ESPN pundit Shaka Hislop raves about Everton’s Jordan Pickford, doesn’t understand criticism
Jordan Pickford gets “emotionally carried away” but has backed it up with “incredible” Everton performances in the past two games says Shaka Hislop.
The Toffees keeper has been instrumental in the wins over Chelsea and Leicester that have pushed the club out of the relegation zone and above relegation rivals Burnley and Leeds.
The 27-year-old produced some wonderful second-half saves from Patson Daka and Harvey Barnes at the King Power Sunday (8 May), to follow the ones he made against Cesar Azpilicueta and Antonio Rudiger a week earlier, and former Premier League keeper was full of praise, while not understanding why the England number one attracts as many critics as he does.
Hislop told ESPN FC after the Leicester game: “For the second week running… Jordan Pickford came up huge.
“For a goalkeeper who I do not understand [why] is criticised in the way he has [been], in the last two weeks Pickford has single-handedly won six points for Everton, in the most crucial of times, in the most crucial of seasons for Everton when you think about what it costs to be relegated, and he needs to be credited for that.
“Jordan Pickford I feel at times gets a little emotionally carried away. I think at this time of the season, with everything at stake, emotions are riding high, and somehow Jordan Pickford… has been the emotional spark that Everton need but he’s backed that up with incredible performances.
“His saves have been top notch, beyond any kind of doubt or debate. So it’s come just right for him, in terms of his own personality.
“Frank Lampard has his goalkeeper to thank. I think Everton have Jordan Pickford to thank.”
Beyond doubt
Whatever detractors Pickford had before, he has demonstrated his ability to such an extent in the last two games that plenty will have changed their tune.
He revealed to The Times ahead of Sunday’s game the role a psychologist has played in him harnessing his emotions for the good of his performances.
And Hislop was delighted to see the fruits of that work in what is admittedly a situation of extremely high pressure.
Keepers are often big characters, and the former Sunderland man is certainly one of those.
When such a player is on form it can benefit the entire team, giving them the confidence to know that there is a significant presence behind them.
The defensive mix-ups early in the win at Leicester hinted at familiar frailties coming to the fore, but the back line grew into the game in the second half as Pickford took charge with multiple important saves.
He is leading from the back at the moment, and if it continues he will surely end up the Toffees player of the season, although Anthony Gordon might have something to say about that.
In other Everton news, a talkSPORT pundit is shocked by how the club has “massively turned it around” and has made a big relegation prediction.
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