Jordan Pickford will win his 50th cap against France, with the chance to equal England’s clean sheet record at big championships. Recognize him for who he is. Jordan Pickford will reach a half-century of caps when he comes out to keep England’s goal against France on Saturday. Not bad for a little boy with problematic feet, short arms, and a short attention span.
All of these accusations have been leveled at Gareth Southgate’s No.1, even before this World Cup, his third major event as the Three Lions’ first pick. However, only Peter Shilton has more clean sheets at World Cups or European Championships, and Pickford can level the score at 10 if he can keep Kylian Mbappe and his teammates out of the quarter-final in Qatar. After four and a half years as uncontested No.1, surely it’s time to appreciate Pickford for what he is: a dependable, occasionally outstanding last line of defence and a world-class first line of attack.
That second aspect of his game is frequently cited as one of the reasons Southgate has so much faith in the committed Mackem. Pickford can command the tempo for England, more so for Everton, by breaking lines with his passing, whether off the floor or from his hands. The most recent example of this came in the game against Senegal. The Three Lions attempted to play out and through the thirds, with Pickford bouncing it about his backline, but when it became clear that Senegal was blocking their way out, the goalie easily adjusted to a different range.
Pickford’s progressive throwing distance was 836 yards, over 300 yards more than John Stones, England’s second top player in that measure. This type of distribution is critical for the modern goalie; for some coaches, it is more vital than everything else. The discussion about the desired skill set in a No.1 will continue, but more than ever, it comes down to personal preference. Ideally, you have a goalkeeper who can do everything, which is exactly what Southgate has done.
Pickford is one of the greatest at the more traditional aspects of his job. He may not be Thibaut Courtois’ height, as the sensitive Belgian stopper wanted to stress in 2018, but what he lacks in inches he more than makes up for in agility and pace. We’ve seen it in three tournaments for England, and while he hasn’t been overworked in Qatar, he has produced magnificent stops against Iran and Senegal, keeping his team in the game despite a nerve-racking first half-hour. So, why is Pickford still perceived as a liability?
Around 2020, he may have become – at least for Everton. Pickford went through the type of phase that all goalkeepers go through at some point in their careers: nothing sticks and mistakes are common. However, he never brought that form to the international stage, and that phase quickly faded. Everton would have been in the Championship this season if it hadn’t been for their goalkeeper last season, and Pickford has maintained that form into the World Cup.
Perhaps Pickford’s personality prevents him from shaking that incorrect image. He has previously been referred to as a ‘daft puppy’ on these pages, and his attention-grabbing, all-action approach is not for everyone. Many of his movements – before, during, and after his acts – can appear excessive, which irritates some people who prefer their keepers to be visible or audible only when absolutely essential. For some analysts, a well-known goalkeeper is an issue because they cannot be disregarded like others who do not generate a fuss. And this is when their own ignorance of the situation becomes apparent.
Pickford has calmed down and learned to cope better with the passivity and isolation that come with his work. He had to. His adrenaline-fueled, get the party started mentality was incompatible with the longevity he desired as England’s No.1. Joe Hart, his predecessor, appeared to be in command of England’s goalkeeping until he wasn’t. The same was true for Paul Robinson. Both were regarded as the Three Lions’ long-term leaders before their form and standing deteriorated. Perhaps the continual scrutiny and questions about his abilities among the general public outside of the England camp have kept him aware of the dangers that have befallen Hart and Robinson.
However, as Pickford celebrates his 50th cap, those detractors must acknowledge the talent and, oddly, calm that he has brought to the England goal, despite a defence that is usually regarded as a weakness. None of his contemporaries have been flawless throughout their careers at the pinnacle – Alisson, perhaps the finest in the world, was a disaster for parts of last season – but they haven’t been defined by those times. Pickford deserves the same grace and acclaim as England’s most secure pair of hands and feet.
