Everton star Jordan Pickford wows national media in 8/10 England showing – ‘Decisive’, ‘Huge’
National media have waxed lyrical about Jordan Pickford after the Everton ace delivered a “decisive” performance for England in the 3-0 win against Greece.
The 30-year-old righted his wrongs at the Athens Olympic Stadium on Thursday [14 November] after his “horror” display against the Greeks in the 2-1 loss at Wembley in the return fixture.
Lee Carsley ended his interim reign as England boss with a decisive victory in the UEFA Nations League, Ollie Watkins and Curtis Jones scored either side of an Odysseas Vlachodimos own goal.
However, Pickford also received his flowers from the London Evening Standard [14 November] which awarded him an 8/10 rating. Writing: “Took responsibility with some decisive punching. Strong hand at near-post to keep out Tsimikas, then even better save to deny Ioannidis. Booked.”
The Daily Mail [14 November] gave Pickford a more modest 7.5/10 rating, writing: “Back in team after Greece horror show last month and responded with strong showing. Two huge saves at 1-0 and played sweeper-keeper role perfectly.”
Jordan Pickford must replicate his England form for Everton
Pickford has endured a rollercoaster of a campaign at Goodison Park this year but he can always be relied upon, barring the odd rarity, to perform “very well” for the national side.
The Blues goalkeeper was excellent in Greece and his contributions on Thursday night have put England in control of the UEFA Nations League group.
However, his fortunes with Everton have not been so fruitful and, Pickford will be tested to the utmost of his abilities after the international break with a daunting fixture schedule ahead including a Merseyside derby clash with league leaders Liverpool, Arsenal, and Manchester City on the horizon.
He was “crucial” for Sean Dyche in the 0-0 draw against West Ham United with his heroic 93rd-minute save against Danny Ings at the London Stadium securing a share of the spoils for his side.
Pickford cannot control what his teammates do at the business end of the pitch but has only kept clean sheets on three occasions in the Premier League this season albeit, they have come in the Blues’ last five outings.
While the shot-stopper is prone to the occasional error, his mentality is unmatched, and his ability to recover from his mistakes with grace is a testament to his professionalism and exactly what Everton needs with another relegation battle on the cards this year.
The Everton faithful will be hopeful this performance will help Pickford rediscover his best form at Goodison Park, a side is only as good as the defence and he will undoubtedly be a decisive factor in securing their Premier League status.
In other Everton news, Dwight McNeil and Armando Broja have been spotted at Finch Farm in the latest Toffees injury update.
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