bring To The Table?
The 25-year-old boasts quick reflexes that enable him to make some crucial saves for his team. He gets a lot of distance with his clearances as well, which ensures that his teammates have enough time to re-group when they are being pinned inside their own half. The 24-time England international can also organise his backline well when trying to defend from the opposition’s set-pieces.
Can The Toffees Depend On Pickford In The Long-Term?
If Ancelotti wants his players to play the ball out from the back, then the Italian tactician should look for a new keeper who would be good with his feet, as Pickford is evidently not the long-term solution for that role. But if the Everton head coach intends to keep playing a 4-4-2 formation and is willing to opt for a more tactical approach, then it makes sense for him to retain Pickford’s services for the long-run as we can expect him to get better and better with each season.
Either way, Everton have a promising keeper in Pickford, so if they are ready to be patient with him, then it is quite likely that he will be able to turn things around and become a more reliable option for them in the coming years.
