Jordan Pickford is the most underrated player in the Premier League. Discuss and analyse the above statement, clearly showing your working. (12 marks)
The first England goalkeeper to win a World Cup penalty shootout. An England goalkeeper that conceded just one goal as the Three Lions reached their first major final in 45 years. An England goalkeeper that saw spot-kick expert Jorginho stepping up to take ‘the winning penalty’ and shrugged his shoulders, said ‘no problem’ and then went and bloody stopped it.
If England had more than two capable penalty takers then Pickford would not only have won player of the tournament, but been knighted. Arise Sir Jordan Pickford.
Pickford has a World Cup this winter to potentially get his hands on international silverware, but Everton have more pressing issues to deal with. Their Player of the Season from last term, and the reason they retained their Premier League status, has been sidelined with a muscle injury that will keep him out against West Ham this weekend.
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Asmir Begovic is a capable replacement, but Everton aren’t used to capable - they are used to exceptional. Pickford has been their best player for a solid 18 months now, and yet still the wider footballing audience don’t see him as one of the finest in the Premier League. After an exceptional display against Liverpool he finally got some respect, but there’s not a lot more he can do to change public opinion of him.
The short arms and T-Rex jokes have perhaps tarnished him more than first realised. The late goal he conceded against Liverpool in 2018 saw the abuse reach a peak, but the lazy analysis of him hasn’t changed much. How many times have you seen pundits or even just your mates down the pub talk about Pickford as if he is an error-prone goalkeeper? That narrative isn’t just lazy, it is downright wrong. He’s been phenomenal for club and country for several years now, and it’s about time public opinion changed on England’s best goalkeeper since David Seaman.
This weekend, Frank Lampard and the Toffees will have to do without their main man but the manager believes he could return for the Southampton game after the international break. By fluke and fortune, Everton have managed to only miss their number one goalkeeper for one game despite the month-long injury diagnosis.
Obviously this is down to the postponements last weekend due to the passing of Queen Elizabeth II and a fortunately timed international break. Gareth Southgate will have to go without his first choice option for games against Italy and Germany, but for Everton it is a huge blessing.
It might actually work out for England too. We all know that the Everton man will start at the World Cup, but Nick Pope, Dean Henderson and Aaron Ramsdale still need to get themselves into an orderly queue behind him. One of those three won’t even make the plane.
Southgate himself deserves credit for his faith in Pickford too. He has played a vital role in the development of a player that has been criticised by so many. Now Lampard and Everton are reaping the rewards of a solid goalkeeper that has become a leader for club and country. Only missing him for one game may be the most fortunate slice of luck the Toffees receive all year.
