Chris Sutton blasts Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford for England performance v Germany
Chris Sutton has blasted Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford for his role in Germany’s goal in the 1-1 draw with England, calling it a “poor goal to concede”.
The Toffees stopper started in goal as England travelled to Munich for a UEFA Nations League game, but was criticised for failing to stop Jonas Hoffman’s opening goal in the second half.
Despite a powerful effort, Pickford got his hand to the ball but could only parry it into the net behind him and Sutton took to his Daily Mail column [June 8] to criticise the 28-year-old for always trying to make his saves look better than they need to be.
“It was a poor goal to concede and a few in England shirts didn’t cover themselves in glory defensively,” he said.
“But really, Jordan Pickford should have been saving the eventual effort from Jonas Hofmann. The shot was straight at England’s goalkeeper.
“Pickford seems like someone who is forever looking to make his saves look like worldies. Often he manages that – he certainly made a few super stops for Everton towards the end of the season.
“But he didn’t do that on Tuesday night. Had Hofmann’s shot been fired at Manuel Neuer, you’d expect it to be saved.
“Instead it went through a weak left hand from Pickford. A nervy moment from Gareth Southgate’s No 1.”
Harsh
Considering how good Pickford has been this season, it seems harsh to pick out a moment where a difficult save didn’t come off.
He didn’t have a lot of time to react to the strike and it was incredibly powerful, so he did well to get a hand to it in the first place when it could easily have flashed past him.
Had he been able to stop the ball going in with his one hand it would’ve been labelled a great save and if he’d missed it completely then they would have said there was nothing he could do about it.
Ultimately he had a good performance, making a couple of big saves himself and staying calm in possession to help England play through the German press on occasions too.
He did himself no harm when it comes to his number one position and criticism of him in this instance is just greatly exaggerated by a pundit looking to have a go at someone.
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