Martin Keown made ‘particularly angry’ by Everton keeper Jordan Pickford
Martin Keown would be made “particularly angry” as a defender if he had to play with Everton keeper Jordan Pickford due to how he reacts to shots on goal.
The Toffees number one has just signed a new contract to remain at the club until 2027, a development that former Goodison defender Keown believes is “really good news” for a player who he feels can sometimes seem invincible playing for England.
The pundit expects detail-oriented manager Sean Dyche to be looking to emulate whatever it is Gareth Southgate provides to get that level of performance from Pickford at club level, but has admitted that he would struggle to deal with the 28-year-old’s “offended” reaction to his defenders if an opponent forces him to make a save.
Jim White asked live on talkSPORT on Friday morning (24 February, 10.34am) after the contract announcement: “Is he the best goalkeeper in the Premier League?”
“I don’t think so this year. I think the Arsenal goalkeeper’s looked better for me all round,” replied Keown.
“Is he England’s best goalkeeper?” asked White.
“I think in an England shirt, yes,” Keown replied, “I don’t think you can question his performances Jim. He seems to take on a different air of invincibility in goal.
“I don’t know if that’s Gareth Southgate around him. Sean Dyche will be looking and seeing what makes him tick, he looks at every detail, with [Dominic] Calvert-Lewin last week about what car he drives, what bed he sleeps on, the detail is there with the manager.
“This is really good news to get him to sign a new deal. But he looks almost offended when the opposition have a shot, and I find that quite tricky to deal with him.
“It would make me particularly angry as a player, as a central defender. We don’t want them to shoot either, so help us as best you can.”
Attitude
Some of the best keepers in the history of the game were no doubt a nightmare to play in front of, with the likes of Oliver Kahn and Peter Schmeichel just two examples who immediately jump out.
But defenders don’t have to like each other on the pitch as long as they are working together effectively.
Pickford is obviously a high-profile player as Everton and England number one but even in that context the level of scrutiny his behaviour is put under is surprising.
It is true that he is a demonstrative performer on the pitch, which he has admitted is to his detriment at times.
But in comparison to a player like Emi Martinez who actively seeks to antagonise virtually everyone as part of his game Pickford seems to rub a lot of people up the wrong way for less.
He makes more errors for Everton than he does for England so Toffees fans would love it if Dyche can balance that out, although the fact that he plays far more club games than internationals doesn’t actually make that so surprising.
The former Sunderland man certainly isn’t perfect, but he’s not a leader at Goodison and for the Three Lions by accident, so the new contract is a positive development and while Southgate remains in charge of the national side he looks pretty secure there as well.