The Liverpool Echo’s head of sport David Prentice ripped into Everton’s Jordan Pickford for his recent mistakes.
This season, the English goalkeeper has appeared in 35 Premier League matches for the Toffees in which he has only managed to keep eight clean sheets and has conceded 52 goals (per Transfermarkt).
Furthermore, Pickford’s performances throughout the season have been a contentious talking point as he has made a number of individual mistakes, including in last weekend’s defeat to Wolves (per Liverpool Echo).
So, in the latest episode of Royal Blue: The Everton FC Podcast, Prentice slated the 26-year-old stopper.
He said: “I’m a big Jordan Pickford fan. I’ve defended him so many times on this pod, but his form’s worrying me at the moment. His reaction worries me.
“Goalkeepers are strange beasts, I’ve seen the greatest we’ve ever had in Neville Southall, he did strange things at times; he walked out at half time in a match and sat on a goalpost. Goalkeepers behave in different ways and with him, pulling faces and pulling tongues, that’s relief of having got away with one.
“What worries me is the lack of concentration. That is a huge thing for a goalkeeper: doing very, very little all game and pulling a worldie out when it matters most and he’s done it in his career, but he’s not doing it at the moment. It’s almost like he’s switching off on occasions.
“He’s getting caught out. He dropped one in the first half [against Wolves] and got away with it. He switched off fatally and one went through his legs this time, and that’s catastrophic when you’re a goalkeeper. Can he learn to concentrate more during games? I’m not so sure.”
TIF Thoughts…
As can be seen in what the journalist had to say, despite being a ‘fan’ of Pickford, he is unsure if the Englishman can acquire an adequate level of concentration.
Do Everton need to purchase a new goalkeeper this summer?
Yes, he's not good enough
No, Pickford's not bad
The fact that Pickford has been Everton’s joint-seventh worst performer this season with a weak 6.42/10 average rating (per WhoScored) highlights what a poor season he has had for the Toffees.
Only time will tell if the stopper is able to re-find the desired level of concentration at Goodison Park.