Pickford keeps England place against Iceland

Saturday, 5 September, 2020 14comments  |  Jump to most recent

Jordan Pickford started and Michael Keane was on the bench as England narrowly beat Iceland in the Uefa Nations League this evening.

The Everton goalkeeper's status as first-choice goalkeeper for his country has been a source of speculation following his dip in form at the end of last season but Gareth Southgate has kept faith with him.

Keane, meanwhile, had to be content with a place among the substitutes with Joe Gomez Eric Dier preferred at centre-half.

And in a game of late drama, two dismissals and two penalties, Pickford kept a clean sheet. Raheem Sterling had put 10-man England ahead from the spot after Kyle Walker had been sent off.

Then when Gomez conceded a penalty at the death, Birkir Bjarnason put his spot-kick into the stands.  



Reader Comments (14)

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Paul Birmingham
1 Posted 05/09/2020 at 17:13:00
Unless the other keepers in the squad have injuries, this is an immense show faith by Gareth Southgate.

Let's see how he plays, and if he's improved his concentration and positioning etc.

I'd still start with Lössl for Everton, if we don't get another goalkeeper in.

Every player should be in the Everton starting line-up on merit.

Anyway, it's been a good day and let's hope this weekend gets better for Everton and Evertonians.

Steve Ferns
2 Posted 05/09/2020 at 17:16:51
Pickford will argue, and clearly Southgate will agree, that he’s done nothing wrong in an England shirt to be dropped for. As long as he performs for England and gets picked for us, then he’ll get picked for England.
Tony Everan
3 Posted 05/09/2020 at 17:48:46
He will be relieved. Southgate has stuck by him.

I think this wipes Jordan’s slate clean and gives him an opportunity to prove himself reliable next season. There’s Pope and Henderson who will be deserving of an opportunity if Jordan continues to struggle for Everton.

For what it’s worth I think he will have a much better season with a proper organised midfield unit shielding the defence.

Frank Crewe
4 Posted 05/09/2020 at 17:49:10
Pope needs to move to a bigger club than Burnley if he wants to shift Pickford. How about Everton? I hear they are in the market for a new keeper.
Michael O'Malley
5 Posted 05/09/2020 at 17:53:10
Who's bothered as long as his Everton No 1 spot isn't guaranteed this season. We definitely need some competition for him as he was woeful last season.
Patrick McFarlane
6 Posted 05/09/2020 at 17:56:53
If Pickford can take a leaf out of young Tryers's book, he'll be fine, everything the kid did today was quietly assured, no histrionics, no 'look at me' type behaviour, and the lad made some good saves too. If Jordan can manage to play with a level head most of the time, he'll prove an asset to the team.

Good for Southgate because it would have been very easy for the England manager to bow to the 'public' – or should that be media – pressure to rest him.

Andy Crooks
7 Posted 05/09/2020 at 18:25:25
Pickford passing the ball out. Taking it back from Keane. Then, knocking it out to Coleman. The transferring it to Digne, who passes it to Mina. Mina is pressed, knocks it to Tom, Tom knocks it to Seamus. Seamus gives away a corner.

Kean comes back, not having touched the ball in his 15-minute cameo, and heads it to the edge of the penalty area. The new West Brom striker fires a hit-and-hope shot. Pickford palms it out. The new West Brom left-back, Northern Ireland international by the way, taps it in. Pickford tears strips of defenders who look at each other and lament the fact that they have behind them the most utterly overrated goalkeeper in the history of football.

Anthony A Hughes
8 Posted 05/09/2020 at 18:38:02
Piss poor performance from England against Icelandic journeymen.
Too many media-hyped players (Sancho, Rice) done zero today. Stirling may have pace but he rarely strikes a football cleanly.
Mike Gaynes
9 Posted 05/09/2020 at 18:59:17
Anthony #8, Sterling "rarely strikes a football cleanly"??

He scored 31 in 52 on scuffs?

Patrick McFarlane
10 Posted 05/09/2020 at 19:40:33
Andy #7,

I imagine that the subscription for Sky/BT plus eleven days is pretty expensive. Did you watch next week's game at Tottenham, or has it not been on yet?

Paul Birmingham
11 Posted 05/09/2020 at 22:32:05
All views on our GK situation, are respected, but this England result, changes little, for me, other than, Jordan, buys some extra time.

The last 2 seasons, all considered, it’s the serious issue, of his performances for EFC.

Get the club form to standard and good, but this hasn’t been the case.

I’f Jordan could mentally improve in terms of his approach and composure, then he’d have a chance, but for me, it’s almost time out, bar a miracle.

Time has flown, and he’s no longer a youth, and for EFC, there’s been too many bad messes on crosses, soft goals, crowd issues, and far too many kamikaze passes in front and across our defence, which to me shows, a lack of respect for the EFC, team.

The team, hopefully will improve and if so, if all the proposed signings, come through.

I’d employ Neville Southall, to help him improve, as I think it would be a help for him in his match approach planning.

Still, Carlo, will no better, but we’ll done, on an exceptional performance by Harry Tryer, and good signs, but hopefully, better signs all around for EFC.

Dermot O'Brien
12 Posted 05/09/2020 at 23:17:56
Very good Andy. Funny because it's true.
We will see that a lot this season. You forgot the 5th or 6th pass back to GK where he balloons it out to touch.
Mike Gaynes
13 Posted 05/09/2020 at 23:45:18
By the way, Andre Gomes never got off the bench for Portugal against Croatia, for whom our old friend Vlasic was ineffective in the #10 slot.
John Dooley
14 Posted 06/09/2020 at 00:49:31
I think we have always been very strong in the goalkeeper department.

First season, Pickford looked like a really good prospect; last season, it was almost like watching Joe Hart when he was on a decline... We definitely need this addressed. I don't think he's good enough, unfortunately!

Might be a confidence thing with the defence in front of him, I don't know, but for me, as well as a prolific striker to go with our newly formed midfield is definitely a must and fast!

If we get these “whispers” done, I think a very good season is ahead of us! Fingers crossed... 🤞🏻


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