Jordan Pickford has Jan Oblak-style ‘housery’ down to an art for Everton – BBC Sport’s Mark Chapman
Mark Chapman has hailed Everton keeper Jordan Pickford for mastering the Jan Oblak move of falling to the ground when collecting crosses.
The Toffees star is no stranger to winding up opposing players and crowds with his supposed antics, as Liverpool keeper Alisson sarcastically mimicked the England number one in last-season’s Merseyside derby at Anfield (24 April).
But in a discussion about the so-called dark arts of modern football the 29-year-old was likened to Atletico Madrid’s Slovenian star Oblak for the way he looks to get a marginal edge in games.
Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live’s show on “Housery” on Monday night (21 March, 34m 50s) journalist Rory Smith said: “Nobody falls to the ground more often than Jan Oblak when he’s caught a cross, it seems to really take it out of him.”
Chapman then cut in: “Pickford’s brilliant at it though, Pickford’s got that down to an art as well.”
What it takes
Pundits and fans tend to like to focus on Pickford, and when Everton have been in back-to-back relegation battles it is easy to pick on strugglers.
But despite Diego Simeone’s Atletico side being infamous for employing any spoiling tactic they can dream up their star goalkeeper is largely respected for his game.
Of course it will sometimes backfire, and the Toffees man has admitted at times he is his own worst enemy, but with their backs against the wall week-in and week-out over the past year or so there have also been plenty of times where crucial 1-0 wins may have become draws without evasive action being taken.
Everyone is annoyed when they are on the receiving end of moves like that, but as with the fan who hid the ball up his top during the crucial 1-0 win over Chelsea last season [Sky Sports, 1 May] nobody minds when they benefit.
Whether it is right or wrong is often secondary in professional sports to whether you can get away with it, where the narrowest of margins can decide a season.
Opposing fans will hate him for it but most Everton supporters will back their man completely as he has been a crucial part of remaining in the Premier League last season and remaining in contention to do the same during this campaign.